YouTube and Google: ad settings
Last checked: 19 Oct 2026; Google account settings 28 Sep 2026, added here 6 Nov 2026
Turning off personalised ads on YouTube changes how your ads are chosen, not how many you see. Google says ads are then based on things like the video you're watching rather than your account history. If you're signed in, the switch is shared with the rest of Google, so this page covers both.
Google has three places that affect ads: My Ad Center for your account (YouTube included), partner ad settings for ads Google shows on other sites, and Web & App Activity for what's saved to your account.
Personalised ads
- Personalised ads (signed in)Ads continue, less personalised
YouTube app → Account Settings → Privacy → Google ad settings → Personalised ads → OffOpens My Ad Centre, which controls personalised ads across Google services, YouTube included, wherever you're signed in. Google says ads are then based on things like the time of day, your location and the video or page you're on, not your history. Ads Google shows on partner sites aren't personalised by Google either.
On the web: myadcenter.google.com → Personalised ads → Off. Your ad topic and brand choices are deleted. It doesn't affect ads that Google doesn't show, or sites with their own ad systems. Not available on accounts for under-18s, where ads are never personalised.
- Personalised ads (signed out)Ads continue, less personalised
YouTube app → Account Settings → History & Privacy → Allow personalised ads → OffGoogle says it won't personalise ads in the app on that device.
On the web: adssettings.google.com → YouTube → Personalised ads on YouTube → Off. It only applies to that browser or device. On a TV: on an ad, select Ad options → Personalised ads.
- Stop YouTube history being used for adsAds continue, less personalised
My Ad Centre → Manage privacy → YouTube History → Use YouTube History to personalise ads → OffGoogle says your YouTube history won't be used to choose ads on Google Search and YouTube. Your history can still be saved and used for recommendations.
The same screen (Activity used to personalise ads) has separate switches for activity on sites and apps, and areas where you've used Google. Google says turning them off doesn't turn off personalised recommendations, and the activity may still be saved to your account (see Web & App Activity below).
Google says your watch and search history can also be used for ads. The last switch above stops that while keeping your history. To stop history being saved at all:
Watch and search history
- Pause or delete watch historyRelated setting
Profile photo → Settings → Manage all history → ControlsUntick "Include the YouTube videos that you watch" to pause it. Delete individual videos, or a time range with DELETE, on the same screen.
On a computer: My Activity → Controls. Signed out: Settings → History and privacy → Pause watch history or Clear watch history. Google says deleted history no longer shapes your recommendations.
- Pause search historyRelated setting
Profile photo → Settings → Manage all history → ControlsUntick "Include your searches on YouTube". Google says searches aren't saved while it's paused.
On a computer you can also set history to delete itself automatically after 3, 18 or 36 months.
The rest of your Google account: topics, partner sites, signed out and saved activity
- Customise topics and brandsRelated setting
My Ad Center → Customise adsSee more or fewer ads about particular topics or brands.
Google says this doesn't block topics or brands and doesn't change the number of ads.
- Partner sitesAds continue, less personalised
adssettings.google.com/partnerads → Get personalised ads when you visit sites that partner with GoogleTurn it off to stop Google personalising ads on partner sites in that browser, whether or not you're signed in.
Applies to the browser you use. It may be unavailable if your browser blocks third-party cookies.
- Signed out: Search and the webAds continue, less personalised
adssettings.google.com → Search / YouTube / Web → Personalised adsTurn off personalised ads for Search, YouTube or the web without an account.
Stored in cookies on that browser or device, so it resets if you clear them.
- Web & App ActivityRelated setting
Google Account → Activity controls → Web & App ActivityTurn it off, or turn it off and delete past activity, to stop Google saving your searches and activity to your account. Sub-options cover Chrome history and activity from sites and apps that use Google services, and voice and audio activity.
This is about saving activity, not ads specifically. Google notes these settings are being updated, so the screens may differ.
Your phone has separate settings too: see Android or iPhone.
YouTube Premium and Premium Lite
Google says YouTube Premium removes ads before and during videos, and third-party banner and search ads. Promotions that creators build into their own videos still appear (Google). Premium Lite removes ads on most videos, but Google says ads may still appear on music, Shorts, and when you search or browse.
UK prices on youtube.com/premium on 19 October 2026: Individual £12.99 a month, Family £19.99, Student £7.99, Premium Lite £7.99. The page shows prices for your own country only, so we haven't confirmed US prices.
Children
On supervised children's accounts, Google lists personalised ads among the features that are turned off. For other under-18s, Google says personalised ads "might" already be off if the account shows the person is under 18.
Related Google settings
- Google Maps Timeline and location history: turn it off or delete it.
- Gemini: Keep activity, memory and deleting your chats.
- Results about you: ask Google to remove search results showing your phone number, address or email.
- Google Family Link: a child's location sharing.
Sources
- Google: Control personalised ads (My Ad Centre)
- Google: YouTube History and personalised ads (My Ad Center help: Manage privacy)
- My Ad Center help: Customise ads
- Google Search help: Web & App Activity
- YouTube Help: Your data in YouTube
- YouTube Help: Watch history (app)
- YouTube Help: Watch history (computer)
- YouTube Help: Search history
- YouTube Help: YouTube Premium benefits
- YouTube Help: Premium membership and promotions
- YouTube Help: Premium Lite
- YouTube Premium prices (UK, 19 Oct 2026)
- YouTube Help: Supervised experiences
This page describes your options and how organisations say they handle requests. It isn't legal advice. See About & sourcing, or report a correction.