Clear your YouTube search history in three steps
YouTube stores every search you make on the platform — whether you search for cooking videos, music, or anything else. You can remove this history at any time by going to your account settings, finding the search history section, and deleting it. The process takes less than a minute and works the same way on a computer, phone, or tablet.
When you clear your search history, YouTube stops showing you recommendations based on those past searches. It does not delete videos you have watched or liked — only the record of what you searched for. If you want to delete your watch history too, that is a separate step in the same menu.
Key Takeaways
- You can clear your YouTube search history from any device by signing into your account and opening your search history settings.
- Clearing search history removes only what you searched for, not videos you watched or liked.
- You can delete all search history at once or remove individual searches one at a time.
- Turning on search history pausing stops YouTube from recording new searches without deleting what is already there.
- YouTube keeps your search history even if you use private browsing, because the history is tied to your account, not your browser.
How to delete all your search history at once on a computer
Sign into your YouTube account and look for your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen. Click on it to open a menu, then select Settings. On the left side of the page, click Privacy and personalization.
Under the section labeled Search settings, you will see an option that says Clear all search history. Click on it. YouTube will ask you to confirm — click the blue button to confirm the deletion. Your search history is now cleared. YouTube will no longer use those searches to recommend videos to you.
How to delete search history on your phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Tap Settings, then tap Privacy. Scroll down until you see Search history and tap it.
You will see two options: Clear search history and Pause search history. Tap Clear search history, then confirm when YouTube asks you to verify. The app will clear all your searches when ready. If you are using a tablet, the steps are the same as on a phone.
Delete individual searches instead of clearing everything
If you only want to remove certain searches, you can delete them one at a time. On a computer, go to Settings and Privacy and personalization, then click Manage all your search history. You will see a list of every search you have made, with the most recent at the top.
Hover your mouse over any search and an X button will appear on the right side. Click the X to delete just that search. You can go through the list and remove searches one by one. On a phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, go to Settings and Privacy, then tap Search history. Tap the X next to any search you want to remove.
Pause your search history to stop recording new searches
If you want YouTube to stop recording what you search for going forward, you can pause your search history without deleting what is already there. On a computer, go to Settings, Privacy and personalization, and look for Pause search history. Click the toggle to turn it on.
On a phone or tablet, go to Settings, Privacy, and tap Search history. Tap Pause search history to turn it on. When search history is paused, YouTube will not record your searches, but you can still search normally. If you turn it back on later, YouTube will start recording again from that point forward.
What happens after you clear your search history
Once you clear your search history, YouTube stops using those searches to recommend videos. Your recommendations will be based on videos you have watched and liked, not on what you searched for. If you have paused your search history, YouTube will not add new searches to your account.
Clearing your search history does not sign you out of YouTube or change any other settings. You can still watch videos, like them, subscribe to channels, and use all the normal features. The only change is that YouTube will not remember what you searched for in the past.
Why your search history stays even in private browsing
If you use private browsing or incognito mode in your web browser, your search history on YouTube will still be recorded. This is because YouTube search history is tied to your account, not to your browser. Even if your browser does not save cookies or browsing data, YouTube remembers your searches because you are signed into your account.
If you want YouTube to not record your searches at all, you need to either pause your search history in your account settings or sign out of YouTube before searching. Signing out means YouTube will not know who is searching, so it will not record the search to your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing search history delete my watch history too?
No. Search history and watch history are separate. Clearing your search history removes only what you searched for. Your watch history — the videos you have watched — stays the same. If you want to delete your watch history, you need to do that in a different section of your privacy settings.
Can I delete just one search from my history?
Yes. Go to your search history in settings, find the search you want to remove, and click or tap the X next to it. You can delete individual searches without clearing your entire history. This is useful if you want to keep most of your search history but remove a few specific searches.
Will pausing my search history stop YouTube from recommending videos?
Pausing search history stops YouTube from recording new searches, but it does not change recommendations based on videos you have already watched and liked. YouTube will still recommend videos based on your watch history and the channels you subscribe to. Only clearing your search history removes past searches from your recommendations.
What if I clear my search history but then want it back?
Once you clear your search history, YouTube does not keep a backup. The searches are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. If you think you might want to review your search history later, consider deleting individual searches instead of clearing everything at once.
Does signing out of YouTube stop it from recording my searches?
Yes. If you sign out of your YouTube account before searching, YouTube will not record those searches to your account. However, your web browser may still save the search terms you typed. To prevent both YouTube and your browser from recording searches, use private or incognito browsing mode and stay signed out of YouTube.