Yes, you can easily delete your movies and TV show viewing history in Windows 10. Clearing this history protects your privacy and allows you to curate the content suggestions offered by the Microsoft Store. This article will provide you with step-by-step instructions and address common questions regarding the process.
Why Delete Your Movies & TV History?
There are several compelling reasons why you might want to clear your Movies & TV app history on Windows 10. Privacy is paramount, especially if you share your computer with others. Deleting your viewing history prevents others from seeing what you’ve been watching.
Beyond privacy, clearing your viewing history can also improve the app’s performance and reset its recommendation algorithm. Over time, the Microsoft Store algorithms learn your viewing preferences and offer suggestions based on your history. Deleting the history essentially provides a fresh start, allowing you to influence the app’s recommendations in new directions.
Methods for Deleting Your Movies & TV History
There are two primary methods for deleting your Movies & TV history in Windows 10: through the Movies & TV app itself, and through your Microsoft account online. We’ll cover both.
Deleting History Within the Movies & TV App
This is the most direct and common method. However, it’s important to understand its limitations (addressed in the FAQs).
- Open the Movies & TV app: Find the app in your Start Menu, or search for it using the Windows search bar.
- Access Your Watched History: Typically, your recently watched content is displayed on the main screen. If not, look for a “History” or “Watched” tab within the app. This tab’s name and location can vary slightly depending on the app version.
- Delete Individual Items: Locate the item you wish to remove from your history. Often, you’ll find a “…” (three dots) icon or a right-click option to “Remove from history.” Click this option.
- Repeat for All Items: Unfortunately, there’s no “clear all” button within the Movies & TV app itself. You’ll need to repeat step 3 for each individual item you wish to remove from your viewing history. This can be time-consuming if you have a lengthy history.
Deleting History Through Your Microsoft Account Online
This method offers a more comprehensive way to manage your activity data, including Movies & TV viewing history.
- Go to Your Microsoft Account: Open your web browser and navigate to https://account.microsoft.com/.
- Sign In: Enter your Microsoft account email and password. This should be the same account you use to sign in to Windows 10 and the Microsoft Store.
- Navigate to Privacy: Once logged in, look for a “Privacy” tab or section. The exact wording may vary slightly, but it’s typically found under your account settings.
- Find Activity History: Within the “Privacy” section, you should find an area related to “Activity history” or “Data management.”
- Filter by App: Look for filtering options that allow you to view activity by app. Select the “Movies & TV” app or similar option.
- Clear Activity: Depending on the interface, you may have options to delete individual activities or clear the entire Movies & TV activity history at once. Look for a “Clear all” or “Delete” button.
- Confirm Deletion: You’ll likely be prompted to confirm your decision. Ensure you understand the implications before proceeding. Clearing your activity history may affect recommendations and personalized experiences across Microsoft services.
Other Considerations
- Rentals vs. Purchases: Clearing history only removes the record of you watching something. It doesn’t affect your rentals or purchases. You’ll still have access to the movies and TV shows you’ve paid for.
- Recommendation Algorithms: As mentioned before, clearing your history resets, to a degree, the recommendation algorithms used by the Microsoft Store. It might take some time for the app to relearn your preferences.
- Third-Party Streaming Services: This guide focuses solely on the history stored within the Microsoft Movies & TV app and your Microsoft account. If you use third-party streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, you’ll need to clear your viewing history within those platforms separately.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQ 1: Does deleting my viewing history prevent Microsoft from collecting data about my viewing habits?
No, deleting your viewing history only removes the record of what you’ve watched. Microsoft may still collect data about your overall app usage and viewing preferences for analytical and marketing purposes, subject to their privacy policy. To limit data collection, you may need to adjust your privacy settings within Windows 10.
FAQ 2: Why can’t I delete all items at once within the Movies & TV app?
Unfortunately, the Movies & TV app doesn’t offer a “clear all” button. This is a common complaint among users, and there’s no official workaround. The online Microsoft account management method offers a way to clear all at once.
FAQ 3: How long does it take for the deleted history to disappear completely?
The changes are usually reflected almost immediately within the Movies & TV app. However, it may take a bit longer (hours to a day) for the changes to fully propagate through all Microsoft services and affect recommendation algorithms.
FAQ 4: Will deleting my history affect my ability to download previously purchased content?
No, deleting your history will not affect your ability to download previously purchased content. Your purchases are tied to your Microsoft account, not your viewing history.
FAQ 5: Can I prevent the Movies & TV app from storing my viewing history in the first place?
There isn’t a direct setting within the Movies & TV app to disable history tracking completely. However, you can minimize tracking by adjusting your overall Windows 10 privacy settings and limiting the data that Microsoft collects.
FAQ 6: Is there a difference between deleting history from the app and from my Microsoft account?
Yes, deleting from the app only removes the history locally on that device. Deleting from your Microsoft account removes the history from Microsoft’s servers, potentially affecting recommendations and personalized experiences across all devices using your Microsoft account. Deleting from your Microsoft account is the more comprehensive approach.
FAQ 7: What if the “Movies & TV” app isn’t listed in my Microsoft account activity history?
This could be due to several reasons. Ensure you are using the correct Microsoft account that you use to sign into the Movies & TV app. Also, check if you have allowed Microsoft to collect activity data in your privacy settings. Sometimes, there may be a delay in activity data being recorded. Try again later.
FAQ 8: Will clearing my history stop the Movies & TV app from suggesting content that I don’t like?
Clearing your history will help reset the recommendation algorithm. However, the app will eventually start making suggestions again based on your future viewing habits. Continuously deleting unwanted items can help fine-tune the recommendations.
FAQ 9: I share my computer with my family. How can I ensure my viewing history remains private?
The best approach is to create separate user accounts for each family member within Windows 10. This way, each person has their own individual viewing history and personalized experience.
FAQ 10: Can I delete my history from the Microsoft Store as well?
The Movies & TV app is connected to the Microsoft Store. Clearing your Movies & TV history will affect recommendations within the Microsoft Store related to movies and TV shows. To clear other aspects of your Microsoft Store history (app downloads, etc.), you’ll need to manage those separately through your Microsoft account.
FAQ 11: Does deleting my history affect other streaming services I use on my PC?
No, this guide only addresses the Microsoft Movies & TV app and your Microsoft account activity. It does not affect your viewing history or data on other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You must manage your history within each service individually.
FAQ 12: What happens to offline downloads when I clear my viewing history?
Clearing your viewing history does not delete any offline downloads. Your downloaded movies and TV shows will remain on your device until you manually delete them or uninstall the Movies & TV app.