Remove a Single Show from Continue Watching
To remove one show from your Continue Watching row, open Apple TV and find the show you want to remove. Hover your cursor over the show's tile (on a Mac or Apple TV device) or long-press the tile (on iPhone or iPad) until a menu appears. Select Remove from Up Next or the trash/delete icon, depending on your device. The show will disappear from Continue Watching when ready, though your watch history remains intact.
On Apple TV devices connected to your television, use the remote to highlight the show tile, then press and hold the select button until options appear. Choose the remove option from the menu. The show stays in your library and watch history—this only hides it from the Continue Watching section.
Key Takeaways
- You can remove individual shows from Continue Watching by long-pressing the tile and selecting remove, which works on all Apple TV devices and apps.
- Removing a show from Continue Watching does not delete it from your library or erase your watch history.
- To clear your entire Continue Watching section at once, you must remove shows one at a time—there is no bulk-clear option.
- If you want to hide your watch history completely, you can turn off personalized recommendations in Apple TV settings instead.
Clear Continue Watching on Mac or Apple TV Device
On a Mac, open the Apple TV app and navigate to the Watch Now tab where Continue Watching appears. Move your cursor over the show tile you want to remove. A menu will pop up with options including a trash icon or "Remove from Up Next" button. Click it, and the show is gone from that section.
On an Apple TV device (4th generation or later), use your remote to highlight the show in the Continue Watching row. Press and hold the select button in the center of the remote until a context menu appears. Select the remove or delete option. Repeat this for each show you want to remove.
Remove Shows from Continue Watching on iPhone or iPad
Open the Apple TV app on your iPhone or iPad and go to the Watch Now tab. Find the show in your Continue Watching section and long-press its tile with your finger. A menu will appear with options. Tap Remove from Up Next or the trash icon. The show disappears from Continue Watching on all your devices signed into the same Apple ID.
If the menu does not appear on your first try, make sure you are pressing and holding firmly for at least one second. Some users find it easier to swipe left on the tile instead, which may reveal a delete button depending on your iOS version.
Why Your Continue Watching List Keeps Reappearing
If you remove a show but it comes back in Continue Watching, you may have accidentally resumed playback on another device. Whenever you play a show on any device signed into your Apple ID, it automatically returns to the Continue Watching section. Check your other devices—Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Apple TV—to see if someone resumed the show there.
Another reason shows reappear is if you have iCloud sync enabled across devices. Your watch history syncs automatically, so removing a show from one device should remove it from all of them. If this is not happening, sign out of iCloud on one device and back in, or restart the Apple TV app entirely.
Turn Off Personalized Recommendations to Hide Your Watch History
If you want to prevent shows from appearing in Continue Watching altogether, you can disable personalized recommendations. On Apple TV devices, go to Settings > Users and Accounts > [Your Account] > Personalization and turn off Personalized Recommendations. On Mac, open Apple TV, go to Preferences > Accounts, select your account, and uncheck the personalization option.
On iPhone or iPad, open the Apple TV app, tap the Watch Now tab, scroll to the top, and tap your profile icon. Select Account Settings > Personalization and toggle off Personalized Recommendations. This stops Apple TV from showing your Continue Watching row and other recommendations based on your viewing habits, though your watch history is still recorded in your account.
Difference Between Removing and Clearing Watch History
Removing a show from Continue Watching is not the same as deleting it from your watch history. When you remove a show from the Continue Watching row, it straightforward hides from that section—Apple TV still remembers you watched it. Your watch history remains visible in your account settings and can be used to resume playback later.
If you want to actually delete a show from your watch history so Apple TV forgets you watched it, you must go to your account settings directly. On any device, find your account settings and look for Watch History or Viewing History. From there, you can remove individual titles from your history entirely. This is a separate action from removing shows from the Continue Watching row.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing a show from Continue Watching delete it from my library?
No. Removing a show from Continue Watching only hides it from that section. The show remains in your library and your watch history. You can still find it by searching or browsing your library normally.
Will removing a show from Continue Watching on my iPhone remove it from my Apple TV device too?
Yes, if both devices are signed into the same Apple ID and iCloud sync is enabled. Removing a show from Continue Watching syncs across all your devices within a few seconds to a few minutes.
Can I remove all shows from Continue Watching at once?
No, there is no bulk-remove option. You must remove each show individually by long-pressing or hovering over its tile and selecting remove. If you have many shows to clear, turning off personalized recommendations is faster.
What if I accidentally removed a show I was watching?
Resume the show on any device or search for it in your library. Playing it again will return it to Continue Watching automatically. Your watch progress is saved, so you will pick up where you left off.
Why does a show keep coming back to Continue Watching after I remove it?
Someone else using your account may have resumed the show on another device, or you may have accidentally played it again. Check all devices signed into your Apple ID. You can also create separate user profiles in Apple TV settings so each person has their own Continue Watching list.