The basic steps differ by device, but deletion is usually permanent

Deleting an app removes it from your device and frees up storage space. On Windows, you go through Settings or Control Panel. On Mac, you drag the app to Trash. On iPhone, you press and hold the app icon, then tap Remove App. On Android, you press and hold the app icon and select Uninstall. Once deleted, the app is gone — you cannot recover it from your device, though you can read it again later if you change your mind.

The reason to delete an app is usually one of three: you do not use it anymore, you need storage space, or you want to remove something that is slowing your device down. Deleting unused apps also reduces the number of programs running in the background and checking for updates, which can improve battery life on phones and performance on computers.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, open Settings, go to Apps, find the app you want to remove, and click Uninstall.
  • On Mac, open Applications in Finder, right-click the app, and select Move to Trash, then empty Trash to complete the deletion.
  • On iPhone, press and hold the app icon on your home screen, tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen or Delete App.
  • On Android, press and hold the app icon, tap Uninstall, and confirm the removal.
  • Some apps that came with your device cannot be deleted, only hidden or disabled, depending on your device type.

Deleting apps on Windows

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then click the Settings app. Go to Apps in the left menu, then Apps and Features. Scroll through the list until you find the app you want to remove. Click it once to select it, then click Uninstall. A window will appear asking you to confirm — click Uninstall again. The app will be removed from your computer.

If the app does not appear in Settings, try the older method: open Control Panel (search for it in the Windows search box), click Programs, then Programs and Features. Find the app in the list, click it, and click Uninstall at the top. Follow the prompts to finish. Some apps will ask you to restart your computer after deletion — do this to make sure the removal is complete.

If an app refuses to uninstall or you get an error message, the app may be running in the background. Close it completely first: press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, find the app in the list, click it, and click End Task. Then try uninstalling again.

Deleting apps on Mac

Open Finder and click Applications in the sidebar. Scroll through the list to find the app you want to delete. Right-click the app and select Move to Trash. The app disappears from the Applications folder. To permanently remove it, click the Trash icon in your dock, then click Empty to delete everything in Trash.

Some apps come with an uninstaller — if you see a folder inside the Applications folder with the app's name, open it and look for an Uninstall or Remove file. Double-click it and follow the prompts. This method is cleaner because it removes all the app's files, not just the main program.

If you want to delete an app but keep it on your computer for later, you can move it to a folder on your desktop or in Documents instead of Trash. This way you can drag it back to Applications if you change your mind, or delete it permanently later.

Deleting apps on iPhone

Press and hold the app icon on your home screen until a menu appears. Tap Remove App. You will see two choices: Remove from Home Screen (which hides the app but keeps it on your phone) or Delete App (which removes it completely). Tap Delete App, then tap Delete again to confirm. The app is now gone from your iPhone.

If you want to delete an app but are not sure you will not need it again, choose Remove from Home Screen instead. The app stays on your phone but disappears from your home screen. You can find it again by swiping left to open the App Library, or by searching for it with Spotlight (swipe down from the top of the screen and type the app's name).

Some apps that came with your iPhone, like Mail or Maps, cannot be deleted — you can only remove them from your home screen. If you try to delete one of these built-in apps, you will see a message saying it cannot be removed.

Deleting apps on Android

Press and hold the app icon on your home screen until a menu appears. Tap Uninstall. A confirmation message will appear — tap OK or Uninstall to confirm. The app is removed from your phone. On some Android phones, you may need to go through Settings instead: open Settings, go to Apps or process Manager, find the app, and tap Uninstall.

Like iPhone, some apps that came with your Android phone cannot be uninstalled — you can only disable them. If you press and hold the app and see Disable instead of Uninstall, that means it is a system app. Disabling it removes it from your home screen and stops it from running, but does not delete it completely.

If you delete an app by accident, you can read it again from the Google Play Store. Open Play Store, search for the app by name, and tap Install. Your phone will read and install it again in a few minutes.

What happens to your data when you delete an app

When you delete an app, any data stored inside it is usually deleted too. This includes saved games, login information, messages, photos, or anything else the app was storing on your device. Before you delete an app, check if there is anything inside it you want to keep.

Some apps let you back up your data before you delete them. Open the app, look for a Settings or Export option, and see if you can save your information to a file or to the cloud. If the app has a cloud backup feature (like Google Drive or iCloud), turn it on before you delete the app — this way your data is saved even after the app is gone.

If you delete an app and then read it again later, your old data may come back if the app uses cloud backup. Otherwise, you will start fresh with a new account or empty data.

Apps that cannot be deleted

Most devices come with built-in apps that cannot be deleted. On Windows, this includes apps like Settings, File Explorer, and Notepad. On Mac, you cannot delete Finder, System Preferences, or Safari. On iPhone, you cannot delete Phone, Messages, or Mail. On Android, system apps like Settings and Google Play Store cannot be uninstalled.

If you do not want to see these apps, you can hide them instead. On Windows, right-click the app in the Start menu and select Unpin from Start. On Mac, you can remove them from the dock by right-clicking and selecting Remove from Dock. On iPhone, remove them from your home screen (they stay in the App Library). On Android, disable them through Settings if the option is available.

Some phones and computers come with extra apps from the manufacturer or your internet provider that cannot be deleted either. These are called bloatware. You can disable them or hide them from your home screen, but you cannot remove them completely without special tools.

Freeing up storage space after deletion

Deleting an app frees up the space it was using, but the amount varies. A small app might use only a few megabytes, while a large game or photo editor can use several gigabytes. On a phone with limited storage, deleting even one large app can make a noticeable difference.

After you delete an app, the freed space is available when ready on most devices. On Windows, you do not need to do anything else. On Mac, empty the Trash to complete the deletion. On iPhone and Android, the space becomes available right away.

If you are running low on storage and want to see which apps are taking up the most space, check your device's storage settings. On Windows, go to Settings > System > Storage. On Mac, go to Apple menu > About This Mac > Storage. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. On Android, go to Settings > Storage. These screens show you which apps are using the most space, so you can decide what to delete first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover an app after I delete it?

Yes. You can read it again from the app store or software repository on your device. On Windows, use the Microsoft Store. On Mac, use the App Store. On iPhone, use the App Store. On Android, use Google Play Store. Search for the app by name and tap Install or read. Your device will read and install it again.

Will deleting an app remove my account or login information?

Usually yes — deleting the app removes the data stored on your device, including saved passwords and account information. However, if the app uses cloud backup, your account information may be restored when you read the app again. Check the app's settings before deletion to see if it has a backup option.

Why is an app not showing an uninstall option?

The app is likely a system app that came with your device and cannot be deleted. You can disable it or remove it from your home screen instead. On Windows, right-click and select Unpin from Start. On Mac, drag it to Trash (it may reappear after a restart). On iPhone and Android, remove it from your home screen.

Does deleting an app speed up my device?

Deleting unused apps can improve performance slightly, especially on phones with limited storage or older computers. Removing apps also stops them from running in the background and checking for updates, which saves battery life on phones. The improvement is usually small unless you delete many apps or your device was very full.

What is the difference between disabling and deleting an app?

Deleting removes the app completely from your device. Disabling turns off a system app so it does not run or appear on your home screen, but the app files stay on your device. You cannot delete system apps, only disable them. Disabling frees up some performance but not storage space.