YouTube stores two separate histories you can clear 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, pause recording without deleting what's there, or remove individual videos and searches. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're on a computer, phone, or tablet.
Both histories are tied to your Google Account, so clearing them on one device clears them everywhere you're signed in. If you're using YouTube without signing in, no history is saved at all.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete your entire watch history and search history from YouTube's settings, or remove individual videos and searches one at a time.
- Pausing history stops YouTube from recording new activity without erasing what's already saved.
- Clearing history on one device clears it across all devices where you're signed into the same Google Account.
- YouTube's history settings are separate from your Google Account's broader search history, which is managed elsewhere.
How to clear all watch history on a computer
Open YouTube in your web browser and sign in. Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select History from the menu. On the left side of the page, click Clear all watch history. YouTube will ask you to confirm — click the button again to proceed.
This removes every video from your watch history but does not affect your search history. If you want to keep some videos private but delete others, you can instead click the three-dot menu next to individual videos and choose Remove from watch history.
How to clear all search history on a computer
Go to YouTube and click your profile picture in the top right. Select History, then click Clear all search history on the left side. Confirm when YouTube asks you to.
You can also delete individual searches by clicking the X next to each one in your search history list. This is useful if you want to keep most searches but remove a few specific ones.
How to clear history on a phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture at the top right. Select History. On Android, tap the three-line menu icon (hamburger menu) at the top left and choose Clear watch history or Clear search history. On iPhone or iPad, swipe left on individual items to delete them, or tap Clear all at the top.
The YouTube app's history menu is less detailed than the web version, so if you need more control over which items to delete, sign into YouTube through your phone's web browser instead of using the app.
How to pause history recording without deleting what's saved
If you want YouTube to stop tracking what you watch and search for going forward, but you want to keep your existing history, you can pause recording instead of clearing it. On a computer, go to your History page, click History controls on the left, and toggle off Save your watch history and Save your search history.
On a phone or tablet, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, select History & privacy, and turn off the toggles for watch history and search history. When you turn these back on later, your old history will still be there.
The difference between YouTube history and Google Search history
YouTube history and Google Search history are managed in different places. Clearing your YouTube watch and search history does not affect your Google Search history (what you've searched for on Google.com or in the Google search bar). To clear Google Search history, you need to go to myactivity.google.com, not YouTube's settings.
Similarly, clearing your Google Search history does not clear YouTube history. If you want both cleared, you'll need to do them separately or use Google's "Delete activity by" tool on the My Activity page, which can clear both at once if you set the date range to "All time".
What happens when you clear your history
Clearing your watch history removes those videos from the "Watch it again" section on your YouTube homepage and stops YouTube from using them to recommend new videos. Your recommendations will become more generic until you watch more videos and build a new history.
Clearing your search history removes those searches from the dropdown suggestions that appear when you start typing in YouTube's search bar. It does not affect videos you've already watched or liked — those remain in your library unless you delete them separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing YouTube history delete my liked videos or playlists?
No. Clearing watch history and search history does not affect your liked videos, playlists, or subscriptions. Those are stored separately and remain in your account unless you delete them individually.
Can I see my YouTube history after I've cleared it?
Once you clear your history, it's gone. YouTube does not provide a way to recover deleted history. If you think you might want it back, pause history recording instead of clearing it.
If I clear my history, will YouTube stop recommending videos I don't like?
Clearing history will reset your recommendations temporarily, but YouTube will start building a new recommendation profile as soon as you watch more videos. If you want to improve recommendations without clearing everything, you can remove individual videos from your history or use the "Don't recommend channel" option on videos you dislike.
Does incognito mode on YouTube prevent history from being saved?
YouTube does not have an official incognito mode like some web browsers do. If you want to watch without saving history, you can pause history recording in your settings, or sign out of your account before watching.
Will clearing my YouTube history on my phone also clear it on my computer?
Yes. Because your history is stored in your Google Account, clearing it on any device clears it everywhere you're signed in with that account.