Where YouTube stores your view history and why you might want to clear it
YouTube keeps a record of every video you watch in your account's history. This record lives in two places: your watch history (a list of videos you've clicked on) and your search history (the terms you've typed into YouTube's search bar). Both are tied to your Google account, not just your device, so they sync across your phone, tablet, and computer.
YouTube uses this history to recommend videos and populate your homepage. If you want to delete it — because you share a device, want to keep your viewing private, or straightforward prefer a clean slate — you can remove individual videos, clear everything at once, or pause history recording going forward. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're on a computer or phone.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete individual videos from your watch history or clear your entire history at once through your YouTube account settings.
- Pausing history recording stops YouTube from logging new videos you watch, but does not delete what you've already watched.
- Deleting history on YouTube's website does not automatically delete it from your Google account's broader activity log, which tracks more than just YouTube.
- On mobile devices, the steps to delete history are the same whether you use the YouTube app or the mobile website.
How to delete individual videos from your watch history
If you only want to remove a few videos rather than everything, you can delete them one at a time. On a computer, go to YouTube.com, click your profile picture in the top right corner, and select "History." You'll see a list of videos you've watched, with the most recent at the top.
Hover your mouse over any video in the list and a small X button will appear on the right side. Click it to remove that video from your history. The video stays on YouTube and you can still watch it again — you're only removing the record that you watched it. Repeat this for as many videos as you want to delete.
On a phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture at the top right, tap "History," and you'll see the same list. Swipe left on any video (on iPhone) or long-press it (on Android), and a delete option will appear. Tap it to remove that video from your history.
How to clear your entire watch history at once
To delete everything you've watched, go to YouTube.com on a computer and click your profile picture, then select "History." At the top of the page, you'll see a link that says "Clear all watch history." Click it. YouTube will ask you to confirm — click "Clear watch history" again, and everything disappears.
On a phone, the process is similar. Open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, tap "History," and look for "Clear all watch history" at the top. Tap it and confirm. This removes your entire watch history but does not affect your search history — you'll need to clear that separately if you want to.
How to delete your YouTube search history
YouTube tracks what you search for separately from what you watch. To clear your search history, go to YouTube.com and click your profile picture, then select "History." On the left side of the page, you'll see two options: "Watch history" and "Search history." Click "Search history."
You'll see a list of every search term you've typed. You can delete individual searches by clicking the X next to each one, or click "Clear all search history" at the top to remove everything at once. Like watch history, clearing search history does not affect the videos themselves — it only removes the record that you searched for them.
On a phone, tap your profile picture, select "History," then tap "Search history" at the top. Swipe or long-press to delete individual searches, or tap "Clear all search history" to remove them all.
How to pause YouTube history so new videos aren't recorded
If you want to stop YouTube from logging your activity going forward without deleting what you've already watched, you can pause history recording. On a computer, go to YouTube.com, click your profile picture, and select "Settings." In the left menu, click "Privacy." Under "YouTube History," toggle "Pause watch history" to the off position. You can do the same for search history on the same page.
When you pause history, YouTube stops recording new videos you watch and new searches you perform. However, it does not delete your existing history — that remains in your account until you manually clear it. If you turn history back on later, YouTube resumes recording from that point forward.
On a phone, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, tap "Settings," then "Privacy." Toggle "Pause watch history" and "Pause search history" to turn them off. The same rules explore: pausing stops new recordings but keeps your old history intact.
Understanding the difference between YouTube history and Google account activity
YouTube history and Google account activity are not the same thing. When you delete your YouTube watch history, you're only removing it from YouTube's interface. Your Google account keeps a separate, broader activity log that tracks everything you do across Google services — YouTube, Gmail, Google Search, Google Maps, and more.
If you want to remove YouTube activity from your Google account's activity log as well, you need to visit myactivity.google.com. Sign in with your Google account, and you'll see a timeline of your activity across all Google services. You can delete individual items or clear everything by date range. This is a separate step from clearing YouTube history, but doing both ensures your activity is removed from both places.
What happens when you clear history on a shared device
If you share a device with other people and you're signed into your own YouTube account, clearing your history only affects your account. Other people who use the same device with their own accounts will still see their own history intact. However, if someone else is signed into your account on that device, they can see your history unless you clear it.
For better privacy on a shared device, consider using your browser's private or incognito mode when you watch YouTube. In private mode, YouTube doesn't record your watch history at all — though you'll need to sign in to your account each time, and recommendations won't be personalized. Alternatively, you can create a separate user account on the device itself, so each person has their own login and their own YouTube history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing YouTube history delete the videos themselves?
No. Clearing your history only removes the record that you watched those videos. The videos stay on YouTube and you can still find and watch them again. Other people can still see those videos too — you're only removing them from your personal history.
Can I delete history from a specific date or time period?
YouTube's built-in history tools don't let you delete by date range. You can delete individual videos or clear everything, but not a middle section. If you need more control, you can use myactivity.google.com, which lets you delete activity by date range across all Google services.
If I pause history, will YouTube stop recommending videos to me?
Yes. YouTube's recommendations rely on your watch history. When you pause history, YouTube can't see what you're watching, so it can't personalize recommendations. Your homepage will show more generic, trending content instead of videos tailored to your interests.
Does deleting YouTube history also delete it from Google Search?
No. YouTube history and Google Search history are separate. Deleting one doesn't affect the other. You can manage Google Search history through myactivity.google.com or through Google Search settings.
What if I'm signed out of YouTube — does it still record my history?
If you're signed out, YouTube doesn't record your watch history in your account. However, your device may still store local browsing data. Clearing your browser's cache and cookies will remove that local data, but it won't affect your YouTube account history.