YouTube is a Google-sponsored entertainment software that offers its users a variety of content, including videos, music, and short films.
Nowadays, practically anything can be easily viewed on YouTube, from viewing a movie to following a recipe or even advice on how to launch a business. But have you ever noticed that when you type something into YouTube’s search box, the site immediately presents you with options and suggestions based on your search?
Yes, it is accurate, and those YouTube suggestions are relevant to your search. YouTube makes video recommendations based on previous viewings. The YouTube account you use is carefully managed, and when you watch something, YouTube will show you other videos that are just like the ones you just watched.
But what happens when we want to look for a new YouTube video, particularly one that is office-or work-related, or when someone else wants to search for and play a new song on YouTube? How to proceed? Your YouTube is, after all, filled with ideas or recommendations based on prior searches.
How To Pause Watch History On YouTube
To pause the YouTube watch history is the correct response to that query. Yes, that is feasible, and we will provide some advice on how to do it successfully in this article. We won’t only give you some pointers; we’ll also show you exactly how to use YouTube on a PC or mobile device.
How To Pause YouTube Watch History On Mobile
We’re rather certain that not many people are aware of YouTube’s unique function, which is the ability to pause the watch history. Users can stop and resume their watch history on YouTube with this function, allowing them to watch videos without those other videos affecting their suggestions. Although it is a rather straightforward function, those who are unfamiliar with it or who are hearing about it for the first time can have trouble locating it, especially if they are using YouTube on a mobile device.
1. Open the YouTube app on your smartphone
2. From the toolbar at the bottom of the YouTube app’s homepage, choose the library option.
3. Select the “History” menu option.
4. After arriving at the history page, click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
5. From the drop-down menu, select History Controls.
6. The option to suspend watching history is now visible. If you want to pause the watch history, you can select it.
Repeat these instructions to unpause the watch history feature. The videos you watched while using the “pause the watch history” button can all be unrecorded when you unpause. Additionally, if you neglected to pause your watch history, choose to Manage all activities to individually erase stuff.
How To Pause YouTube Watch History On Desktop
In comparison to the mobile app version, the process is much simpler and easier on the desktop version. If one wants to enable the pause the watch history option on YouTube’s desktop version, there are only a few simple actions to take.
- Open the YouTube app on the desktop browser. You can use any browser like chrome or firefox.
- Go to the YouTube homepage
- Select the History option from the menu on the left-hand side.
- Once on the history page, click on the pause watch history option on the right side of the screen.
The Watch history option can also be unpaused using the same process. If you want to remove some videos from the watch history list, you may do so by selecting the manage all history or watch and search history option and erasing the obsolete films.
Both YouTube and YouTube Music use the same watch history settings. If the viewing history is paused on YouTube, YouTube Music will also be paused. It will only function if you sign in to YouTube and YouTube Music using the same account (ID and password). It won’t apply if you’re using two different accounts.
Any videos you’ve seen during that period won’t be recorded in the watch history once you’ve paused it. Additionally, YouTube will not provide you with any video recommendations based on the videos you watched while pausing your watch history.
For a reason, everything on YouTube is saved in the watch history. Users have the ability to quickly rewind previously watched videos if they want to watch them again.
The Benefits Of Pausing Watch History
Pausing your watch history on YouTube comes with several advantages that can enhance your privacy and improve your overall YouTube experience. Let’s explore two key benefits:
Enhanced Privacy And Personalization
One significant benefit of pausing your watch history on YouTube is the enhanced privacy it provides. By pausing your watch history, you prevent YouTube from tracking and storing your viewing activity.
This means that the videos you watch will no longer be used to personalize your recommendations or appear in your search history. If you share your device with others or simply value your privacy, pausing your watch history can be a valuable step.
Pausing your watch history ensures that the videos you watch remain private and are not linked to your YouTube account. This can be particularly useful if you’re concerned about targeted advertising or if you prefer to keep your viewing habits discreet.
By maintaining control over your watch history, you have the freedom to explore content without leaving a digital footprint.
Reducing Content Recommendations
Another benefit of pausing your watch history is the reduction of content recommendations. When you watch videos on YouTube, the platform uses your watch history to suggest similar or related content.
While this can be helpful in discovering new videos, it can also lead to a flood of recommendations that may not align with your current interests.
By pausing your watch history, you have the opportunity to break free from the cycle of content recommendations based solely on your past viewing habits. This allows you to explore a wider variety of content and opens up the possibility of discovering new channels and topics of interest.
Instead of being confined to a specific niche or genre, you can experience a more diverse range of videos and broaden your YouTube experience.
Furthermore, if you want to start fresh with your recommendations, pausing your watch history can be a useful step. By clearing your existing watch history and then pausing it, YouTube will no longer use your past viewing activity as a basis for future recommendations.
This gives you a clean slate and allows YouTube to provide recommendations based on your current interests and preferences.
A Few Things To Consider
- Your YouTube history keeps track of the videos you search for and view to make suggestions more accurate.
- You may even remove particular videos, erase your whole viewing history, and disable Google’s ability to keep tabs on what videos you watch.
- From a PC, an Android, or an iOS app, you can effortlessly manage your YouTube search and viewing history.
Also Read: How to Turn Off Age Restriction on YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I still watch videos while my watch history is paused?
Yes, absolutely! Pausing your watch history does not restrict your ability to watch videos on YouTube. You can continue to enjoy your favorite content and explore new videos without any limitations. The only difference is that YouTube will not track or save your viewing activity when your watch history is paused.
How can I resume my watch history after pausing it?
To resume your watch history on YouTube, you can simply go back to the watch history settings and disable the pause feature.
Once you turn off the pause option, YouTube will begin tracking and saving your viewing activity again. Remember that by resuming your watch history, your future recommendations and search history will be based on your recent viewing habits.
Will pausing my watch history affect my YouTube account or subscriptions?
No, pausing your watch history will not affect your YouTube account or subscriptions. Your account will remain active, and you will still have access to all the features and functions of YouTube. Your subscriptions will also remain intact, and you will continue to receive updates and notifications from the channels you are subscribed to.
Does pausing watch history remove my previous watch history?
No, pausing your watch history does not remove your previous watch history. It simply stops YouTube from tracking and using your future viewing activity for recommendations and personalization. If you want to remove your existing watch history, you can do so separately by clearing your watch history from the YouTube settings.
Will pausing my watch history affect YouTube’s ability to recommend videos to me?
Yes, pausing your watch history will impact YouTube’s ability to recommend videos based on your viewing activity. When your watch history is paused, YouTube will no longer take your past viewing habits into account when suggesting videos.
Instead, the platform will rely on other factors such as your subscriptions, trending content, and popular videos in your region to provide recommendations that align with your current interests.
Conclusion
Almost everyone in the world utilizes the incredibly famous social media platform YouTube for a variety of purposes. The software offers a ton of functionality, but it also places a big emphasis on protecting the security and privacy of user data. There is the ability to erase or pause anything within the YouTube app, as we covered in the post above, even though everything is logged and kept in place there.
You should give these instructions a try and see whether you can pause and resume your YouTube watch history on both your smartphone and PC.
