How to Delete YouTube Search History – iPhone, Android and Desktop

Ever searched for something on YouTube that you don’t want lingering around in your history? Maybe it’s a surprise gift tutorial, a health-related search, or just something random you don’t want affecting your recommendations. Thankfully, YouTube makes it easy to delete your search history – whether you’re using an Android device, iPhone, or PC.

Deleting your search history not only removes it from suggestions, helping your privacy, but also stops it from influencing what videos YouTube recommends to you. Here’s how you can clear it quickly on all your devices.

How to Delete YouTube Search History on Mobile? (iPhone and Android)

The method to delete YouTube Search History is the same on both iPhone and Android. Below are all the different ways you can manage your searches.

How to Delete YouTube Searches One-by-One? (iPhone and Android)

If you want to remove specific searches you made, follow these steps:

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1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap on the Search icon.
3. Swipe left on the search you want to delete (on Android, long-press the search).
4. Tap the Delete or Remove option to delete that specific search.

Alternatively, you can also delete specific searches from your Google Account Settings page:

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap your profile picture/photo at the bottom right.
3. Tap the Settings icon at the top right.
4. Select Manage all history option.
   
5. Here, you can check your YouTube activity history.
6. Search for the search you want to delete.
7. Tap the Delete icon beside that search to remove it.
   

Steps to Delete Search History by Date (iPhone and Android)

You can clear searches made in a particular date range without deleting everything. However, this method will also delete your watch history for that date, along with the search history. There is no option to delete just the search history.

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap your profile picture/photo at the bottom right.
3. Tap the Settings icon at the top right.
4. Select Manage all history option.
5. Tap DELETE and then select Delete custom range from the drop-down.
   
6. Select the start date in the After section and end date in the Before section.
7. You can also set either an after or before date to delete all data before or after that date.
8. Tap Next.
9. On the next page, tap Delete to confirm.
   

How to Clear Entire YouTube Search History? (iPhone and Android)

Want to clear your entire search history at once? Here’s how. However, similar to deleting by custom date, deleting your entire search history will also delete your entire watch history. There is no way to delete just the search history.

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap your profile picture/photo at the bottom right.
3. Tap the Settings icon at the top right.
4. Select Manage all history option.
5. Tap DELETE and then select Delete all time from the drop-down.
6. On the next page, tap Delete again to confirm.

How to Pause Search History on YouTube? (iPhone and Android)

If you don’t want YouTube to save your searches in the first place, you can pause it. Any searches you make later will not be saved in your history.

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap your profile picture/photo at the bottom right.
3. Tap the Settings icon at the top right.
4. Select Manage all history option.
5. Go to the Controls tab.
6. Unselect Include your searches on YouTube.

That’s it, you have successfully turned off the search history on YouTube. You can enable this toggle anytime to start saving your search history again.

How to Auto Delete YouTube History? (iPhone and Android)

You can also set YouTube to auto-delete your search history regularly.

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap your profile picture/photo at the bottom right.
3. Tap the Settings icon at the top right.
4. Select Manage all history option.
5. Go to the Controls tab.
6. Tap on Choose an auto-delete option. 
7. Choose to auto-delete your YouTube search history every 3, 18, or 36 months.
8. If you prefer keeping your history, select Don’t auto-delete activity.
9. Once done, tap on Next and then Confirm. 

How to Delete YouTube Search History on PC?

On your computer, you can manage your YouTube search history through the My Activity page. Here’s how.

How to Delete YouTube Searches One-by-One? (Desktop)

To remove specific searches from your history:

1. Open YouTube and click on the Search bar. 
2. Now, hover over the suggestion that you want to remove 
3. Click on cross icon on the right to delete that specific search. 

Alternatively, you can also delete from YouTube My Activity page. 

1. Visit the YouTube My Activity page. Confirm you are using the correct account. 
2. Scroll to find the search you want to delete.
3. Click the Delete icon beside it.

Steps to Delete Search History by Date (Desktop)

You can clear searches made in a particular date range without deleting everything. However, this method will also delete your watch history for that date, along with the search history. There is no option to delete just the search history.

1. Visit the YouTube My Activity page. Confirm you are using the correct account. 
2. Click Delete and then select Delete custom range from the drop-down.
   
3. Select the start date in the After section and end date in the Before section.
4. You can also set either an after or before date to delete all data before or after that date.
5. Click Next.
6. On the next page, click Delete to confirm.
   

How to Clear Entire YouTube Search History? (Desktop)

Want to clear your entire search history at once? Here’s how. However, similar to deleting by custom date, deleting your entire search history will also delete your entire watch history. There is no way to delete just the search history.

1. Visit the YouTube My Activity page. Confirm you are using the correct account. 
2. Click DELETE and then select Delete all time from the drop-down.
3. On the next page, tap Delete again to confirm.
   

How to Pause Search History on YouTube? (Desktop)

To stop YouTube from saving your searches temporarily:

1. Visit the YouTube My Activity page. Confirm you are using the correct account. 
2. Select Controls option in the left sidebar.
   
3. Unselect Include your searches on YouTube.
   

How to Auto Delete YouTube History? (Desktop)

You can also set YouTube to auto-delete your search history regularly.

1. Visit the YouTube My Activity page. Confirm you are using the correct account. 
2. Select Controls option in the left sidebar.
   
3. Click on Choose an auto-delete option. 
   
4. Choose to auto-delete your YouTube search history every 3, 18, or 36 months.
5. If you prefer keeping your history, select Don’t auto-delete activity.
6. Once done, click on Next and then Confirm.
   

Incognito Mode: A Quick Alternative

Remember, if you don’t want YouTube to save your searches at all for a while, you can use Incognito mode. When browsing in Incognito, your searches and watched videos won’t be saved to your history.

Deleting your search history is a simple way to keep your YouTube experience private and your recommendations clean. Whether it’s on your phone or desktop, you’re just a few taps away from clearing it out and starting fresh.

Related articles worth reading:

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• How to play YouTube in the background on your iPhone
• How to enable and use YouTube Picture-in-Picture on iPhone