Fix: YouTube Search History not Showing or Updating on Android

YouTube for Android is one of the most-used apps on the platform and, based on statistics, the majority of people (over 70%) these days enjoy YouTube content on their handheld devices. And, one of the must-have features is the Watch History which lets you get back to some old clips you watched a while back. Sadly, some Android users report that YouTube Watch History is not updating on Android while working fine on other devices.

We looked into it and it seems that the problem was on YouTube’s side and that they fixed it. However, based on the timeline of reports, the issue keeps occurring from time to time. On the other hand, to eliminate all doubt of the end-user being the culprit for the problem, we wrote a few instructional steps. Check them out below.

Table of contents:

1. Make sure that Watch History is not paused
2. Disable VPN, Proxy, or AdBlockers
3. Reinstall the YouTube app
4. Sign out of your Google Account and sign in again
5. Send the report to YouTube

Fixing “Youtube History not Working” Issue

1. Make sure that Watch History is not paused

The first thing to confirm is that the Incognito Mode is disabled. Just open YouTube and then your Account. Once there, disable Incognito Mode if enabled. The second thing to do is to check whether the Watch History option is paused or not. We don’t want it paused for obvious reasons. You can check this setting in YouTube Settings, under History & privacy.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open YouTube.
2. Tap on your Account/Profile pic at the top right corner.
3. Select Settings.
4. Select History & privacy.
5. Make sure that the Pause watch history option is off.

In addition, you can navigate to your Google Account and check whether YouTube Watch History is enabled or disabled there. This applies to all devices signed with that particular Google Account. Sadly, based on reports, YouTube Watch History is not updating solely on the Android app while other platforms (e.g. PC browser version, Android browser version, etc.) don’t have the problem. One way or another, it’s a good idea to check the option.

Here’s how to get to YouTube Watch History in your Google Account Settings:

1. On your Android, open Settings and select Google.
2. Tap Manage your Google Account.
3. Under the Data & Privacy tab, tap YouTube History.
4. Make sure that YouTube Watch History is enabled.

2. Disable VPN, Proxy, or AdBlockers

For some reason, it seems that VPN, Proxy, or system-wide AdBlocker can cause some issues with YouTube Watch History. For the time being, we suggest disabling these apps/services and checking for improvements.

If the issue persists, try reinstalling the app by following the instructions in the next step.

3. Reinstall the YouTube app

Bugs are not uncommon in Google’s apps and there are many user reports witnessing them. However, we can hardly say that this exact issue has anything to do with an in-app bug. It’s more likely that the problem has something to do with YouTube’s servers that keep track of Watch History for billions of users.

Nonetheless, reinstallation is still a good idea as this will automatically get you the latest version of the app while clearing local data in the process. However, when YouTube comes as the system app, the only thing you can do is uninstall its updates. Which we still recommend.

Here’s how to reinstall YouTube on Android:

1. Open Play Store.
2. Search for YouTube and expand the app.
3. Uninstall YouTube or uninstall updates.
4. Restart your device and get back to the Play Store.
5. Install or update YouTube and look for improvements.

If the issue persists, we suggest trying to sign out and sign in again with your Google Account.

4. Sign out of your Google Account and sign in again

Moving on. Sometimes the Google Account you use tends to glitch out and some of Google’s services will suffer. In this case, it might’ve been the reason why YouTube Watch History is not updating. And, the best way to check if this is the case is to simply remove and add your Google Account again.

Follow these instructions to sign out and sign in again with your Google Account on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Accounts.
3. Tap on your Google account.
4. Tap Remove account.
5. Restart your device and add the account again.

5. Send the report to YouTube

Finally, if none of the previous steps worked, make sure to report the problem to YouTube Support. As we said in the introduction, this was a major issue a couple of years ago and, since then, Google has dealt with it. However, if the problem keeps reoccurring for you, make sure to send the report to YouTube. You can reach their support through Help & feedback in YouTube Settings.

Also, make sure to check the Down Detector website to see if there’s an actual widespread issue with the platform. That should do it. We thank you for reading and encourage you to send us your feedback, post questions or suggestions, or write anything related to YouTube in the comments section below. We look forward to hearing from you.