The two ways to remove apps from Samsung

You can delete an app from your Samsung phone in two ways: uninstall it completely, or disable it so it stops running but stays on your device. Most people want to uninstall — that frees up storage space and removes the app entirely. Disabling is useful when Samsung pre-installs an app you cannot remove; disabling stops it from running without deleting it.

Both methods take less than a minute. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you want the app gone for good or just turned off.

Key Takeaways

  • Uninstalling an app removes it completely from your phone and frees up storage space; you can reinstall it later from the Google Play Store if you change your mind.
  • Disabling an app stops it from running and removes it from your app drawer, but the app files stay on your phone and take up space.
  • Samsung pre-installed apps can usually be disabled but not uninstalled, while apps you downloaded can be fully uninstalled.
  • You can uninstall or disable apps from the Settings menu, the app drawer, or by long-pressing the app icon on your home screen.

Uninstalling an app you downloaded

Open your app drawer — the grid icon at the bottom of your home screen — and find the app you want to remove. Long-press the app icon until a menu appears. Tap Uninstall. A confirmation message will ask if you are sure; tap Uninstall again. The app is now gone from your phone.

If you do not see an Uninstall option, the app is pre-installed by Samsung and cannot be fully removed. You can disable it instead using the steps below.

You can also uninstall from Settings. Go to Settings > Apps, find the app in the list, tap it, and select Uninstall. The result is the same either way.

Disabling a pre-installed Samsung app

Open Settings and go to Apps. Scroll through the list and tap the app you want to disable. Tap Disable. A message will warn you that disabling the app may affect other functions; tap Disable app to confirm.

The app will no longer appear in your app drawer or run in the background. If you change your mind later, you can re-enable it by going back to Settings > Apps, finding the app, and tapping Enable.

Some Samsung apps cannot be disabled — the system will not show a Disable button for those. In that case, you can only uninstall updates to the app (which removes recent changes but keeps the original version) or clear its data to reset it.

Removing an app from your home screen without deleting it

If you want to keep an app on your phone but hide it from your home screen, long-press the app icon on your home screen and tap Remove from Home screen. The app stays installed and appears in your app drawer, but no longer takes up space on your home screen.

This is different from uninstalling or disabling — the app still runs and takes up storage. Use this method when you want to declutter your home screen but keep the app available.

Checking how much space an app uses

Before you delete an app, you can see how much storage it takes up. Go to Settings > Apps, tap the app, and look at the storage information near the top of the screen. It shows the app size and how much data it has stored.

If an app uses a lot of storage, uninstalling it will free up that space. If you reinstall it later, it will start fresh with no stored data — you may need to log in again or reconfigure settings.

What happens when you uninstall an app

Uninstalling removes the app and all its files from your phone. Any data the app stored — login information, saved settings, downloaded content — is also deleted. The storage space is freed up when ready.

You can reinstall the app anytime from the Google Play Store. When you do, it will start as if it were new; you will need to log in and set it up again. Your phone will remember that you owned the app, so you can reinstall it without paying again if it was a paid app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete multiple apps at once?

No, Samsung does not have a built-in batch delete feature. You must uninstall or disable apps one at a time. If you want to remove many apps, open Settings > Apps and work through them in order — it takes only a few seconds per app.

What if I accidentally uninstall an app I need?

Open the Google Play Store, search for the app by name, and tap Install. It will read and install in a few seconds. You will need to log in and set it up again, but the app will work normally.

Will uninstalling an app free up a lot of storage space?

It depends on the app. Large games or video apps can use several gigabytes; most everyday apps use less than 100 megabytes. Check the storage size in Settings > Apps before you uninstall to see if it is worth removing.

Can I disable an app that I downloaded myself?

Yes, but uninstalling is usually better. Disabling keeps the app files on your phone and wastes storage. Uninstalling removes everything. You can always reinstall from the Play Store if you need it again.

Why does Samsung pre-install apps I cannot uninstall?

Samsung and your phone carrier pre-load apps because they are part of the system software. Uninstalling them could break other features. You can disable them to stop them from running, which is usually enough.