You've been there. You spent a Saturday night deep-diving into a truly embarrassing reality show or maybe a cheesy B-movie from the 80s, and now your Amazon homepage is a disaster zone. It’s cluttered. Every time you log in to watch a serious prestige drama, you’re greeted by "Recommended for You" carousels filled with the very thing you're trying to forget. Honestly, managing your prime video watch history feels way more complicated than it should be in 2026.
Amazon doesn't make it easy. They want that data. It fuels the algorithm that keeps you scrolling. But when your "Continue Watching" list looks like a chaotic digital junk drawer, it's time to take out the trash.
Where Amazon Hides Your Prime Video Watch History
If you look for a "History" button on the main Prime Video interface on your smart TV, you're going to be disappointed. It isn't there. Most people give up after clicking around the settings menu for five minutes. The truth is, the full controls are buried deep within the web browser version of the Amazon site, specifically tucked away under the "Account & Settings" tab of the Prime Video sub-domain.
You have to think like a data architect to find it. Once you're in "Account & Settings," there’s a specific tab labeled "Watch History." This is the master list. It’s the raw feed of every single thing you’ve clicked "play" on across your phone, tablet, and TV.
It's kind of a mess.
📖 Related: Savannah Weather Radar: What Most People Get Wrong
The list is chronological. You’ll see the exact date you watched that one episode of The Boys or that weird documentary about goats. What’s interesting—and a bit annoying—is that deleting something from this list doesn't just hide it; it supposedly "un-teaches" the algorithm your preferences. That’s the theory, anyway. In practice, the AI can be stubborn.
The Problem With Profiles
Since Amazon introduced profiles, your prime video watch history is fragmented. If you watched a movie on your "Guest" profile or your kid’s profile, it won't show up in your main history. This is a double-edged sword. It’s great for keeping your recommendations clean, but it's a nightmare if you’re trying to track down a specific show you know you started but can't remember which profile you were using at the time.
Pro tip: Always check the "Hidden" videos section too. Sometimes, if you’ve clicked "I've already seen this" or "Not interested," Amazon shuffles things into a digital purgatory that’s separate from your active history but still influences what you see.
Clearing the Clutter Without Breaking the Algorithm
Deleting stuff is easy once you find the "X" or the "Delete" button next to the title. But wait. Before you go on a clicking spree, understand how the feedback loop works. Amazon uses a weighted system. Recent views matter more than that stuff you watched three years ago. If you delete a single episode of a series, the algorithm might still think you love the genre. To truly scrub a show’s influence, you usually have to delete every single entry for that series from the list.
👉 See also: Project Liberty Explained: Why Frank McCourt Wants to Buy TikTok and Fix the Internet
It's tedious.
There is no "Clear All" button. That’s intentional. Amazon wants to keep as much data as possible to keep their "Because you watched..." suggestions semi-accurate. If you want a fresh start, you’re basically looking at a manual labor project. You’ll be clicking "Delete" for twenty minutes.
Why Your Continue Watching List Won't Die
We've all had that one show. You watched ten minutes, hated it, and shut it off. Now, it lives at the front of your "Continue Watching" row forever. Even if you scrub it from your prime video watch history, it sometimes lingers like a ghost. This happens because of a sync delay between the Amazon servers and your specific hardware, like a Roku or a Fire Stick.
To kill it for real:
✨ Don't miss: Play Video Live Viral: Why Your Streams Keep Flopping and How to Fix It
- Go to the web browser version of Prime Video.
- Find the "Watch History" and delete the item.
- Immediately go to the "Hidden" list and ensure it's not there.
- Log out and log back in on your TV.
Sometimes, you actually have to fast-forward to the last thirty seconds of the credits and let the video finish naturally. This triggers the "Mark as Watched" flag, which often removes it from the "Continue" row more effectively than a manual deletion does. It’s a weird workaround, but it works.
Privacy and the Data Reality
Let’s be real for a second. Deleting your history from the UI doesn't mean Amazon forgets you watched it. Their internal databases—the ones they use for high-level business analytics and advertising profiles—likely retain a record of your viewing habits for much longer than what they show you in the settings. This is standard across the industry, from Netflix to YouTube.
However, managing your prime video watch history is still worth the effort for your own sanity. It’s about taking control of your digital environment. When your recommendations are tuned to what you actually enjoy, the experience of using the platform improves drastically. You spend less time hunting and more time actually watching.
Does "Incognito" Exist for Prime?
Short answer: No. Long answer: Sorta.
Amazon doesn't have an official "Incognito Mode" like a web browser. If you want to watch something without it hitting your history, the best move is to create a "Burner Profile." Name it something generic, watch your guilty pleasures there, and then delete the entire profile when you’re done. This nukes the history associated with that profile instantly and keeps your primary profile’s algorithm pristine.
Taking Action on Your Digital Footprint
If you’re tired of seeing the same five shows you didn’t like, follow these steps right now to reclaim your homepage:
- Open a desktop browser. Don't use the app; the app's settings are limited and often redirect you anyway.
- Navigate to the Prime Video Settings. Look for the gear icon or your profile name in the top right.
- Check "Watch History" and "Hidden Items." Go through the last 30 days and prune anything that doesn't represent your current tastes.
- Update your "Stuff to Watch" list. Sometimes a cluttered history is actually caused by an old, bloated watchlist. Delete the movies you know you’re never going to get around to.
- Use the "Not Interested" button. When you see a recommendation that's clearly based on something you deleted, click the "Not Interested" or "I've already seen this" button. This provides a secondary signal to the AI that you want that specific content gone.
Managing your digital presence is a recurring task, not a one-time fix. Every few months, your prime video watch history will probably need another audit. It’s just part of living in a data-driven world. By being proactive, you ensure that your streaming experience remains a curated library rather than a digital landfill.