The fastest way to delete an app
Press and hold the app icon on your home screen until a menu appears. Tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen if you want to keep it in your library, or Delete App if you want to remove it entirely. Confirm by tapping Delete when prompted.
That's the method most people use because it's quick and works from anywhere on your phone. The app disappears immediately, though if you chose to keep it in your library, you can find it again by swiping to your App Library (the last screen when you swipe right from your home screen) and searching for it by name.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon, tap Remove App, then Delete App to remove it completely from your iPhone.
- Deleting an app from your home screen is different from deleting it entirely — you can keep it in your App Library and reinstall it later without paying again.
- You cannot delete built-in Apple apps like Mail, Calendar, or Settings, but you can hide them from your home screen.
- Deleted apps can be reinstalled free from the App Store if you purchased them before, even years ago.
- Offloading an app removes it but keeps your data, letting you reinstall without losing saved progress or settings.
The difference between removing and deleting
When you tap Remove from Home Screen, the app stays in your App Library but disappears from your home screen. The app and all its data remain on your phone — you're just hiding it from view. This is useful if you use an app rarely but don't want to lose your saved data or settings inside it.
When you tap Delete App, the app and all its data are removed from your phone entirely. You can reinstall it later from the App Store at no cost if you bought it before, because Apple remembers your purchase history. The reinstalled version will start fresh with no saved data unless you restore from a backup.
How to offload an app instead of deleting it
Offloading removes the app from your phone but keeps your data and settings. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the app in the list, tap it, and select Offload App. The app icon stays on your home screen but appears faded, and tapping it will reinstall the app with all your saved data intact.
This is helpful if an app is large and taking up storage space, but you want to keep your progress or preferences. When you reinstall, everything you saved inside the app comes back. Offloading takes longer than deleting because it preserves your data, but it's faster than deleting and reinstalling from scratch.
Built-in Apple apps you cannot delete
Some apps that come with iOS — like Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Reminders, Stocks, and Compass — cannot be deleted. You can only remove them from your home screen by pressing and holding and tapping Remove from Home Screen. They will still appear in your App Library and will still receive updates when iOS updates.
If you don't use these apps, hiding them from your home screen is usually enough. They take up minimal space and won't clutter your main screens once you move them out of sight.
Checking how much storage an app uses
Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see a list of all your apps sorted by size. The number next to each app shows how much space it uses, including the app itself and any data it has saved (like photos in a photo app, or game saves). Apps at the top of the list are using the most space.
If you're running low on storage, deleting or offloading large apps is one way to free up room. You can also see how much total storage your phone has and how much is available at the top of this same screen.
Reinstalling an app you deleted
Open the App Store, tap the search icon at the bottom, and type the app's name. When you find it, tap the cloud icon with a down arrow (not the price button). The app will reinstall, and if you bought it before, you won't be charged again — the cloud icon means you've already purchased it.
If the app was free, tapping the cloud icon will reinstall it at no cost. If you deleted an app you paid for, you can reinstall it the same way without paying a second time. Your purchase history is tied to your Apple ID, so as long as you're signed in with the same account, the App Store knows you own it.
What happens to your data when you delete an app
When you delete an app, all the data it stored on your phone is deleted too — saved games, login information, photos you edited in that app, notes you took inside it. If the app syncs to iCloud (like Mail or Notes), that data stays in iCloud and will reappear if you reinstall the app. If the app only stores data locally on your phone, that data is gone.
Before deleting an app that holds important information, check whether it backs up to iCloud or to the cloud service it uses. Some apps let you export your data before you delete them. If you're unsure, offloading instead of deleting is safer because it keeps your data on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete multiple apps at once?
No, you delete apps one at a time through the press-and-hold menu or through Settings. There's no batch delete option. If you want to remove many apps, the fastest way is to go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, tap each app, and select Delete App.
Will deleting an app remove it from my other Apple devices?
No. Deleting an app from your iPhone doesn't affect your iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. Each device has its own app library. You'd need to delete the app separately on each device if you want to remove it from all of them.
What if I accidentally deleted an app and want it back?
Open the App Store, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon to reinstall it. If you bought it, you won't be charged again. The reinstall is free even if the app normally costs money, because your purchase is on record with your Apple ID.
Does deleting an app free up storage space?
Yes. Deleting an app removes both the app itself and any data it stored on your phone, which frees up storage. Offloading also frees up space but keeps your data, so the app takes up less room but can be reinstalled with your settings intact.
Can I delete apps from my iPhone using a computer?
No. You can only manage apps directly on your iPhone through the home screen or Settings. You cannot delete apps through a Mac or Windows computer, though you can see which apps are installed on your iPhone through the Finder (Mac) or iTunes (older Windows computers).