Will clearing my watch history affect YouTube recommendations?

Yes. YouTube will stop suggesting videos based on past watching and will switch to more general recommendations.

Can I delete a single search without clearing everything?

Yes. On mobile, tap the search bar and long-press any past search → Remove. On PC, click X next to individual search terms in History.

What is the difference between watch history and search history?

Watch history contains all videos you have watched. Search history contains all keywords you have typed in the search bar. Each can be cleared independently.

Does deleting history on one device affect all devices?

Yes. Since history is tied to your Google account, not the device, deleting it anywhere removes it everywhere.

Can I permanently disable YouTube history?

You can pause it or set auto-deletion, but not disable it permanently unless you use Incognito mode every time you browse.

How to Delete YouTube Search History and Watch History

How to Delete YouTube Search History and Watch History — Mobile and PC

YouTube tracks everything you search for and watch, using this data to suggest new videos. Here is how to clear your history, stop it from recording, or set it to auto-delete.

On Mobile (Android & iOS)

Delete Watch History: Open YouTube → Library → History → tap the three dots → History Controls → Clear Watch History → Clear.

Delete Search History: Profile icon → Settings → History & Privacy → Clear Search History → Clear.

Delete a single video: In History, tap the three dots next to any video → Remove from Watch History.

On PC

Go to youtube.com, open the History section from the left sidebar. Click Clear all watch history to remove everything, or click the X next to individual videos. For search history, click Manage all history to access Google Activity controls where you can delete individual search terms.

Pause History (Stop Recording Future Activity)

Mobile: Profile → Settings → History & Privacy → toggle on Pause Watch History and Pause Search History.

PC: History → History Controls → Pause.

Pausing does not delete existing history — clear it first if you want a clean slate.

Auto-Delete After a Set Period

Go to myaccount.google.com → Data & Privacy → Activity Controls → YouTube History → Manage Activity → Keep activity for... and choose 3 months, 18 months, or 36 months. Confirm to save.

Incognito Mode (Android)

Tap your profile picture → Turn on Incognito. Nothing you watch or search will be saved. Tap the incognito icon to turn it off when done.