The quickest way to remove an app
To delete an app on your iPad, press and hold the app icon on your home screen until a menu appears, then tap Remove App. A second menu will ask whether you want to remove the app only or remove it and delete its data. Choose what you need, then tap Remove to confirm.
This method works on any iPad running iPadOS 13 or later. The entire process takes about five seconds. If you cannot see the app icon on your home screen, it may be in a folder — tap the folder first to open it, then press and hold the app inside.
You can also delete apps through the Settings app if you prefer not to use the home screen menu. Open Settings, tap General, then iPad Storage, find the app you want to remove, tap it, and select Offload App or Delete App. Offload removes the app but keeps your data; Delete removes both.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon on your home screen, then tap Remove App to delete it in seconds.
- Removing an app does not automatically delete the data it stored — you can choose to keep or delete that data separately.
- You can restore a deleted app from the App Store at any time without losing your account or settings.
- If an app is built into iPadOS (like Mail or Safari), you can only hide it, not fully delete it.
The difference between removing and offloading
When you delete an app, you have two choices: Remove App or Offload App. These do different things, and which one you pick depends on whether you want to keep the app's data.
Removing an app deletes both the app itself and all the data it stored on your iPad — saved games, login information, documents, photos, and settings. Use this when you want a clean break and do not plan to reinstall the app soon.
Offloading an app removes the app from your home screen and frees up storage space, but keeps all your data intact. If you reinstall the app later, your saved progress, photos, and settings will still be there. This is useful when you want to free up space temporarily but might use the app again.
Getting back an app you deleted
Deleting an app is not permanent. You can reinstall any app you have removed by opening the App Store, searching for the app by name, and tapping the read button (a cloud icon with a downward arrow). The app will reinstall in a few seconds to a few minutes depending on its size and your internet speed.
When you reinstall an app you previously removed, your account login usually stays the same — you will not need to create a new account. However, any data that was deleted (saved games, photos, notes) will not come back unless you had backed it up separately.
If you offloaded the app instead of deleting it, reinstalling is even simpler: the app will restore with all your data exactly as you left it.
Built-in apps you cannot fully delete
iPadOS comes with apps that Apple considers essential, like Mail, Safari, Calendar, and Stocks. You cannot delete these apps completely, but you can hide them so they do not appear on your home screen.
To hide a built-in app, press and hold its icon and tap Remove App, then choose Remove from Home Screen. The app stays on your iPad and continues to work in the background — you just will not see it. You can bring it back anytime by searching for it in Spotlight (swipe down from the top of the screen and type the app name) or by going to the App Library (swipe to the rightmost home screen page).
Freeing up storage when apps take too much space
If your iPad is running low on storage, deleting large apps is one way to make room. You can see how much space each app uses by going to Settings, tapping General, then iPad Storage. The list shows every app ranked by size, with the largest at the top.
Before you delete an app, check whether offloading it would be enough. Offloading removes the app but keeps your data, so you get most of the storage back without losing anything. You can offload from the same iPad Storage screen by tapping the app and selecting Offload App.
If you delete an app and later want it back, you can reinstall it from the App Store. Your account and any backed-up data will still be there, so you will not lose access to anything tied to your Apple ID.
What happens to your data when you delete an app
When you delete an app, the data it stored on your iPad is usually deleted too — but not always. Some apps store data in iCloud instead of on your device, and that data may remain even after you delete the app.
For example, if you delete the Notes app from your home screen (you cannot fully delete it, but you can hide it), your notes stay in iCloud and will reappear if you unhide the app. The same is true for Mail, Contacts, and Calendar. If you delete a third-party app like a game or photo editor, any data stored only on your iPad will be gone, but data synced to iCloud or the app's own servers may still exist.
If you are concerned about losing data before you delete an app, check the app's settings to see where it stores information. Many apps have a backup or export option that lets you save your data before you remove the app.
Organizing your apps instead of deleting them
If you are not sure whether you want to delete an app, consider organizing it into a folder instead. Press and hold the app icon, tap Edit Home Screen, then drag the app onto another app to create a folder. You can name the folder anything you want — for example, "Games I Play Sometimes" or "Rarely Used".
Folders keep apps off your main home screen without deleting them, so they take up less visual space but remain on your iPad. This is useful for apps you use occasionally but do not want to see every day. You can still open them by tapping the folder and then the app inside.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete an app and keep its data?
Yes. When you delete an app, your iPad asks whether you want to remove the app only or remove it and delete its data. Choose Remove App to keep the data. If you reinstall the app later, your saved progress and settings will still be there — though this only works if the data was stored in iCloud or on the app's own servers, not just on your iPad.
What if I accidentally deleted an app I need?
Open the App Store, search for the app by name, and tap the read button to reinstall it. The process takes a few seconds to a few minutes. If you offloaded the app instead of deleting it, your data will come back exactly as it was. If you fully deleted it, you will need to restore from a backup or re-enter any information the app was storing.
Does deleting an app free up storage space?
Yes, deleting an app removes the app files from your iPad and frees up the space it was using. You can see how much space you will gain by checking Settings > General > iPad Storage before you delete. Offloading an app also frees up space but keeps your data, so you get most of the benefit without losing anything.
Can I delete apps that came with my iPad?
You cannot fully delete built-in apps like Mail, Safari, or Calendar, but you can hide them from your home screen. Press and hold the app icon, tap Remove App, then choose Remove from Home Screen. The app stays on your iPad and you can unhide it anytime by searching for it or checking the App Library.