The fastest way to delete an app and its data
To completely remove an app from your iPhone, press and hold the app icon on your home screen until a menu appears, then tap Remove App and choose Remove from Home Screen or Delete App. If you choose Delete App, you'll see a confirmation screen asking whether to keep or delete the app's data. Select Delete from iPhone to remove both the app and everything it stored on your device.
This method works on iPhone running iOS 13 or later. The app disappears from your home screen immediately, but the actual deletion takes a few seconds in the background. If you change your mind within a few minutes, you can undo the deletion by tapping the undo option that briefly appears at the bottom of your screen.
If you want to keep the app but just hide it from your home screen, choose Remove from Home Screen instead. The app stays on your iPhone and you can still find it by searching in Spotlight (swipe down from the top of your home screen and type the app name), but it won't clutter your visible apps.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon, tap Remove App, then Delete from iPhone to remove both the app and its stored data completely.
- Deleting an app does not delete your account with that service — you'll need to delete your account separately if you want to remove your data from the company's servers.
- Some built-in Apple apps like Mail, Calendar, and Settings cannot be deleted, but you can hide them from your home screen.
- If you delete an app by mistake, you can undo it immediately using the undo prompt, or reinstall it later from the App Store at no cost.
What happens to your data when you delete an app
Deleting an app removes everything the app stored on your iPhone — photos, messages, login information, game progress, saved documents, and cached files all disappear. This is permanent and cannot be undone once you close the undo prompt, so if you have data you want to keep, take screenshots or export it before you delete.
However, deleting the app does not delete your account with the service behind it. If you delete Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, or any other app, your account and all your data on the company's servers remain intact. The next time you install the app (or log in on a web browser), you'll see all your old messages, photos, and settings exactly as you left them. To actually remove your account from a service, you need to go to that company's website or settings and delete your account separately.
Some apps back up their data to iCloud automatically — for example, Notes and Reminders. If you delete these apps, the data stays in iCloud and will reappear if you reinstall them. You can turn off iCloud backup for individual apps by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and toggling off the apps you don't want backed up.
Deleting apps you cannot remove from your home screen
Apple's built-in apps — Mail, Calendar, Maps, Stocks, Compass, Reminders, Notes, Health, Wallet, and a few others — cannot be deleted from your iPhone. If you try to press and hold one of these apps, you'll see Remove from Home Screen as your only option, not Delete App.
You can hide these apps by choosing Remove from Home Screen, which takes them off your visible home screen and app library. They'll still be on your iPhone taking up a small amount of storage, but you won't see them unless you search for them. If you ever want them back, search for the app name in Spotlight and tap Show on Home Screen.
If a built-in app is using storage space and you want to free it up, your only option is to offload it. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the app, and tap Offload App. This removes the app but keeps your data for it, so if you reinstall it later, your settings and information will be there. This frees up more space than just hiding the app.
Using Settings to delete apps if the home screen method does not work
If an app is frozen, won't respond to touch, or the press-and-hold menu doesn't appear, you can delete it through Settings instead. Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage, scroll down to find the app you want to remove, tap it, and select Delete App. Confirm by tapping Delete again.
This method works the same way as deleting from the home screen — it removes the app and its data completely. Use this route if your iPhone is acting sluggish or if an app is malfunctioning and you can't access the home screen menu for it.
You can also see how much storage each app is using in this same Settings screen. Apps that store a lot of photos, videos, or cached data (like social media apps, streaming services, or games) often take up the most space. If you're running low on storage, deleting these apps is one of the fastest ways to free up room.
Reinstalling an app you deleted
If you delete an app and later want it back, open the App Store, tap the search icon at the bottom, and type the app name. Find the app in the results and tap the cloud icon with a down arrow (not the plus sign — that's for apps you've never installed). The app will download and install automatically.
You won't be charged again for paid apps you've already purchased. Your Apple ID remembers every app you've ever bought, so reinstalling is always free. When you open the app after reinstalling, you'll need to log back in with your account, and you'll see all your data that was stored on the company's servers — but any data that was only stored on your iPhone will be gone.
If you're not sure whether an app is worth keeping, you can also try offloading it first (Settings > General > iPhone Storage > [App Name] > Offload App). This removes the app but saves your data for it, so reinstalling it later will restore everything exactly as it was.
Preventing accidental deletion of important apps
If you have family members or children who use your iPhone, you can lock apps so they can't be deleted without your permission. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, turn on restrictions, tap iTunes & App Store Purchases, and set Deleting Apps to Don't Allow. Now anyone trying to delete an app will need your Screen Time passcode.
This is useful if you share your iPhone with others or if you want to prevent yourself from accidentally deleting something important in a moment of frustration. You can also use Screen Time to restrict which apps can be installed in the first place, though that's a separate setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting an app delete my account?
No. Deleting the app only removes it from your iPhone. Your account with that service stays active on the company's servers. If you reinstall the app or log in on a website, all your data will still be there. To actually delete your account, you need to go to that company's website or app settings and delete your account separately.
Can I delete apps that came with my iPhone?
Most built-in Apple apps cannot be deleted, but you can hide them from your home screen. If you want to free up storage, you can offload them instead, which removes the app but keeps your data. Some pre-installed third-party apps (like games or services) can be deleted normally.
What if I delete an app by mistake?
Tap the undo option that appears at the bottom of your screen immediately after deletion. If you miss that window, you can reinstall the app from the App Store at no cost. When you log back in, you'll see all your data that was stored online, though anything saved only on your iPhone will be gone.
Does deleting an app free up storage space?
Yes, but the amount varies. Apps that store photos, videos, or large files (like social media, streaming, or games) free up the most space. You can see exactly how much space each app uses by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and looking at the list.
Can I delete multiple apps at once?
No, you have to delete them one at a time. Press and hold each app individually and choose Delete App. If you're trying to free up a lot of space quickly, focus on the largest apps first — you can see the size of each app in Settings > General > iPhone Storage.