YouTube keeps two separate histories, and you can delete them independently or together

YouTube records what you watch and what you search for. These are stored in two places: your Watch history (videos you've clicked on) and your Search history (terms you've typed into YouTube's search bar). You can delete all of it at once, clear it from a specific date forward, pause it so YouTube stops recording new activity, or delete individual videos and searches one by one. The fastest route is the "Clear all watch history" button, which takes about 30 seconds.

Deleting your history doesn't erase videos from YouTube's servers or undo any public comments you left. It only removes the record from your own account. If you're signed out of YouTube or using a different device, that device has its own separate history that won't be affected.

Key Takeaways

  • You can clear all watch history and search history at once from your YouTube account settings, or delete individual items one at a time.
  • Pausing your history stops YouTube from recording new activity going forward, but does not delete what's already been recorded.
  • Deleting your history from your account does not remove videos you watched or comments you posted from YouTube itself.
  • If you use YouTube on multiple devices or while signed out, each has its own separate history that you'll need to clear separately.

How to clear all your watch history at once

Open YouTube and sign in to your account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select History from the dropdown menu. On the left side of the page, you'll see a menu with options. Click Clear all watch history. YouTube will ask you to confirm — click the button again to proceed. Your entire watch history is now deleted.

This action is permanent and cannot be undone. YouTube will not show you a list of what's about to be deleted before you confirm, so if you want to review what you're removing first, use the individual delete option instead (see the section below).

How to delete individual videos from your watch history

Go to YouTube and click your profile picture, then 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 and a small X button will appear on the right side. Click it to remove that single video from your history. You can repeat this for as many videos as you want.

This method is slower than clearing everything at once, but it lets you keep videos you want to remember while removing ones you don't. There's no batch delete option — you have to remove them one at a time.

How to clear your search history

From your YouTube History page (profile picture → History), look at the left menu and click Search history. You'll see a list of terms you've searched for on YouTube. Click Clear all search history at the top. Confirm when YouTube asks you to. Your search history is now deleted.

You can also delete individual searches by clicking the X next to each term, the same way you delete individual videos from your watch history. Search history and watch history are stored separately, so clearing one does not affect the other.

How to pause your history so YouTube stops recording

Go to your YouTube History page and look at the left menu. You'll see an option that says Pause watch history or Pause search history (or both). Click either one to turn it off. YouTube will stop recording that type of activity on your account going forward.

Pausing is different from deleting — it does not remove anything you've already watched or searched for. It only stops new activity from being added. If you pause watch history and then watch a video, that video will not show up in your history. You can turn pausing back on at any time by clicking the same button again.

What happens on other devices and when you're signed out

If you watch YouTube on your phone, tablet, computer, or smart TV, each device keeps its own separate history. Deleting your history on your computer will not delete what you watched on your phone. You'll need to go through the same steps on each device where you want to clear your history.

If you watch YouTube without signing in, that activity is not stored in your account history at all. It may be stored locally on that device (your browser or TV), but it won't appear when you sign in elsewhere. Clearing your browser's cookies and cache will remove locally stored YouTube history on that device.

Why YouTube keeps this history and what you can do about it

YouTube records your watch and search history to personalize recommendations and ads. The more YouTube knows about what you watch, the more targeted it can make suggestions and advertising. If you don't want YouTube to build this profile of your interests, you have three options: delete your history regularly, pause your history going forward, or use YouTube without signing in (though this means you won't have personalized recommendations and you'll lose access to your subscriptions and playlists).

Deleting your history does not stop YouTube from showing you ads. It only removes the record from your account. If you want to limit ad targeting, you can adjust your ad settings separately — that's a different control than history deletion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting my YouTube history delete the videos themselves?

No. Deleting your history only removes the record from your account. The videos stay on YouTube and remain public. Anyone can still find and watch them, and any comments you left on those videos are still there.

If I pause my history, will YouTube stop showing me recommendations?

YouTube may still show you recommendations based on your subscriptions, the channels you follow, and videos you're currently watching. Pausing history stops YouTube from using your past viewing patterns, but it doesn't turn off recommendations entirely.

Can I delete my history from a specific date instead of everything?

YouTube doesn't have a built-in option to delete history from a specific date forward. You can only clear everything at once or delete individual items. If you want to remove history from a certain point, you'll need to delete items one by one or clear all of it.

Will deleting my history on YouTube also delete my Google search history?

No. YouTube history and Google Search history are separate. Deleting one does not affect the other. You can manage your Google Search history through your Google Account settings, which is a different page than YouTube.

What if I want to keep my history private from other people who use my account?

If other people have access to your YouTube account or device, they can see your history. The best way to prevent this is to use a separate account for each person, or to pause your history and clear it regularly. YouTube does not have a privacy setting that hides history from other account users.