Where YouTube stores your watch history and why you might want to clear it
YouTube keeps a record of every video you watch, every search you run, and every channel you visit — unless you turn off history recording or delete it yourself. This record lives in your YouTube account settings, not just on your device. Google uses this data to recommend videos, personalize your homepage, and build a profile of your viewing habits that advertisers can target.
You might want to delete your watch history for privacy reasons, to remove embarrassing searches before someone else uses your account, or straightforward to reset your recommendations. YouTube gives you three options: delete individual videos from your history, clear your entire watch history at once, or turn off history recording going forward so YouTube stops saving new views.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete your entire watch history from your YouTube account settings in under a minute, and YouTube will stop recommending videos based on deleted content.
- Deleting watch history does not delete the videos themselves or affect videos you have uploaded — it only removes your viewing record.
- Turning off history recording stops YouTube from saving new views, but videos you watched before turning it off remain in your history unless you delete them separately.
- If you use YouTube on multiple devices, deleting history on one device deletes it from your entire account because the history is stored on YouTube's servers, not locally.
- Incognito mode (called "Private" on some devices) lets you watch without YouTube recording anything, but you must open it each time — it does not change your account settings.
Delete all watch history at once on a computer
Open YouTube in a web browser and sign in to your account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select Settings from the dropdown menu. On the left sidebar, click Privacy and personalization.
Scroll down to the section labeled YouTube history. You will see two options: Clear all watch history and Clear all search history. Click Clear all watch history if you want to remove only the videos you have watched. A confirmation box will appear asking if you are sure — click Clear watch history again to confirm. YouTube will delete your entire watch history when ready, though it may take a few minutes for recommendations to stop using old data.
If you also want to remove your search history, click Clear all search history on the same page and confirm. These are separate actions — clearing one does not clear the other.
Delete watch history on a phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Settings, then tap Privacy and personalization. Scroll down to YouTube history and tap Clear all watch history. Confirm when the popup appears.
On iPhone, iPad, or Android, the process is identical — the app layout is the same across devices. If you are using YouTube in a mobile web browser instead of the app, follow the computer steps above; the website looks and works the same on phones as it does on desktop.
Remove individual videos from your watch history
If you only want to hide specific videos rather than clear everything, you can delete them one at a time. On a computer, go to YouTube.com and click your profile picture, then select History from the dropdown menu. You will see a list of videos you have 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 disappears from the list when ready, but YouTube's recommendations may still use data from other videos you have watched.
On a phone, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, select History, and swipe left on any video (iPhone) or long-press it (Android) to see a delete option. Tap Remove from watch history to delete it.
Turn off history recording so YouTube stops saving new views
If you want YouTube to stop recording your activity going forward, you can disable history recording in your account settings. Go to Settings > Privacy and personalization and look for the toggle labeled Save your watched videos and search history. Turn this toggle off.
When history recording is off, YouTube will not save any new videos you watch or searches you perform. Your homepage will show fewer personalized recommendations because YouTube has less data about your habits. However, videos you watched before turning off history remain in your account unless you delete them separately using the steps above.
You can turn history recording back on at any time by toggling the same switch. This does not restore deleted history — it only starts recording new activity again.
Use Incognito mode to watch without recording
If you want to watch a single video or browse YouTube without saving anything to your account, use Incognito mode (called Private mode on Safari). Open YouTube in an Incognito window or tab, and YouTube will not record what you watch or search for. When you close the Incognito window, no trace of that session remains in your account history.
On a computer, open a new Incognito window by pressing Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows or Cmd+Shift+N on Mac, then go to YouTube.com. On a phone, open the YouTube app normally, but you must use your phone's browser in Incognito mode instead — the YouTube app itself does not have a private mode. Open Chrome, Safari, or Firefox in Incognito, then visit YouTube.com.
Incognito mode does not change your account settings or delete existing history. It only prevents new activity from being recorded during that session. If you close Incognito and open YouTube normally again, history recording resumes as usual.
What happens when you delete watch history
Deleting your watch history removes the record of what you have watched from your YouTube account. YouTube stops using that data to recommend videos, and your homepage recommendations will become less personalized. Over time, as you watch new videos, YouTube will build a new recommendation profile based on your recent activity.
Deleting watch history does not delete the videos themselves — they remain on YouTube and other people can still find and watch them. It does not affect any videos you have uploaded to your own channel. It only removes your personal viewing record from your account. If you have liked or commented on videos, those actions remain visible on your profile unless you delete them separately.
If you share your YouTube account with other people, deleting your watch history also deletes theirs, because the history is tied to the account, not to individual devices. If you want to keep your viewing private from account sharers, use Incognito mode instead, or ask your account administrator to set up separate profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting watch history delete videos I uploaded?
No. Deleting watch history only removes the record of videos you have watched. Videos you uploaded to your own channel are not affected. To delete videos you uploaded, go to YouTube Studio, find the video in your uploads, and click the delete button there.
If I delete watch history, will YouTube stop recommending videos?
YouTube will stop using your deleted history to make recommendations, but it will still recommend videos based on your recent activity, likes, and subscriptions. Your homepage will look less personalized when ready after deletion, but recommendations will become more targeted again as you watch new videos.
Can someone see my watch history if they use my account?
Yes, anyone who signs into your YouTube account can see your watch history by going to Settings > Privacy and personalization > History. If you share your account, they can see everything you have watched. Use Incognito mode if you want to watch privately, or ask your account owner to set up a separate profile for you.
Does clearing watch history on my phone also clear it on my computer?
Yes. YouTube stores your watch history on Google's servers, not on your device. Deleting it from your phone account deletes it from your entire account, including on your computer and any other device you use to sign in.
What is the difference between clearing watch history and turning off history recording?
Clearing watch history deletes videos you have already watched. Turning off history recording stops YouTube from saving new videos you watch going forward. You can do both — clear old history and then turn off recording so YouTube stops tracking new activity.