YouTube’s recommendation engine is designed to keep you watching — even if that means repeatedly suggesting content you don’t care about or actively dislike. If you’ve found yourself constantly seeing videos from a YouTuber you’re not interested in, you’re not alone. The platform uses a mix of your watch history, likes, and engagement patterns to decide what appears in your feed, and sometimes that can include creators you’d rather avoid.
Fortunately, there are several ways to stop YouTube from recommending a specific channel. While there’s no true “block” feature for removing a creator entirely, you can take control of your recommendations and drastically reduce — or nearly eliminate — that YouTuber from your feed.
This guide will walk you through step-by-step methods to stop seeing videos from unwanted channels on mobile, desktop, and more.
Why YouTube Keeps Recommending Certain Channels
YouTube’s algorithm doesn’t randomly pick videos to show you — it relies heavily on your interaction history to tailor recommendations. That includes what you’ve watched, clicked on, searched for, liked, and even hovered over.
1. Watch History & Partial Views
Even watching part of a video sends a signal that you might be interested. The algorithm uses this as justification to recommend similar or related content — often from the same channel or niche.
2. Search Behavior
If you’ve searched for a video related to a trending topic or genre, YouTube may surface creators who frequently publish in that area — even if you never clicked their content.
3. Engagement with Similar Channels
If you watch content from creators in the same category, style, or collaboration group as the YouTuber you’re trying to avoid, the algorithm may assume you’re open to that content too.
4. Homepage Personalization
YouTube tries to keep you engaged by recommending trending, high-performing content. Even if you’ve never interacted with a certain YouTuber, if they’re popular or just uploaded something viral, they may still appear in your feed.
The good news: you can override these signals with a few manual adjustments.
Method 1: Use the “Don’t Recommend Channel” Option
The quickest and most direct way to tell YouTube you’re not interested in a specific creator is to use the built-in “Don’t Recommend Channel” feature. This doesn’t block the channel completely, but it prevents YouTube from suggesting it in your homepage and recommended videos section.
On Mobile (iOS/Android):
- Open the YouTube app.
- Locate a video from the channel you want to stop seeing.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the video.
- Select “Don’t recommend channel.”
On Desktop:
- Go to youtube.com.
- Find a video from the channel in your recommendations.
- Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the video title or thumbnail.
- Select “Don’t recommend channel.”
🔒 Note: This works only on the account you’re signed into. Repeat it across other Google accounts if needed.
Method 2: Clear or Adjust Your Watch & Search History
Even after using “Don’t recommend channel,” YouTube’s algorithm can still push similar content if your watch or search history suggests ongoing interest in that genre or creator circle. Cleaning up your history helps reduce these signals.
How to Remove Specific Watch History
On Desktop:
- Go to YouTube History.
- Find related videos and click the “X” to remove.
On Mobile:
- Tap your profile > “Your data in YouTube”
- Open “Manage your YouTube Watch History”
- Delete specific entries or entire history
How to Remove Specific Search History
- Visit YouTube Search History
- Delete individual searches tied to the unwanted content
Optional: Pause History
In Settings > History & privacy, you can toggle off:
- Pause watch history
- Pause search history
This stops YouTube from saving activity and basing future recommendations on it.
Method 3: Use “Not Interested” on Individual Videos
If you’re still seeing videos from a certain YouTuber — or similar channels — in your recommendations, using the “Not Interested” option helps further train the algorithm.
On Mobile:
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the video.
- Select “Not interested.”
- Tap “Tell us why” if prompted for more accurate filtering.
On Desktop:
- Hover over the video
- Click the three-dot menu (⋮)
- Choose “Not interested.”
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Not Interested | Hides a specific video, tweaks algorithm slightly |
| Don’t Recommend Channel | Hides all content from that specific creator |
Using both consistently improves results.
Method 4: Use YouTube’s Restricted or Block Tools
Block a Channel from Commenting
For creators only:
- Go to channel > About tab > Flag icon > Block user
This stops comment spam but doesn’t block recommendations.
Enable Restricted Mode
- Go to Settings > General > Restricted Mode
- Helps hide mature or sensitive content
- Not designed for blocking specific channels
Browser Extensions (Desktop Only)
Use tools like Video Blocker (Chrome/Firefox):
- Block channels by name or keyword
- Hides their videos from appearing in feed or search
- Doesn’t work on mobile or Smart TVs
⚠️ These tools are unofficial — use cautiously and from trusted sources.
What to Do If It Still Doesn’t Work
1. YouTube Prioritizes High Engagement
Popular or trending videos can override your preferences, especially if you don’t give negative feedback consistently.
2. Avoid Similar Content
Stop engaging with creators in the same genre or who collaborate with the channel you’re avoiding.
3. Review Subscriptions & Playlists
Unsubscribe or remove videos and playlists connected to the creator, especially collabs.
4. Start Fresh (Optional)
Create a new YouTube/Google account if your recommendations are too off-track. Be mindful from the start of what you engage with.
Conclusion
YouTube doesn’t make it easy to completely block a specific channel, but with the right steps, you can effectively train the algorithm to stop recommending a YouTuber you don’t want to see. By using features like “Don’t recommend channel,” clearing your watch and search history, and regularly marking videos as “Not Interested,” you can take back control of your homepage and recommendations.
While some exposure to trending or related content might still slip through, consistency is key. The more signals you send about what you don’t want, the more YouTube adapts to show you content that actually matches your interests.
If needed, consider using browser extensions or starting fresh with a new profile for a cleaner viewing experience. Either way, you don’t have to keep seeing content from creators you’re trying to avoid.
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