How to Clear Your Facebook Watch History (App and Computer)

To clear your Facebook watch history, open your Activity log, switch to the category for videos you’ve watched, and choose the option to clear your video watch history. In the Facebook app, you’ll usually find the Activity log under Menu, then Settings & privacy, then Settings. On a computer, it’s in the menu under your profile picture. After you confirm, the list of videos you’ve watched is wiped.

Facebook moves these menus around from time to time, and the exact labels can vary by app version and region. So each step below tells you what to look for, not just which button to press. You’ll also find how to remove single videos instead of everything, what clearing does and doesn’t change, and what to try if the clear button is missing.

Quick Answer

1. Open Facebook and go to Menu (or your profile picture on a computer).
2. Go to Settings & privacy, then find Activity log (in the app, it’s usually under Settings, in a section called Your activity).
3. Choose the category or filter for videos you’ve watched (often labeled Videos you’ve watched or Videos watched).
4. Select Clear video watch history (or a similar label).
5. Confirm when asked.

In This Guide

• What Facebook watch history is
• Before you start
• Clear it in the Facebook app (iPhone and Android)
• Clear it on a computer
• Remove single videos instead
• What clearing does and doesn’t do
• Facebook Lite, mobile browsers, and saving a copy first
• Which option should you use?
• Keep your viewing private going forward
• Troubleshooting
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Facebook Watch History Is

Facebook keeps a list of videos you’ve watched while signed in to your account. It lives in your Activity log, which is Facebook’s private record of things you’ve done on the site, such as posts, likes, comments, searches, and videos viewed. Your Activity log is designed to be seen only by you, the account owner.

The video section used to be called Watch, after Facebook’s video tab. In many newer versions, that tab is labeled Video instead, so you may see either name. Either way, your viewing record is kept in the same place: the Activity log.

Why clear it? Common reasons include:

• Privacy on a shared device. If someone else uses your phone, tablet, or computer while you’re signed in, they could look through what you’ve watched.
• Fresher suggestions. Facebook uses your activity to suggest videos. Clearing your history may make recommendations less tied to what you watched in the past.
• General tidiness. Some people simply prefer to keep as little activity on record as possible.

Before You Start

This guide covers the Facebook app for iPhone and Android and Facebook in a web browser on a computer, as of September 2026. You need:

• Access to your own Facebook account. Only the account owner can see or clear its Activity log.
• An up-to-date Facebook app. Older app versions may not show the clear option. See the troubleshooting section for how to update.
• A few minutes. Clearing takes seconds, but finding the right menu can take a moment the first time.

Important: Treat clearing your watch history as permanent. Once cleared, there’s no way to bring the list back. If you want to keep a record of certain videos, save them first (use the video’s Save option, if available) or note their titles.

Facebook’s menus change often and can differ between accounts. The steps below are based on how Facebook’s settings have been laid out recently. If a label on your screen doesn’t match exactly, look for the closest wording.

How to Clear Watch History in the Facebook App (iPhone and Android)

The steps are nearly the same on iPhone and Android. The main difference is where the menu button sits: on iPhone, Menu is usually at the bottom right; on Android, the menu icon is usually at the top right.

1. Open the menu. Open the Facebook app and tap Menu (three lines, or your profile picture in some versions). Expected result: A page with shortcuts and settings opens.
2. Open settings. Scroll down and tap Settings & privacy, then tap Settings. Expected result: A long list of settings appears.
3. Find your Activity log. Look for a section called Your activity (or Your information) and tap Activity log. If you can’t spot it, tap the search bar at the top of the Settings page and type “Activity log.” Expected result: Your Activity log opens with recent actions and a row of categories or a Filter button.
4. Choose the video category. Swipe through the category buttons near the top, or tap Filter or Categories, and pick the option for videos, such as Videos you’ve watched or Videos watched. It may sit inside a broader group such as Logged actions and other activity. Expected result: You see a list of videos you’ve watched, newest first.
5. Clear the history. Tap Clear video watch history (it may read Clear video history). It’s usually near the top of the list.
6. Confirm. Read the pop-up and tap Clear (or the confirming button shown). Expected result: The list empties and shows no watched videos.

If you want to remove only some videos, stop before step 5 and see Remove single videos instead.

How to Clear Watch History on a Computer

1. Go to Facebook. Open facebook.com in a web browser and sign in.
2. Open the account menu. Click your profile picture at the top right. Expected result: A drop-down menu appears.
3. Open Settings & privacy. Click Settings & privacy, then click Activity log. If you don’t see it there, open Settings and look for Activity log under Your activity, or use the settings search box. Expected result: Your Activity log opens, with categories in a panel on the left.
4. Pick the video category. In the left panel, look for Videos you’ve watched. It may be inside a group such as Logged actions and other activity, so expand groups if needed. Expected result: A list of watched videos appears.
5. Clear the history. Click Clear video watch history (or a similar button), usually above the list.
6. Confirm. Click the confirmation button in the pop-up. Expected result: The list is empty.

Your watch history belongs to your account, not your device. Clearing it on a computer generally clears it for the app too, though it can take a little while for another device to show the change.

Remove Single Videos Instead

If you only want to hide a few videos from your history, you don’t have to wipe everything.

1. Open your Activity log and choose the videos-you’ve-watched category, as described above.
2. Find the video you want to remove. If the list is long, look for a Date, calendar, or Filter option to jump to a specific time period.
3. Tap or click the three dots (…) next to that entry.
4. Choose Delete or Remove (the wording can vary) and confirm if asked. Expected result: That video disappears from your list while the rest stays.

You can also use this same list just to look back at what you’ve watched: scroll through it and reopen videos without clearing anything.

Removing entries one at a time is handy when you want to keep your recommendations mostly intact but hide a handful of specific videos.

Facebook Lite, Mobile Browsers, and Saving a Copy First

Facebook Lite

Facebook Lite is a smaller version of the Android app made for slower phones and connections. Its menus are simpler and don’t always match the main app. Open its menu, look for Settings or Settings & privacy, and then Activity log. If you can’t find a clear option in Lite, use the full Facebook app or a web browser; because the history is tied to your account, clearing it there covers Lite too.

Facebook in a phone’s web browser

If you use Facebook in Safari, Chrome, or another mobile browser instead of the app, the layout is closer to the app than the desktop site. Tap the menu icon, go to Settings & privacy, then Settings, and look for Activity log. If the mobile layout hides an option, your browser’s menu may offer a Request desktop website or similar choice that switches to the full site, where you can follow the computer steps above.

Save a copy of your history before clearing

If you want a record of what you watched before you wipe it, Facebook lets you download a copy of your information. Look for Download your information in Settings, which now often sits inside Meta’s Accounts Center under a section such as Your information and permissions. You can usually pick which kinds of information to include and a date range, then request the file. Preparing it can take a while, and Facebook notifies you when it’s ready to download. Once you have the copy, clear your history as usual.

Keep the downloaded file somewhere safe, since it contains personal details about your account activity.

What Clearing Does and Doesn’t Do

Clearing your watch history removes the list of videos you’ve viewed from your Activity log. It’s narrower than many people expect. Here’s what to expect, based on how the feature generally works:

Item	Affected by clearing?
List of videos you’ve watched in your Activity log	Yes, removed
Videos you’ve saved to watch later	No, they stay saved
Videos you’ve posted, and your comments and reactions on videos	No, these are separate activity
Video recommendations	May become less personalized for a while
Your search history	No; searches are a separate Activity log category
Videos sent to you in Messenger chats	No; they stay in those conversations
Activity in Instagram or other apps	No; each app has its own history settings

A few other points worth knowing:

• There’s no known switch to stop recording. Facebook doesn’t appear to offer a setting that pauses video history the way some other services do. To keep the list short, clear it regularly.
• Clearing doesn’t hide that you viewed a public video from its view count. View counts are totals; creators generally see numbers, not a list of who watched.
• Other activity stays. If you want to go further, you can review and remove other items in your Activity log. See how to delete your Facebook activity log.

Which Option Should You Use?

Your goal	Best option
Wipe the whole list for privacy	Clear video watch history
Hide a few embarrassing or irrelevant videos	Remove single videos
Reset what Facebook suggests	Clear the whole history, then watch what you actually want to see
Keep a shared computer private	Clear the history and sign out of Facebook when you’re done
Clean up posts, likes, and more	Review other Activity log categories

Many people find it helpful to clear their history on a routine, such as once a month, rather than trying to remember specific videos later.

Keep Your Viewing Private Going Forward

Clearing your history deals with the past. These habits help keep future viewing private, especially on devices other people can reach:

• Sign out on shared devices. On a family computer or a friend’s phone, sign out of Facebook when you’re done. On a computer, it’s in the menu under your profile picture; in the app, it’s at the bottom of Menu.
• Use a private browser window. On a shared computer, a private or incognito window keeps your sign-in from being saved after you close the window. Facebook still records your activity to your account, so you’d clear the history as usual, but no one can reopen your session afterward.
• Check where you’re signed in. Facebook’s security settings (often in Accounts Center, under Password and security) include a list of devices where your account is signed in. Look for an option such as Where you’re logged in, and sign out of any device you don’t use anymore.
• Lock your phone. A screen lock stops anyone who picks up your phone from opening the Facebook app and scrolling through your activity.
• Make clearing a routine. Because there’s no switch to pause video history, a monthly clear-out keeps the list short.

Troubleshooting

I can’t find the clear button

First, update the Facebook app. On iPhone, open the App Store, tap your photo or account button at the top, tap App Updates, and tap Update next to Facebook, as described in Apple’s guide to updating apps. On Android, open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, choose Manage apps & device, and update Facebook, following Google’s guide to updating Android apps. If the button is still missing, try the steps on a computer at facebook.com, where the Activity log often shows more options. Features can also roll out to different regions and accounts at different times.

I can’t find the Activity log

Open Settings and use the search bar at the top to search for “Activity log.” Menus are rearranged from time to time, but search usually finds it.

Cleared videos still show up

Close and reopen the app, or refresh the page in your browser. If you use Facebook on several devices, give the change some time to appear everywhere. Signing out and back in can also refresh what you see.

The video category is empty even though I watch videos

Make sure you’re signed in to the right account; if you manage more than one profile or account, each has its own history. Also check the date filter, since a narrow date range can hide older entries. Videos you watched while signed out, or on another person’s account, won’t appear in your history.

Clearing fails or shows an error

Check your internet connection and try again. If the error repeats, wait a few minutes; temporary glitches on Facebook’s side usually clear up on their own. You can also try the other platform, for example the computer if the app keeps failing.

Recommendations didn’t change

Suggestions are based on more than your watch history, including pages you follow, posts you interact with, and videos you watch after clearing. Changes may take time, and you can shape them by interacting with the kinds of videos you want to see.

Someone else is using my account

If you see videos in your history that you didn’t watch, someone else may have access to your account. Sign out of devices you don’t recognize and change your password in your account’s security settings right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover my watch history after clearing it?

No. Treat clearing as permanent. There’s no undo or restore option for a cleared video watch history.

Does clearing my history delete videos I saved?

No. Saved videos stay in your saved items. Clearing only removes the record of what you’ve watched.

Can other people see my watch history?

Other people can’t browse your Activity log; it’s meant for the account owner only. The main risk is someone using a device where you’re signed in, which is why clearing history and signing out on shared devices helps.

Do I need to clear it on each device?

Generally no. Your watch history is tied to your account, so clearing it in one place should clear it everywhere, though other devices may take a moment to update.

Does this also clear Reels I’ve watched?

It depends on how Facebook groups your activity. Recent versions tend to include many types of video in the watched-videos category, but if Reels still appear elsewhere in your Activity log, check the other categories there.

Will clearing my watch history change the ads I see?

Possibly a little, but don’t count on it. Ads draw on many signals beyond watched videos, and Meta has separate ad preference settings (look for Ad preferences in Settings or Accounts Center) where you can review the topics and advertisers that shape your ads.

Is clearing watch history the same as deleting my Facebook activity?

No. Watch history is one category. Posts, comments, reactions, and searches are separate, and you manage each in the Activity log. If you’re tidying up, you may also want to know where to find the trash on Facebook, where some deleted posts wait before they’re removed for good.

Summary

1. Open Menu (app) or your profile picture (computer).
2. Go to Settings & privacy and find Activity log; search settings if needed.
3. Choose the category for videos you’ve watched.
4. Select Clear video watch history and confirm, or remove single videos from the three-dot menu.
5. If the option is missing, update the app or try facebook.com on a computer.

Next step: Open your Activity log now, check what’s in your video history, and decide whether to clear all of it or just a few entries.