The basic way to delete an app
To permanently remove an app from your iPhone, press and hold the app icon on your home screen or in the App Library until a menu appears. Tap Remove App, then select Remove from Home Screen to hide it, or Delete App to remove it entirely from your device. When you choose Delete App, a confirmation screen will ask if you want to delete it — tap Delete again to confirm.
Once you delete an app this way, it is gone from your iPhone. The app and all its data stored on your phone are removed. However, your purchase history remains in the App Store, so you can download it again later without paying a second time if it was a paid app.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold an app icon, tap Delete App, then confirm to permanently remove it from your iPhone.
- Deleting an app removes both the app and the data it stored on your phone, but your purchase record stays in the App Store.
- You can also delete apps through Settings by going to General > iPhone Storage, selecting an app, and tapping Delete App.
- Offloading an app hides it and frees up space without deleting your saved data, letting you reinstall it with your information intact.
- Deleted apps can be downloaded again from the App Store at no additional cost if you purchased them originally.
Deleting apps through iPhone Settings
If you prefer not to use the home screen, you can delete apps through your phone's settings. Open Settings, go to General, then tap iPhone Storage. Scroll through the list of installed apps and select the one you want to remove. Tap Delete App at the bottom of the screen, then confirm.
This method shows you how much storage space each app uses, which is helpful if you are trying to free up room on your phone. The list is sorted by size by default, so the largest apps appear first.
The difference between deleting and offloading
Your iPhone offers another option called offloading, which is different from deletion. When you offload an app, the app itself is removed from your phone and storage space is freed, but your data — saved game progress, login information, documents you created in the app — stays on your device. This is useful if you want to reclaim space without losing your information.
To offload an app, press and hold its icon and select Remove App, then choose Offload App. When you reinstall the app later, your saved data will be there. If you choose Delete App instead, both the app and its data are removed permanently.
What happens to your data when you delete an app
When you permanently delete an app, any data stored on your iPhone by that app is also deleted. This includes login credentials, saved files, game progress, photos stored within the app, and any other information the app kept locally on your phone.
However, some apps back up their data to the cloud — to iCloud, Google Drive, or the app developer's own servers. If an app uses cloud backup, you may be able to recover that data if you reinstall the app and sign back in with the same account. Check the app's settings before you delete it if you are unsure whether it backs up your data.
Reinstalling a deleted app
After you delete an app, you can download it again from the App Store. Open the App Store app, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon with a download arrow (or the price if it is a paid app). The app will download and install on your phone.
If you originally purchased the app, you will not be charged again. The App Store recognizes your purchase history and lets you reinstall paid apps at no cost. Free apps can also be reinstalled unlimited times.
Removing apps you cannot delete
Some apps that come built into iOS — like Stocks, Podcasts, or Reminders — cannot be deleted in the traditional way. Instead, you can only offload them. Press and hold the app icon, select Remove App, then choose Offload App. This removes the app from your home screen and frees up storage, but you can reinstall it later from the App Store if you change your mind.
A few system apps like Phone, Messages, Settings, and Health cannot be removed or offloaded at all. These are core to how your iPhone works and must remain on your device.
Freeing up storage space by deleting apps
Deleting apps is one of the fastest ways to free up storage on your iPhone. Large apps like games, video editors, or social media platforms can take up several gigabytes of space. Removing apps you no longer use can make a noticeable difference, especially if your phone is running low on available storage.
To see which apps use the most space, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. The list shows each app and how much space it occupies. Deleting or offloading the largest apps will free up the most room. You can also delete cached data — temporary files apps create — by offloading and reinstalling an app, which clears that cache without losing your saved information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover an app I deleted by mistake?
Yes. Open the App Store, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon to download it again. If the app backed up your data to the cloud, your information will return when you sign back in. If it only stored data locally on your phone, that data is gone, but you can start fresh with the app.
Will deleting an app remove it from my other Apple devices?
No. Deleting an app from your iPhone does not affect the same app on your iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. Each device has its own separate installation. You would need to delete the app on each device individually if you want to remove it from all of them.
Does offloading an app really save storage space?
Yes. Offloading removes the app itself from your phone, which frees up the space the app occupied. Your data stays on your device, so it uses minimal additional storage. Reinstalling the app later will download it again and use that space once more.
What is the difference between removing an app from my home screen and deleting it?
Removing an app from your home screen hides it from view but leaves it installed on your phone and taking up storage. Deleting an app removes it entirely. You can still find a hidden app in the App Library and open it from there, but a deleted app must be downloaded again from the App Store.
Can I delete multiple apps at once?
You can delete apps one at a time using the methods described above, but iOS does not have a built-in way to select and delete multiple apps simultaneously. However, you can delete apps quickly in succession by pressing and holding each one and confirming the deletion.