Managing YouTube Watch History and YouTube Incognito

YouTube watch history is a list of all YouTube videos you have watched on the platform. However, you might wish to clear it from time to time. 

Pausing YouTube history also prevents the platform from logging your views. This option works if you wish certain viewing habits would not affect your video recommendations. 

YouTube also has an incognito mode that can quickly dissociate viewing from your account. However, there might be better options than this since it does not retain any subscription privileges. 

Let’s see how you can manage your watch history on YouTube and prevent certain activities from getting logged. 

How do you see your YouTube watch history? 

YouTube watch history shows each video you have watched. It can be helpful when you need to find an old video. 

YouTube search and watch history also influence your video recommendations and ads. 

The quickest way to view your YouTube watch history is to open History from the left menu. 

You can view YouTube watch history on mobile by clicking Library from the bottom menu. Then, tap View all. 

How to search YouTube watch history by date 

YouTube lets you search for videos with specific keywords straight from this interface. However, you need to visit the Google My Activity page to filter and delete your YouTube watch history by date quickly. 

1. Open the My Activity page to see search and watch history. 
2. Click on Filter by date & product. 

3. You can choose the date you want to see your watch history.

4. Among the Google products, mark YouTube. 
5. Click Apply. 
6. You can click Delete results to remove all videos from your YouTube watch history. 

You may also auto-delete YouTube watch history via Data & personalization-Activity Controls-YouTube History. 

How to clear all watch history 

You can quickly clear all YouTube watch and search history entries by following these steps: 

On desktop devices

1. Open YouTube and log into your account. 
2. Click on History from the left side menu. 

3. Choose Clear all watch history. 

4. The following message informs you that the YouTube watch history will be cleared from all YouTube apps and devices. 
5. Remember that this also resets your video recommendations based on your history. 
6. Click Clear watch history. 

On mobile devices

1. Open the YouTube app and log into your account. 
2. Tap on Library at the bottom menu. 

3. Next to History, open View all. 

4. Tap the three-dot button and pick Clear all watch history. 

5. Agree with the terms and click delete the all-time history. 

How to pause YouTube watch history

You may also pause your watch history, meaning that watched videos won’t be logged temporarily. 

On desktop devices

1. Open YouTube. 
2. Click on the History option on the left side. 

3. Pick Pause watch history. 

4. Click Pause. 
5. You can unpause watch history anytime.

On mobile devices

1. Open the YouTube app. 
2. Tap on the Library option. 
3. Next to History, open View all. 
4. Tap the three-dot button and pick Pause watch history. 

5. You can unpause watch history anytime. 

What is YouTube Incognito? 

YouTube Incognito is a private mode that lets you fully separate certain activities from your account. It enables you to leave your profile without logging off manually. And you can revert to your account anytime. 

What happens when you use YouTube Incognito?

YouTube Incognito works as if you are not signed in with a YouTube account. However, it might be inconvenient as no subscriptions are active. 

Thus, even if your account has a YouTube premium, you will see ads in YouTube Incognito. If the session turns inactive, Incognito will turn off after 90 minutes. 

How to browse YouTube Incognito

Enabling Incognito mode on YouTube is only available on mobile devices. 

1. Open YouTube. 
2. Tap on your profile picture at the top right corner. 

3. Tap Turn on Incognito mode. 

4. You get transferred to an Incognito window. 
5. Tap on the Incognito icon at the top to turn it off.