YouTube stores two separate histories you can delete independently
YouTube keeps a record of every video you watch and every search you run. This history helps YouTube recommend videos and lets you pick up where you left off, but you can delete it anytime — either all at once or just specific items. The process is straightforward and takes less than a minute.
You have three options: delete your entire watch history, delete your entire search history, or remove individual videos and searches one at a time. Each one works the same way across desktop, phone, and tablet. Deleting your history does not delete the videos themselves from YouTube, only your personal record of watching or searching for them.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete all your watch history and search history from the same menu, or remove individual items one by one.
- On desktop, go to your account menu, select "History," then choose "Clear all watch history" or "Clear all search history."
- On phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, then History and privacy, then choose what to delete.
- Deleting your history does not affect videos you have liked, playlists you have created, or subscriptions you follow.
- YouTube can still recommend videos based on your account activity even after you delete history, unless you turn off search and watch history entirely.
Delete all your watch history on desktop
Open YouTube in your web browser and sign in to your account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner — it is a small circle with your initial or photo inside. A menu will drop down with several options.
Click "History" from that menu. You will see a page showing all the videos you have watched, with the most recent at the top. On the left side of the page, you will see a button that says "Clear all watch history." Click it. YouTube will ask you to confirm — click "Clear watch history" again in the popup that appears. Your entire watch history is now deleted.
Delete all your search history on desktop
Follow the same first steps: click your profile picture, then click "History." This time, look at the left side of the page again. Below "Clear all watch history," you will see "Clear all search history." Click that button instead.
YouTube will ask you to confirm. Click "Clear search history" in the popup. All your searches are now deleted. You can do this separately from your watch history — deleting one does not affect the other.
Delete watch and search history on your phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. A menu will appear. Tap "Settings." Then tap "History and privacy." You will see two options: "Clear watch history" and "Clear search history."
Tap whichever one you want to delete. YouTube will ask you to confirm. Tap the option again to confirm your choice. The history is now deleted. The process is identical on both iPhone and Android phones, and on tablets as well.
Remove individual videos or searches instead of clearing everything
If you only want to delete specific items, you can do that without clearing your entire history. On desktop, go to your History page (profile picture, then "History"). Find the video or search you want to remove. Hover your mouse over it, and a small X button will appear on the right side. Click the X to remove just that item.
On your phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, then tap "History." Find the video you want to remove and swipe left on it (iPhone) or press and hold it (Android). A delete option will appear. Tap it to remove just that video from your history. You can repeat this for as many items as you want.
Turn off history recording entirely if you prefer
If you do not want YouTube to record your activity at all, you can pause history recording. On desktop, go to your History page, and on the left side you will see "Pause watch history" and "Pause search history." Click either one to stop YouTube from recording that type of activity going forward. Your existing history stays until you delete it separately.
On your phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, tap "Settings," then tap "History and privacy." You will see toggles for "Save watch history" and "Save search history." Turn either one off to stop recording. Pausing history means YouTube will not recommend videos based on what you watch or search, though it may still recommend based on your likes and subscriptions.
What happens after you delete your history
Once you delete your watch history, YouTube stops showing you videos you have already watched in your recommendations and search results. The "Continue watching" section on your home page will be empty until you watch new videos. Your watch later playlist and liked videos remain untouched — deleting history does not affect those.
Deleting your search history removes the dropdown suggestions that appear when you start typing in the search box. Those suggestions come from your past searches, so clearing history clears them too. Again, this does not affect your subscriptions, playlists, or any other part of your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting my history stop YouTube from recommending videos?
Deleting your history removes recommendations based on what you have watched, but YouTube can still recommend videos based on your likes, subscriptions, and the videos you are currently watching. If you want to stop all personalized recommendations, you need to pause history recording in your settings.
Can I delete history from a specific date or time period?
YouTube does not have a built-in option to delete history from a specific date range. You can only delete all history at once or remove individual videos and searches one by one. If you need to delete many items, removing them individually is the only way.
Will deleting my history delete videos I have uploaded?
No. Deleting your watch history and search history only removes your personal record of watching and searching. Videos you have uploaded to your own channel are not affected. Your uploaded videos are managed separately in the YouTube Studio.
What if I delete my history by accident?
YouTube does not have an undo button for deleted history. Once you confirm the deletion, it cannot be recovered. If you realize you deleted something you needed, you would have to manually re-watch or re-search for those items to build the history again.
Does my history sync across devices?
Yes. Your watch history and search history are tied to your YouTube account, so they appear on every device where you sign in. If you delete history on your phone, it is deleted on your desktop and tablet too. The same applies if you pause history recording.