To provide better video recommendations, YouTube tracks every video search in the app and your watch history. However, users have full control over the stored data. You can easily remove search history and even reset YouTube watch history. Here’s how.
This is most useful for those who use YouTube on Android TV. Because the TV app doesn’t support multiple accounts, you may see irrelevant search terms and watch history from your family members. Instead, you can reset YouTube watch history and search for keywords from YouTube mobile and desktop apps.
Reset Watch History on YouTube Mobile Apps
Let’s start with the YouTube mobile apps and then move on to the YouTube desktop app.
Clear YouTube Search History
Both iOS and Android YouTube apps carry the same UI/UX. That is, the steps to delete search history remain the same on both platforms.
We will use the YouTube iOS app in the following steps. But you can also follow the same steps on Android and clear the search history.
Stage 1: Open YouTube on iPhone or Android.
Step 2: Tap the profile icon in the upper right corner.
Stage 3: Go to settings.
Step 4: Tap on History & privacy.
Step 5: Tap on Clear search history and confirm your decision.
The move deletes YouTube search history from all your devices. It will also reset YouTube recommendations. That is, your YouTube video recommendations will not be affected by the search history.
Clear YouTube Watch History
YouTube also allows you to clear watch history. To do this, follow the steps below.
Stage 1: Open YouTube on your mobile device and go to your profile.
Step 2: Go to Settings > History & privacy.
Stage 3: Tap on Clear watch history and reset it on all connected devices.
YouTube mobile will clear all search history and watch history on your device. Be careful when using these options. It will reset YouTube algorithms for your account and you will see some irrelevant video suggestions on the main screen until you re-learn your YouTube viewing habits.
Reset Watch History in YouTube Web App
What if you want to delete the search and watch history of yesterday or a particular month on YouTube? You cannot do this using mobile apps. With YouTube web you have the option to remove search history and remove watch history on specific dates. Here’s how.
Clear YouTube Watch History
Stage 1: Visit YouTube on the web and sign in using your account credentials.
Step 2: Click on your profile icon at the top and go to Your data on YouTube.
Stage 3: Select Manage your YouTube Watch History from the YouTube controls.
Step 4: Use the filter by date menu, select a specific date range, or manually delete YouTube watch history by clicking the x button.
You can also use the Auto delete option from the same menu and automatically delete YouTube watch history from time to time.
Clear YouTube Search History
Stage 1: Click on your profile icon on YouTube web and select Your YouTube data.
Step 2: Find YouTube Search History under the YouTube Controls menu and select Manage Your YouTube Search History at the bottom.
Stage 3: It will take you to the same menu as before. The activity dashboard carries your search history and watch history.
Click the delete button and select a custom date range and delete data from YouTube.
Pause YouTube Search History and Watch History
Users also have the option to pause YouTube search history and watch the history temporarily. Here’s how to do it.
Stage 1: Open YouTube on iPhone or Android.
Step 2: Tap the profile icon and go to Settings.
Stage 3: Go to History & privacy.
Step 4: Enable the Pause watch history and Pause search history toggle.
From now on, YouTube will not save your search history and watch history on servers.
Some users also remove YouTube search and watch history for better recommendations. After watching travel videos for a day or two, YouTube will continue to recommend you more travel videos.
To get rid of these unwanted suggestions, login to YouTube web and remove viewed videos from Watch History and search for keywords from search history.
Personalize the YouTube Experience
Tired of seeing irrelevant video suggestions on YouTube? You can use YouTube web and remove these problematic videos and keywords from the watch/search history and train YouTube to do a better job of recommending.