YouTube stores two separate histories you can clear independently
YouTube keeps track of what you watch and what you search for, and stores both on your account. The watch history is the list of videos you've clicked on. The search history is what you typed into YouTube's search box. You can delete one, both, or neither — and you can pause either one from recording new activity without erasing what's already there.
Clearing your history does not delete the videos themselves or affect what YouTube recommends to other people. It only removes the record from your own account. If you share a device with someone else, clearing your history will not affect theirs unless you're signed into their account.
Key Takeaways
- You can clear watch history and search history separately, or delete both at once from your YouTube account settings.
- Pausing history recording stops YouTube from adding new videos or searches to your history without erasing what's already saved.
- Clearing your history on YouTube does not delete the videos or change recommendations for other people on your account or device.
- If you use YouTube on multiple devices, you need to sign in to your account on each one to clear history across all of them.
- Private browsing mode in your web browser prevents YouTube from recording history on that device, but only for that session.
How to clear watch history on a computer
Go to YouTube.com and sign into your account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select History from the menu. You'll see a list of videos you've watched. On the left side of the page, click Clear all watch history. YouTube will ask you to confirm — click the button again to finish.
If you want to delete only some videos from your watch history, you can click the X next to individual videos instead. This removes them one at a time without clearing everything else.
How to clear search history on a computer
From the same History page, look for Search history in the left menu and click it. You'll see what you've searched for on YouTube. Click Clear all search history at the top of the page and confirm your choice.
Like watch history, you can delete individual searches by clicking the X next to each one. This is useful if you want to keep most of your search history but remove a few specific searches.
How to clear history on the YouTube app for phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right. Select History from the menu. Tap the three dots or menu icon (it looks different depending on whether you use iPhone or Android). Choose Clear watch history or Clear search history depending on what you want to remove.
The app will ask you to confirm before deleting. Once you confirm, the history is removed from your account when ready. If you use YouTube on other devices, you'll need to repeat this step on each one to clear history everywhere.
Pausing history recording instead of clearing it
If you want to stop YouTube from recording what you watch or search for going forward, you can pause history without erasing what's already saved. Go to your History page on YouTube.com, click the three dots next to Manage all history, and select Pause watch history or Pause search history.
When history is paused, YouTube stops adding new videos or searches to your account, but your old history stays there. You can turn it back on anytime by going to the same menu and clicking Resume. This is useful if you want a break from YouTube tracking your activity without losing the history you've already built up.
Using private browsing to prevent YouTube from recording history
If you don't want YouTube to record your activity at all during a single browsing session, use your browser's private or incognito mode. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, press Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows) or Command+Shift+N (Mac) to open a private window. Sign into YouTube in that window, and nothing you watch or search for will be saved to your account history.
Private browsing only works for that session. Once you close the private window, the protection ends. If you open YouTube normally again, it will start recording your history as usual. Private browsing also does not hide your activity from your internet service provider or network administrator — it only hides it from your browser and your YouTube account.
What happens when you clear your history
Clearing your YouTube history removes the record from your account, but it does not delete the videos themselves. Other people can still find and watch those videos. Your recommendations may change because YouTube uses your history to suggest new content, so you might see more generic recommendations until you build up new history.
If you share your YouTube account with family members, clearing your history will affect what recommendations appear for everyone on that account. If each person has their own account, clearing one person's history does not affect the others. If you share a device but have separate accounts, make sure you're signed into the right account before clearing history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing my YouTube history delete the videos I watched?
No. Clearing your history only removes the record from your account. The videos stay on YouTube and other people can still find them. Your watch history is just a list you keep for yourself.
If I clear my history, will YouTube stop recommending videos to me?
YouTube will still recommend videos, but the recommendations may be more generic at first because they're based partly on your history. As you watch more videos, YouTube will learn your preferences again and recommendations will become more personalized.
Can I clear history on YouTube without signing in?
No. You must be signed into your account to access and clear your history. History is stored on your account, not on the device itself. If you want to prevent recording without signing in, use private browsing mode instead.
If I clear history on my phone, does it clear on my computer too?
Yes, because your history is stored on your YouTube account, not on individual devices. When you clear history on one device, it clears everywhere you're signed in. You don't need to repeat the process on each device.
What's the difference between clearing history and pausing it?
Clearing history deletes what you've already watched or searched for. Pausing history keeps the old record but stops YouTube from adding new activity. If you pause and then resume, your old history is still there.