3 hidden YouTube settings you should change right now to protect your privacy
Protect your digital footprint on YouTube. Learn how to auto-delete watch history, hide your playlists, and disable personalized ad tracking.
Three often overlooked YouTube settings can help safeguard your privacy. First, adjust the length of time YouTube retains your viewing history. Older accounts keep this data permanently, while newer accounts delete it after three years. You can shorten this period to just three or 18 months via your Google My Activity page. Alternatively, using Incognito mode in the mobile app while searching can prevent history logging.
Second, check that your subscriptions and saved playlists are set to private. Newer accounts have subscriptions set to private automatically, but older accounts and manually created playlists remain visible. Desktop users can ensure private subscriptions under Settings > Privacy, while playlists visibility can be adjusted in the Profile tab.
Lastly, disable personalized ads across all Google services. Although ads won't disappear entirely, this stops YouTube from tracking your habits for targeted promotions. Disabling personalized ads can be done in the mobile app's Settings > Privacy > My Ad Center.
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