How to reset the YouTube algorithm

Is your YouTube feed feeling stale? Stuck in a loop of recommendations you're trying to avoid? This happens easily—a single click reinforces YouTube's understanding of your interests, leading to more of the same. To regain control and reclaim your time, you need to manage your YouTube algorithm. This guide shows you how, building on our previous advice for resetting the Instagram algorithm.

Clear Your YouTube History

Start at myactivity.google.com. This central hub shows your Google activity: searches, Chrome browsing history, Google Maps locations, and—crucially—your YouTube watch history.

Filter to YouTube History, then select Manage History. Here, you can manually delete videos influencing your algorithm (see our guide on finding, editing, and clearing your YouTube history for details). Deleted videos no longer affect recommendations. A search function lets you target specific topics for removal.

For a complete reset, click Delete, then Delete all time.

Confirm the deletion. Your YouTube homepage will be empty; use search or your subscriptions to find videos. Your homepage will refill as you watch. Remember, subscriptions and other Google data still influence the algorithm.

To keep your homepage blank, return to myactivity.google.com and disable all YouTube history tracking.

This prevents future tracking while logged into your Google account.

Freetube: A Privacy-Focused Alternative

For complete control over your data, consider Freetube. This free, open-source application prioritizes privacy by storing your watch history locally, not in the cloud. This means you can track your viewing habits without Google's access.

A key difference: Freetube doesn't show ads. Beyond that, it offers features like disabling comments and recommended videos. Read our full Freetube review for more information.

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