diff --git a/src/torchcodec/__init__.py b/src/torchcodec/__init__.py
index 144d3a67f..824e61102 100644
--- a/src/torchcodec/__init__.py
+++ b/src/torchcodec/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 # This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the
 # LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
 
+import builtins
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 # Note: usort wants to put Frame and FrameBatch after decoders and samplers,
@@ -25,3 +27,45 @@
 # Similarly, these are exposed for downstream builds that use torchcodec as a
 # dependency.
 from ._core import core_library_path, ffmpeg_major_version  # usort:skip
+
+
+def _import_device_backends():
+    """
+    Leverage the Python plugin mechanism to load out-of-the-tree device extensions.
+    """
+    from importlib.metadata import entry_points
+
+    group_name = "torchcodec.backends"
+    backend_extensions = entry_points(group=group_name)
+
+    for backend_extension in backend_extensions:
+        try:
+            # Load the extension
+            entrypoint = backend_extension.load()
+            # Call the entrypoint
+            entrypoint()
+        except Exception as err:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"Failed to load the backend extension: {backend_extension.name}. "
+                f"You can disable extension auto-loading with TORCHCODEC_DEVICE_BACKEND_AUTOLOAD=0."
+            ) from err
+
+
+def _is_device_backend_autoload_enabled() -> builtins.bool:
+    """
+    Whether autoloading out-of-the-tree device extensions is enabled.
+    The switch depends on the value of the environment variable
+    `TORCHCODEC_DEVICE_BACKEND_AUTOLOAD`.
+
+    Returns:
+        bool: Whether to enable autoloading the extensions. Enabled by default.
+    """
+    # enabled by default
+    return os.getenv("TORCHCODEC_DEVICE_BACKEND_AUTOLOAD", "1") == "1"
+
+
+# `_import_device_backends` should be kept at the end to ensure
+# all the other functions in this module that may be accessed by
+# an autoloaded backend are defined
+if _is_device_backend_autoload_enabled():
+    _import_device_backends()
diff --git a/test/plugin/pyproject.toml b/test/plugin/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ec3c0375c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/plugin/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools>=61.0"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
+
+[project]
+name = "torchcodec-test-plugin"
+description = "Test extension for torchcodec"
+requires-python = ">=3.8"
+dynamic = ["version"]
+
+[project.entry-points.'torchcodec.backends']
+device_backend = 'torchcodec_test_plugin:_autoload'
diff --git a/test/plugin/torchcodec_test_plugin/__init__.py b/test/plugin/torchcodec_test_plugin/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..182e27f63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/plugin/torchcodec_test_plugin/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"""
+This is a device backend extension used for testing.
+"""
+
+import os
+
+
+def _autoload():
+    # Set the environment variable to true in this entrypoint
+    os.environ["IS_CUSTOM_DEVICE_BACKEND_IMPORTED"] = "1"
diff --git a/test/test_autoload.py b/test/test_autoload.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..28f14c3d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_autoload.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the
+# LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+
+import os
+
+
+def test_autoload():
+    switch = os.getenv("TORCHCODEC_DEVICE_BACKEND_AUTOLOAD", "0")
+
+    # After importing the test extension, the value of this environment variable should be true
+    is_imported = os.getenv("IS_CUSTOM_DEVICE_BACKEND_IMPORTED", "0")
+
+    # Both values should be equal
+    assert is_imported == switch
diff --git a/test/test_plugins.py b/test/test_plugins.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69cd10e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_plugins.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the
+# LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tre
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+
+def _test_autoload(tmp_path, enable_autoload=True):
+    test_directory = Path(__file__).parent
+
+    # Build the test plugin
+    cmd = [
+        sys.executable,
+        "-m",
+        "pip",
+        "install",
+        "--root",
+        "./install",
+        test_directory / "plugin",
+    ]
+    return_code = subprocess.run(cmd, cwd=tmp_path, env=os.environ)
+    assert return_code.returncode == 0
+
+    # "install" the test modules and run tests
+    python_path = os.environ.get("PYTHONPATH", "")
+    torchcodec_autoload = os.environ.get("PYTHONPATH", "")
+
+    try:
+        install_directory = ""
+
+        # install directory is the one that is named site-packages
+        for path in (tmp_path / "install").rglob("*"):
+            if path.is_dir() and "-packages" in path.name:
+                install_directory = str(path)
+
+        print(f">>>>> !!!! install_directory={install_directory}")
+        assert install_directory, "install_directory must not be empty"
+        os.environ["PYTHONPATH"] = os.pathsep.join([install_directory, python_path])
+        os.environ["TORCHCODEC_DEVICE_BACKEND_AUTOLOAD"] = str(int(enable_autoload))
+
+        cmd = [sys.executable, "-m", "pytest", "test_autoload.py"]
+        return_code = subprocess.run(cmd, cwd=Path(__file__).parent, env=os.environ)
+        assert return_code.returncode == 0
+    finally:
+        os.environ["PYTHONPATH"] = python_path
+        if torchcodec_autoload != "":
+            os.environ.pop("TORCHCODEC_DEVICE_BACKEND_AUTOLOAD")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("enable_autoload", [True, False])
+def test_plugin_autoload(tmp_path, enable_autoload):
+    return _test_autoload(tmp_path, enable_autoload=enable_autoload)