YouTube stores two separate histories you can delete independently
YouTube keeps a watch history (videos you've watched) and a search history (what you've searched for) in two different places. You can delete all of it at once, delete it by date range, pause it from recording new activity, or delete individual items. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're on a computer or phone, and whether you're signed into your Google account.
Your watch history lives in your YouTube account settings. Your search history is stored in your Google account settings, which is why deleting one doesn't automatically delete the other. If you want both gone, you'll need to visit both places.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete all YouTube watch history at once, or remove specific videos and date ranges from the History page.
- YouTube search history is stored separately in your Google account settings, not in YouTube itself.
- Pausing history stops YouTube from recording what you watch going forward, but does not delete what's already recorded.
- Deleting history from your account does not delete it from YouTube's servers or from videos you've commented on or liked.
- If you use YouTube without signing in, YouTube does not store your watch history, though your internet provider or device may still see what you watch.
How to delete 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 dropdown menu. This takes you to your watch history page, which shows every video you've watched while signed in, with the most recent at the top.
To delete everything at once, click "Clear all watch history" on the left side of the page. YouTube will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, all videos disappear from your history, though YouTube's servers retain records of what you watched for their own purposes.
To delete specific videos, hover over any video in the list and click the X that appears on the right side. To delete a range of dates, click "Clear watch history" (not "Clear all") and select the date range you want removed — options include the last hour, last day, last week, last month, or all time.
How to delete watch history on a phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right. Select "History" from the menu. You'll see the same list of videos you watched, with the most recent first.
To delete all watch history, tap the three-dot menu icon at the top right of the History page and select "Clear all watch history." Confirm when YouTube asks you to verify.
To delete individual videos, swipe left on any video (on iPhone) or long-press it (on Android), then tap the trash icon or "Remove." You cannot delete by date range from the mobile app — you have to use a computer for that option.
How to delete YouTube search history
YouTube search history is stored in your Google account, not in YouTube itself. Go to myactivity.google.com while signed into your Google account. This page shows all activity across Google services — YouTube searches, Google searches, Gmail, Maps, and more.
On the left side, click "YouTube Search" to filter for only your YouTube searches. Then click "Delete" at the top. You can delete all searches at once, or click the date dropdown to choose a specific date range (last hour, last day, last week, last month, or all time).
If you want to delete individual searches instead, click the three-dot menu next to any search and select "Delete." This removes that one search from your history without touching the rest.
The difference between pausing history and deleting it
Pausing your watch history stops YouTube from recording new videos you watch going forward. It does not delete anything you've already watched. To pause watch history, go to your History page, click "Clear watch history" on the left, and toggle "Pause watch history" to the on position. The toggle will turn blue.
While paused, YouTube still recommends videos based on other signals — your subscriptions, what's trending, videos similar to ones you've liked. But it won't add new entries to your watch history. If you turn pausing off later, YouTube resumes recording what you watch.
Pausing search history works the same way. Go to myactivity.google.com, click the three-line menu on the left, select "Activity controls," and toggle "YouTube Search History" off. This stops new searches from being recorded without deleting old ones.
What happens to your history after you delete it
When you delete your watch history from your account, the list disappears from your YouTube History page. However, YouTube's internal servers still have records of what you watched — they use this data to improve recommendations, detect fraud, and comply with legal requests. Deleting your history removes it from your account, not from YouTube's systems.
Videos you've liked, commented on, or added to playlists are not deleted when you clear your watch history. Those actions are stored separately. If you want to remove a like or comment, you have to delete those individually from the video page.
If you watched videos while not signed into your account, they were never stored in your history to begin with. However, your internet service provider, your device, or your router may still have records of the traffic.
Why you might want to delete history regularly
Deleting history is useful if you share a device with other people and don't want them to see what you've watched. It's also useful if you've been researching sensitive topics and want to keep that private from people with access to your account or device.
Deleting history does not make you anonymous to YouTube or Google. Both companies know who you are because you're signed in. They track your activity whether or not you delete it. If you want to watch without being tracked by YouTube, you can use an incognito or private browsing window, which does not save history to your account.
Some people delete history to reduce clutter in their recommendations. If you watched something by accident or out of curiosity and don't want it to influence future recommendations, deleting that video from your history can help. However, YouTube's recommendation system also uses other signals, so deleting one video may not change your recommendations much.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting my YouTube history make me anonymous?
No. Deleting your watch history removes it from your account, but YouTube and Google still know who you are and what you do because you're signed in. They retain records on their servers. If you want to watch without being tracked, use an incognito or private browsing window instead.
Can I delete history from videos I watched on someone else's device?
Only if you were signed into your own account on that device. If you watched while signed into their account, the videos are in their history, not yours. You cannot delete someone else's history without access to their account.
What if I pause my watch history but then turn it back on?
YouTube resumes recording what you watch from that point forward. It does not restore videos you deleted before pausing. The history starts fresh from when you turn pausing off.
Does clearing my history delete my YouTube recommendations?
Deleting your watch history does not reset your recommendations when ready. YouTube uses multiple signals to recommend videos — your subscriptions, what you've liked, what's trending, and videos similar to your interests. Clearing history removes one signal but not the others. Over time, as you watch new videos, your recommendations will shift.
Can I see my deleted history?
No. Once you delete your watch history from your account, you cannot see it again. YouTube does not provide a way to recover deleted history. If you think you might want to reference it later, consider downloading your data from Google Takeout before deleting.