diff --git a/src/components/MainContent.tsx b/src/components/MainContent.tsx
index 67dacd3..dece0b7 100644
--- a/src/components/MainContent.tsx
+++ b/src/components/MainContent.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ const MainContent: React.FC<MainContentProps> = ({
     updateTrackProperties,
     timeSignature,
     setPlayheadPosition,
+    playheadPosition,
+    isPlaying,
     clearAllSelections,
     setSelectedTrack,
     showPianoRoll,
@@ -80,6 +82,12 @@ const MainContent: React.FC<MainContentProps> = ({
   // Refs to track pending updates for verification
   const pendingUpdates = useRef<Map<string, { trackId: string, regionId: string, startBeat: number, length: number }>>(new Map());
 
+  // Refs for auto-scroll during playback
+  const mainContentRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
+  const userManuallyScrolledRef = useRef(false);
+  const expectedScrollLeftRef = useRef<number>(-1);
+  const isPlayingRef = useRef(false);
+
   // Refs for bar numbers and loop range drag functionality
   const barNumbersRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const isLoopDraggingRef = useRef(false);
@@ -87,6 +95,56 @@ const MainContent: React.FC<MainContentProps> = ({
   const loopDragStartXRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
   const loopDragOriginalSettingsRef = useRef<{ isLooping: boolean; loopingRange: [number, number] } | null>(null);
 
+  // Sync isPlayingRef and reset manual-scroll flag when playback starts
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (isPlaying && !isPlayingRef.current) {
+      userManuallyScrolledRef.current = false;
+    }
+    isPlayingRef.current = isPlaying;
+  }, [isPlaying]);
+
+  // Detect manual horizontal scroll during playback
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const container = mainContentRef.current;
+    if (!container) return;
+
+    const handleScroll = () => {
+      if (!isPlayingRef.current) return;
+      // If scrollLeft matches what we programmatically set (within 1px), it's our scroll — ignore
+      if (Math.abs(container.scrollLeft - expectedScrollLeftRef.current) < 1) return;
+      userManuallyScrolledRef.current = true;
+    };
+
+    container.addEventListener('scroll', handleScroll);
+    return () => container.removeEventListener('scroll', handleScroll);
+  }, []);
+
+  // Auto-scroll to keep playhead centered during playback
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isPlaying || userManuallyScrolledRef.current) return;
+
+    const container = mainContentRef.current;
+    if (!container) return;
+
+    const beatsPerBar = timeSignature.numerator;
+    const barPosition = playheadPosition / beatsPerBar;
+    const barWidth = parseInt(
+      getComputedStyle(document.documentElement).getPropertyValue('--track-grid-bar-width')
+    ) || 40;
+    const playheadPixel = barPosition * barWidth;
+
+    // Center the playhead in the visible grid area (excluding the 200px sticky info panel)
+    const infoWidth = 200;
+    const targetScrollLeft = playheadPixel - (container.clientWidth - infoWidth) / 2;
+    const clampedScrollLeft = Math.max(
+      0,
+      Math.min(targetScrollLeft, container.scrollWidth - container.clientWidth)
+    );
+
+    expectedScrollLeftRef.current = clampedScrollLeft;
+    container.scrollLeft = clampedScrollLeft;
+  }, [playheadPosition, isPlaying, timeSignature]);
+
   // Effect to verify track updates
   useEffect(() => {
     // Check for pending updates
@@ -722,7 +780,7 @@ const MainContent: React.FC<MainContentProps> = ({
   };
 
   return (
-    <div className={`main-content${showInstrumentSelection ? ' has-left-instrument' : ''}`}>
+    <div className={`main-content${showInstrumentSelection ? ' has-left-instrument' : ''}`} ref={mainContentRef}>
       <div className="main-content-wrapper">
         {/* Top-left spacer */}
         <div className="top-left-spacer">