YouTube stores every search you make unless you turn off history or delete it manually
YouTube keeps a record of what you search for, what videos you watch, and what you click on. This record lives in your account settings, not just on your device. If you share a device or account with someone else, they can see your search history. If you want to remove searches you have already made, you can delete them one at a time, clear your entire search history at once, or turn off history recording so YouTube stops storing new searches going forward.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are on a computer, phone, or tablet, and whether you want to delete old searches or prevent new ones from being saved.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete individual searches from your YouTube history by going to your account settings and finding the search history section.
- Clearing your entire search history at once is faster than deleting searches one by one, but you cannot undo it.
- Turning off search history prevents YouTube from recording future searches, but does not delete searches you have already made.
- If you share a device, signing out of your YouTube account before searching keeps that search off your account history.
Delete individual searches on a computer
Open YouTube in a web browser and sign in to your account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select History from the menu. You will see a list of videos you have watched. To see your searches instead, look for a link or button labeled Search history — this is usually on the left side of the page or near the top.
Find the search you want to remove. Next to each search term, you will see an X button or a trash icon. Click it. The search disappears from your history when ready. Repeat for any other searches you want to delete. There is no undo, so make sure you want to remove each one before you click.
Delete individual searches on a phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select History. Tap Search history to see your searches instead of videos you watched. Find the search you want to remove and tap the X or trash icon next to it. The search is deleted right away.
On some phones, you may need to swipe left on a search to reveal the delete button. If you do not see a delete button, try long-pressing (holding your finger on) the search term — a menu may appear with a delete option.
Clear all search history at once
If you want to remove everything at once instead of deleting searches one by one, you can clear your entire search history. On a computer, go to your History page and look for a button that says Clear all search history or Delete all. YouTube will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, all your searches are gone and cannot be recovered.
On a phone or tablet, the process is the same: go to History, then Search history, and look for a Clear all or Delete all button. Tap it and confirm when YouTube asks.
Turn off search history so YouTube stops recording new searches
Deleting old searches does not stop YouTube from recording new ones. To prevent YouTube from saving future searches to your account, you need to turn off search history. On a computer, click your profile picture and go to Settings. Look for Privacy or History & privacy. You will see an option that says something like Save search history or Record search activity. Toggle it off.
On a phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, and go to Settings. Tap Privacy or History & privacy. Find the toggle for Save search history and turn it off. From that point forward, YouTube will not store your searches in your account history, though your device may still remember what you typed in the search box.
Use Incognito mode to search without saving history
If you want to search YouTube without adding anything to your history, use Incognito mode (on Chrome, Edge, or Firefox) or Private Browsing (on Safari). Open a new Incognito or Private window, go to YouTube, and search. YouTube will not save these searches to your account because you are not signed in. When you close the Incognito window, your device also forgets what you typed.
Incognito mode is useful if you are using a shared device and do not want a search to appear on your account. It does not hide your search from your internet service provider or from the websites you visit, but it does keep it off your YouTube account and off the device itself.
What happens when you delete searches
When you delete a search from your YouTube history, it no longer appears in your History page or in the search suggestions that YouTube shows you. However, YouTube may still have a record of it in its own systems for other purposes, such as improving recommendations or detecting spam. Deleting a search from your account does not erase it from YouTube's servers, but it does remove it from places where you and anyone else using your account can see it.
If you share a YouTube account with someone else, deleting a search removes it from the shared history. If you each have your own account, deleting a search from your account does not affect theirs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone see my YouTube searches if they have my password?
Yes. If someone signs into your YouTube account, they can see your entire search history, watch history, and saved playlists. This is why it matters to use a strong, unique password and to sign out when you use a shared device. If you think someone has accessed your account, change your password right away.
Does clearing my search history delete my watch history too?
No. Search history and watch history are separate. Clearing your search history only removes the searches you typed. Your watched videos stay in your watch history unless you delete them separately. You can clear watch history the same way — go to History, find Watch history, and select Clear all.
If I turn off search history, will YouTube stop recommending videos to me?
Turning off search history only stops YouTube from saving what you search for. YouTube can still recommend videos based on what you watch, what you like, and other activity on your account. If you want to limit recommendations based on your activity, you can also turn off watch history or pause your entire activity history in your account settings.
Does deleting searches from YouTube delete them from Google Search too?
No. YouTube and Google Search are separate services. Deleting a search from YouTube does not affect your Google Search history. You would need to delete your Google Search history separately in your Google account settings.
What if I deleted a search by accident?
YouTube does not have an undo button for deleted searches. Once a search is deleted, you cannot recover it. If you need to find something you searched for before, you can try searching for it again, or you can look through your watch history to find videos you may have clicked on from that search.