I would like the YouTube algorithm to cease doing this one annoying factor

[ad_1] <img class="e_bh" decoding="async" loading="eager" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="YouTube on smartphone stock photo 15" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/YouTube-on-smartphone-stock-photo-15.jpg 1200w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/YouTube-on-smartphone-stock-photo-15-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/YouTube-on-smartphone-stock-photo-15-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/YouTube-on-smartphone-stock-photo-15-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/YouTube-on-smartphone-stock-photo-15-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/YouTube-on-smartphone-stock-photo-15-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="YouTube on smartphone stock photo 15" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/YouTube-on-smartphone-stock-photo-15.jpg"/> Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Over time, the YouTube suggestion algorithm has grow to be fairly advanced. I’ve observed that it might extrapolate my tastes very nicely based mostly on my watch historical past, constantly tempting me to eat extra movies. For instance, I not too long ago watched a stay clip of The Prodigy at Coachella. My dwelling display screen feed then stuffed up with not solely live performance clips from different exhibits by The Prodigy, but in addition different artists that I get pleasure from, reminiscent of 9 Inch Nails, St. Vincent, Air, and extra. Notably, these artists sound nothing like The Prodigy, however the algorithm is sensible sufficient to imagine that my tastes will align with them based mostly on my watch historical past. I’m not going to lie: I needed to cease myself from spending all day watching stay live performance clips.

That is spectacular and one thing Google has most likely spent thousands and thousands of {dollars} refining, because it retains individuals glued to YouTube and fueling the money-printing machine that it’s grow to be. Curiously, whereas the algorithm is clever sufficient to try this, it's nonetheless fully inept at one thing else: understanding after I seek for a video not as a result of I’m deeply within the matter, however as a result of I need assistance doing a selected job. Even now, in 2025, this nonetheless appears to throw the algorithm for a loop.

The YouTube algorithm and one-time duties

<img class="e_bh" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Leather Boot Repair (1 of 1)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Leather-Boot-Repair-1-of-1.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Leather-Boot-Repair-1-of-1-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Leather-Boot-Repair-1-of-1-1000w-561h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Leather-Boot-Repair-1-of-1-1536w-862h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Leather-Boot-Repair-1-of-1-675w-379h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Leather-Boot-Repair-1-of-1-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Leather-Boot-Repair-1-of-1-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Leather Boot Repair (1 of 1)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Leather-Boot-Repair-1-of-1.jpg"/> C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

Let me provide you with a real-world instance of the algorithm’s deficiency. I've a pair of pricy German leather-based boots that I put on almost daily and love with all my coronary heart. Since I put on them a lot, they bear fairly a bit of damage and tear. Previously, I’ve taken them to a cobbler for a refresh each few years, however right here in California, that's costly — and never getting any cheaper. I figured it might’t be that tough to do annual upkeep on my boots on my own, and doing so will surely save me cash.

I went straight to YouTube with this thought. I looked for “leather-based boot refresh” and located dozens of high-quality movies going over the instruments, polishes, conditioners, and different supplies wanted for this job, in addition to step-by-step directions. I watched one video — only one! — and knew I might do that myself. I purchased the merchandise the video prompt, and once they had all arrived, I re-watched the identical video a number of instances as I adopted its directions. My boots look nice now — they’re like new!

Watching one 'How To' video a couple of explicit matter shouldn't be sufficient for the algorithm to flood your feed with different 'How To' movies on that matter.

One would assume that the YouTube algorithm would perceive that this course of I went by is in no way just like watching a stay live performance clip. I'm not fascinated about shopping for leather-based boots. I'm not on the lookout for different tips about fixing my boots. I'm not going to open a cobbler store. I had a one-time drawback — refreshing my boots — and used one YouTube video to resolve that drawback. If I ever need assistance once more, I’ll seek for it (or simply watch the identical video as soon as extra).

Regardless of how apparent this would appear, this didn’t cease the algorithm from filling my dwelling web page with different movies about refreshing leather-based boots. Critically, for just a few days after I did the refresh, roughly half of my dwelling web page was movies associated to leather-based, boots, or cobbler issues. Shouldn’t we be past this by now? Shouldn’t the algorithm be capable of inform the distinction between video hours spent watching stuff I get pleasure from and hours spent utilizing YouTube as a device?

This makes me need to use YouTube much less, no more

<img class="e_bh" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="YouTube premium app on smartphone stock photo (2)" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="YouTube premium app on smartphone stock photo (2)" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/YouTube-premium-app-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2.jpg"/> Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Bear in mind how I needed to maintain myself again from bingeing total concert events after watching only one Coachella clip? That’s what has made YouTube so profitable. Sadly, this drawback — its lack of ability to forestall itself from suggesting irrelevant content material based mostly on one-time wants — actively makes the house web page worse, working towards its success. In different phrases, my feed being coated with boot movies makes me need to navigate away from YouTube. It’s the precise reverse of Google’s intentions!

Has the YouTube algorithm stuffed your feed with 'How To' content material earlier than? 19 votes

Sure, this occurs on a regular basis

53%

Sure, this has occurred a couple of times

26%

No, this has by no means occurred

21%

I'm not certain if this has occurred

0%

Based mostly on this, one would assume that Google would prioritize stopping this challenge. Nevertheless, on condition that YouTube has been round for 20 years (man, I’m outdated) and this drawback nonetheless exists, it clearly isn’t as a lot of a precedence for Google as I'd assume.

You'd assume Google would need to repair this, contemplating it makes my dwelling feed much less addicting.

To Google’s credit score, a bit greater than per week after this occurred, my feed cleared all references to boots and leather-based. It appears the algorithm is sensible sufficient now to know that I didn’t click on on any of its strategies, so I’m probably not fascinated about extra boot movies. However what if this wasn’t one thing associated in addition restore, and as an alternative one thing extra delicate? What if I went to YouTube for an answer to a health-related challenge, and immediately my feed was a beacon to anybody who needs to find out about my medical situation? What if I watched a video about the best way to clear up a marital drawback, and my feed turned crammed with different movies about marital issues I'm not having? YouTube needs to be working for us, not towards us.

Have you ever confronted an analogous drawback? What did you seek for that the algorithm then pummelled you with different associated movies? Let me know within the feedback, and you'll want to choose one thing within the ballot above, too!