“Don’t recommend channel” is a YouTube feature that allows users to stop seeing video suggestions from channels they no longer want in their feed. It’s a handy tool when you’re tired of certain content, but what if you change your mind? What if the button was hit accidentally or the recommendations stop making sense altogether? In this article, we’ll cover how to undo “Don’t recommend channel” and what to do if it’s not working properly. Whether you’re using YouTube on TV, desktop, or mobile, this guide will walk you through all your options.
YouTube recommendations are constantly changing based on your activity. But when you select “Don’t recommend channel,” the algorithm takes it seriously. Sometimes too seriously. Here’s how to attempt to reverse the block or reintroduce a channel back into your recommendation flow.
Undo Don’t recommend channel
While there’s no official “undo” button for the “Don’t recommend channel” feature on YouTube, there are workarounds that can help you reverse its effects. Below are three main methods you can try.
Option 1: Re-engage with the channel
The most straightforward way to undo “Don’t recommend channel” is by re-interacting with the channel manually. YouTube’s algorithm can relearn your interest based on behavior.
- Search for the channel by name using YouTube’s search bar.
- Click on the channel and visit its homepage.
- Watch a few videos from the channel.
- Like, comment, or add videos to your Watch Later or a playlist.
- Subscribe to the channel again if you had unsubscribed.
Option 2: Clear YouTube history
If re-engaging doesn’t work, try clearing your watch and search history. This may reset the recommendations engine enough to stop honoring the block.
- Go to YouTube Watch History.
- Click on “Clear all watch history.”
- Do the same for search history by clicking on “Search History” and selecting “Clear all search history.”
- Optionally, pause history tracking temporarily to avoid re-blocking behavior.
Option 3: Delete specific activity in Google My Activity
If you remember when you hit “Don’t recommend channel,” you might be able to undo it by deleting that action through Google My Activity.
- Visit myactivity.google.com.
- Filter your YouTube activity by date.
- Find entries that mention the blocked channel.
- Click the three dots next to each entry and choose “Delete.”
- Refresh YouTube and check if the channel reappears in recommendations.
While none of these methods guarantee a perfect “undo,” they can help reintroduce blocked channels into your recommendation cycle. YouTube does not currently offer a list of channels you’ve blocked via “Don’t recommend,” so you can’t just toggle it off like a setting.
If “Don’t recommend channel” is not working properly and you’re still seeing videos from channels you’ve blocked, try clearing your cache, logging out and back in, or using the feedback tool to report the issue. Bugs in the recommendation engine do happen, and YouTube’s systems take time to adjust.
Hopefully, YouTube will one day implement a clear and accessible way to manage all the channels you’ve blocked with “Don’t recommend channel.” Until then, the best we can do is work around the system and re-train the algorithm through user behavior and data clearing. Stay in control of your feed, and don’t be afraid to tweak settings to make YouTube work better for you.
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