Pausing search and watch history is an old YouTube feature that stops saving the searches you make and videos you watch on YouTube. Now recently, Pause Search History and Watch History features were moved from YouTube to the Google Activity page. If you can’t find these options, here’s how you can pause/resume search history and watch history on YouTube from the Google Activity page on the desktop web, Android and iPhone.
Pause Search and Watch History on YouTube on Mobile
YouTube Android app has multiple ways to navigate to search and watch history options. The method below should work on both Android and iPhone.
1. Open the YouTube app on your phone and tap on the Library option in the bottom bar at the bottom right corner.
2. Now tap on the View all option beside History to open the History page on the YouTube app.
3. Here, tap on the kebab menu (three-dot menu) at the top right corner and then select the Manage all history option in the pop-up menu.
4. If you have multiple Google accounts, select the Google account that you want to pause the search and watch history on.
5. Here, select the Saving your YouTube history option to control the YouTube history settings.
6. To pause watch history, disable the checkbox beside Include the YouTube videos you watch option. In the pop-up, tap on the Pause button to pause the watch history on YouTube.
7. To pause the search history, disable the checkbox beside Include your searches on YouTube option. In the pop-up, tap on the Pause button to pause the search history.
8. If you prefer to pause both, then instead of turning off two options manually, you can just click on the Turn Off button for the entire YouTube history. Then tap on the Pause button in the pop-up to confirm.
That’s it, you have paused the search and watch history on YouTube. To turn it back on and resume the history, navigate to the same page and then enable the checkbox beside these options. In the pop-up, tap on the Turn on button to resume the search and watch history.
Pause History and Watch History on YouTube on Desktop
1. Open YouTube on your favorite browser. Now click on the History option in the left sidebar. (In case, you cannot see sidebar, click on the hamburger menu at the top left corner, that should open the sidebar.
2. Now on the History page, click on the Manage all history option on the right side pane.
3. This opens the YouTube History settings on the Google Activity page. Here click on the Saving your YouTube history option.
4. Now to pause the watch history, disable the checkbox beside Include the YouTube videos you watch option.
5. Then in the pop-up, click on the Pause button to pause the watch history.
6. To pause the search history, disable the checkbox beside Include your searches on YouTube option.
7. In the pop-up, click on the Pause button to pause the search history.
8. If you prefer to pause both search and watch history on YouTube, click on the Turn Off button for the YouTube History option, then click on the Pause button in the pop-up to confirm.
That’s it, you have paused the search and watch history successfully. To turn it back on, navigate to the same page and then enable the checkbox beside these options. Then click on the Turn on button in the pop-up for confirmation.
Take a Break, YouTube
Along with the watch history and search history, Google also saves your audio data when you use the voice search on YouTube. But, that will be automatically paused when you pause the search history on YouTube. Instead of pausing the history, now YouTube also supports the Incognito mode which does not save your search and watch history. Take a look at what is Incognito mode on YouTube and how to use it.
