The two ways to remove an app from your iPhone
You can delete an app in two ways: by holding its icon on your home screen and choosing remove, or by going into Settings and using the Storage menu. The home screen method is faster for one or two apps. The Settings method is better if you want to see how much space each app uses before you decide what to delete.
Both methods permanently remove the app from your phone. If you change your mind later, you can read it again from the App Store for free (if it was free) or you will need to buy it again (if it cost money). Your data inside the app — saved games, photos, messages — usually deletes with it, though some apps back up their data to iCloud automatically.
Key Takeaways
- Hold any app icon on your home screen, tap "Remove App", then choose "Delete App" to remove it when ready.
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much space each app uses before you delete it.
- Deleting an app removes its data from your phone, but you can reinstall it later from the App Store.
- If you only want to hide an app instead of deleting it, you can remove it from your home screen without removing it from your phone.
Deleting an app from your home screen
Press and hold the app icon until a menu appears. Do not let go — hold for about one second until you see options pop up above the icon. Tap "Remove App" (the red icon with a minus sign).
A second menu will ask you to confirm. Tap "Delete App", then tap "Delete" one more time when it asks if you are sure. The app is now gone from your phone and your home screen.
This method works on any iPhone running iOS 13 or newer. If you have an older iPhone, press and hold the icon until it wiggles, then tap the minus sign or the X that appears on the corner of the icon.
Using Settings to delete apps and check their size
Open Settings and scroll down to "General". Tap it, then tap "iPhone Storage". You will see a list of every app on your phone, sorted by size — the biggest apps at the top. This view shows you exactly how much space each app is using.
Tap any app name to see more details. A button labeled "Delete App" will appear at the bottom. Tap it, then confirm by tapping "Delete App" again. The app is removed when ready.
This route takes longer than the home screen method, but it answers a useful question: which apps are actually taking up your storage space. If your phone is running low on space, deleting a few large apps here can free up gigabytes.
The difference between deleting and hiding an app
Deleting removes the app from your phone entirely. Hiding keeps the app on your phone but removes it from your home screen and search results — you will not see it unless you go looking for it in the App Store.
To hide an app without deleting it, hold the icon and tap "Remove App", then choose "Remove from Home Screen" instead of "Delete App". The app stays on your phone and still uses storage space, but it will not clutter your home screen. You can bring it back to your home screen later by searching for it in Spotlight (swipe down from the top of your screen) or by finding it in the App Store.
Hiding is useful if you want to keep an app but do not use it often. Deleting is better if you want to free up space or remove something you no longer need.
What happens to your data when you delete an app
When you delete an app, the data stored inside it — saved games, photos, messages, login information — usually deletes with it. Some apps back up their data to iCloud automatically, so reinstalling the app later may restore some of that information. Others do not, and the data is gone for good.
Before you delete an app that holds important information, check whether it has a backup or export feature. Many apps let you save your data to a file or email it to yourself. Look in the app's settings menu under "Backup", "Export", or "Data".
If an app backs up to iCloud, you can usually turn that on in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud. Scroll down to see which apps are backing up their data. If the app you are about to delete is listed there, your data will be safe when you reinstall it later.
Reinstalling an app you deleted
Open the App Store and search for the app by name using the search tab at the bottom. Tap the cloud icon with a down arrow (not the plus sign — that is for a different action). The app will read and install automatically.
If the app cost money when you bought it, you will not be charged again. The App Store remembers your purchase. If you see a price instead of a cloud icon, it means you never bought that app, or your account has changed since you bought it.
Reinstalling takes a few minutes depending on the app size and your internet speed. Once it finishes, the app will appear on your home screen or in your app library, and you can open it normally.
Freeing up storage space by deleting apps
If your iPhone is running low on storage, deleting apps is one of the fastest ways to free up space. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and look at the list. The apps at the top are using the most space.
Games and video apps usually take up the most room. Streaming apps like Netflix or YouTube use less space because they do not store videos on your phone. Social media apps like Instagram or TikTok can be surprisingly large because they cache photos and videos.
Delete the apps you use least often first. If you are not sure whether you will need an app again, hide it instead of deleting it — that way you can bring it back without downloading it again if you change your mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete built-in Apple apps like Mail or Safari?
You can hide most built-in apps by holding the icon and choosing "Remove from Home Screen", but you cannot fully delete them. They will stay on your phone using a small amount of storage. If you want them back on your home screen, search for them in Spotlight or find them in your app library.
Will deleting an app remove it from my other Apple devices?
No. Deleting an app from your iPhone does not affect your iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. Each device has its own separate list of installed apps. You would need to delete the app on each device separately if you want to remove it from all of them.
What if I accidentally deleted an app I need?
Open the App Store, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon to reinstall it. If the app backed up your data to iCloud, your information will be restored when the app finishes installing. If it did not back up, you will have a fresh copy with no previous data.
Does deleting an app free up storage space when ready?
Yes. The storage space is freed up as soon as you confirm the deletion. You do not need to restart your phone or do anything else. Check Settings > General > iPhone Storage a few seconds later and you will see the space has been reclaimed.