In an effort to helpYouTube usersclean up their YouTube pages for a simpler experience that doesn’t scream recommended videos and bombard your senses, Google’s video servicerecently announced some changesthat will help.
By simply turning off, or even just pausing, YouTube’s ability to keep track of your video viewing and searching history, as well as deleting your existing history, your YouTube homepage will be a much more hospitable place that only consists of the search bar (for those who prefer to search for what they want instead of having it served up to them), Shorts, Library, and Subscriptions buttons.
The changes will affect all of your YouTube access points, be it mobile, desktop, TVs, streaming devices, and turning off and managing your YouTube history is easy. Here’s how.
Difficulty
What You Need
YouTube app or desktop web browser
Google account
How to turn off/pause your YouTube history
The process for turning off and managing your YouTube history is similar whether visitingmyactivity.google.com, YouTube.com in a browser, or in the YouTube app, as they access the same menus. We’re going to show you how to do it through the latter two choices (they’re the same) through your profile icon.
Step 1:Log in toYouTubeon the web or open the mobile app.
Step 2:Tap or click on your profile image in the top-right corner and scroll down and selectYour data in YouTubeand scroll down to yourYouTube Watch History.
Step 3:You’ll probably see that it is already set toOn. Select the arrow, which will open theActivity controls.
Step 4:Scroll down to theYouTube Historysection and select theTurn offbutton.
Step 5:A pop-up message will appear telling you that by pausing your YouTube history, you’ll be limiting YouTube’s personalization services, which includes recommendations. The change will affect all your sites, devices and apps that you’re signed into YouTube with.
you’re able to always turn the feature back on with this same process, so if you’re good to go, scroll down and selectPause.
Step 6:Finally, you’ll see a confirmation pop-up. You can just clickGot itto move on, or you can take the opportunity to alsoDelete old activityto remove your existing search and watch history. See more below.
How to manage your YouTube history
If you didn’t already take the opportunity to delete your YouTube history (either the last hour, day, or for all time) after pausing it above, you can still do it. Here’s how.
Step 1:While still logged in, select your profile image in the top-right corner and scroll down to and selectYour data in YouTube.
Step 2:Scroll down toManage your YouTube Watch History(you can also do this with your search history, too).
Step 3:Select theDELETEdrop-down below, and if you didn’t do this already, choose fromDelete today,Delete custom range, andDelete all timefrom the list.
Step 4:You’ll get a confirmation pop-up again. When you’re ready, selectDelete. You’re done.
When you go back to your YouTube homepage, it should be gloriously blank. But, you will be able to expand on your Subscriptions and Library and access Shorts from the sidebar. Enjoy!
