Game Pigeon deletes the same way as any other app, but the method depends on whether you want to remove it temporarily or completely
Game Pigeon is an iMessage app — a small program that runs inside Apple's Messages app rather than as a standalone application. This means you cannot delete it from your home screen the way you would delete a regular app. Instead, you manage it through the Messages app itself, and the steps differ depending on whether you want to hide it, remove it from your iMessage drawer, or uninstall it entirely from your device.
The fastest route for most people is to hide Game Pigeon from your iMessage app drawer so you do not see it when you open Messages. If you want to remove it completely, you will need to delete the app that contains it — which is the Game Pigeon app itself, installed separately on your phone.
Key Takeaways
- Game Pigeon appears in your iMessage app drawer (the row of icons at the bottom of a conversation), and you can hide it there without deleting anything.
- To hide Game Pigeon from Messages, open any conversation, tap the app drawer icon, press and hold Game Pigeon, then tap "Remove".
- To completely uninstall Game Pigeon, you must delete the Game Pigeon app from your home screen like any other app — press and hold it, then tap "Remove App".
- Hiding Game Pigeon from Messages does not delete the app itself; uninstalling the app removes it entirely from your phone.
Hide Game Pigeon from your iMessage drawer
This is the method most people use when they want Game Pigeon out of sight but do not need to remove it completely. Open any conversation in Messages, then look for the app drawer icon — it looks like a row of four dots or a grid, usually at the bottom left of the keyboard area. Tap it to reveal all your iMessage apps, including Game Pigeon.
Press and hold the Game Pigeon icon until a menu appears. Tap "Remove" from the menu. Game Pigeon will disappear from your app drawer immediately. The app itself remains installed on your phone, but you will no longer see it when you open Messages. If you change your mind later, you can add it back by tapping the app drawer, finding the "+" icon or "More Apps" option, and selecting Game Pigeon again.
Completely uninstall Game Pigeon from your iPhone
If you want to remove Game Pigeon entirely from your device, you need to delete the app itself. Go to your home screen and find the Game Pigeon app icon — it usually shows a colorful game controller or the Game Pigeon logo. Press and hold the icon until a menu appears with options including "Remove App".
Tap "Remove App", then tap "Delete App" to confirm. You will see a warning that this action cannot be undone. Tap "Delete" one more time to finish. Game Pigeon will be removed from your phone completely, along with any saved games or progress you had in the app. This also removes it from your iMessage drawer automatically.
The difference between hiding and uninstalling
Hiding Game Pigeon from your Messages app drawer is a quick way to declutter without losing anything. The app stays on your phone taking up storage space, and your game progress remains saved. You can restore it to your app drawer at any time in seconds.
Uninstalling the app removes it entirely and frees up storage space on your phone. Any games you were playing will be lost, and you would need to reinstall the app from the App Store if you wanted it back later. Choose hiding if you think you might want to use Game Pigeon again someday, and choose uninstalling if you are certain you do not want it on your phone at all.
What happens to your game progress
If you hide Game Pigeon, your progress in any games you were playing stays saved on your phone. The next time you unhide it and open a game, you will pick up where you left off.
If you uninstall the app, Game Pigeon does not back up your game progress to iCloud automatically. When you delete the app, your saved games are deleted with it. If you reinstall Game Pigeon later, you will start fresh with no record of your previous games or scores.
Removing Game Pigeon from a specific conversation
You can also remove Game Pigeon from just one conversation without hiding it from all your Messages. Open the conversation where you want to remove it, tap the app drawer icon at the bottom, and press and hold Game Pigeon. Instead of tapping "Remove", look for an option like "Remove from Conversation" or similar wording — the exact label depends on your iOS version.
This removes Game Pigeon from that single conversation's app drawer but leaves it visible in all your other conversations and in your main app drawer. This is useful if you want to keep Game Pigeon available for some conversations but not others.
Troubleshooting if Game Pigeon will not delete
If you cannot find Game Pigeon in your app drawer to hide it, it may already be hidden or removed. Check the "More Apps" or "+" section in your app drawer — Game Pigeon might be listed there as an available app you can add back.
If you cannot delete the Game Pigeon app from your home screen, make sure you are pressing and holding the icon long enough for the menu to appear. On newer iPhones, you may need to hold it for a full second or two. If the menu still does not appear, restart your phone and try again. If Game Pigeon is a system app that came pre-installed on your device (rare but possible on some carrier phones), you may only be able to hide it, not delete it completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting Game Pigeon remove it from my friends' phones?
No. Uninstalling Game Pigeon from your phone only affects your device. Your friends will still have the app on their phones, and they can still send you Game Pigeon invitations through Messages. You simply will not be able to see or play them until you reinstall the app.
Can I recover my Game Pigeon progress after I delete the app?
Not through iCloud backup. Game Pigeon does not automatically save your game progress to iCloud, so deleting the app deletes your saved games. If you have a full iPhone backup that includes Game Pigeon, you might be able to restore it, but this would restore your entire phone to an earlier state, not just the app.
Will hiding Game Pigeon free up storage space?
No. Hiding the app from your Messages drawer does not remove it from your phone or free up any storage. Only uninstalling the app itself will reduce the amount of storage Game Pigeon uses on your device.
What if Game Pigeon keeps reappearing in my app drawer?
If you have hidden it but it keeps showing up, check whether someone in your conversation is actively sending you Game Pigeon invitations. Some versions of iOS re-add recently used iMessage apps to your drawer automatically. You can hide it again, or uninstall the app entirely if you do not want it to return.