The two ways to remove an app from your iPhone
You can delete an app in two ways: by holding down its icon on your home screen and choosing delete, or by going into Settings and removing it from there. Both methods remove the app completely from your phone. The difference is speed — the home screen method takes three taps, while Settings takes more steps but shows you exactly how much space each app uses.
Deleting an app does not delete your account with that service. If you delete Instagram, your Instagram account still exists — you just cannot access it from your phone until you reinstall the app. The same is true for banking apps, email apps, or any other service app. Your data stays on the company's servers.
Key Takeaways
- Hold the app icon on your home screen, tap "Remove App," then tap "Delete App" to remove it in seconds.
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much space each app uses before you delete it.
- Deleting an app does not delete your account — you can reinstall it later and log back in with the same username and password.
- Some apps built into iOS (like Stocks or Reminders) can be hidden from your home screen but not fully deleted.
- If you delete an app by accident, you can reinstall it free from the App Store within 30 days without losing your account.
Deleting an app from your home screen
Press and hold the app icon until a menu appears. You will see options including "Remove App" — tap that. A second menu will ask whether you want to "Remove from Home Screen" or "Delete App." Choose "Delete App" if you want it completely gone from your phone. If you choose "Remove from Home Screen," the app stays on your phone but disappears from view — you can still find it by searching or in the App Library.
This method is the fastest if you know which app you want to remove. It takes about five seconds once you find the icon. The downside is that you cannot see how much storage space the app is using before you delete it.
Deleting an app through Settings to see storage use
Open Settings, then tap General. Scroll down and tap "iPhone Storage." You will see a list of every app on your phone, sorted by size — the largest apps appear at the top. Tap the app you want to remove, then tap "Delete App" or "Offload App." Choose "Delete App" to remove it completely.
This route is slower than the home screen method, but it shows you exactly how much space each app takes up. If your phone is running low on storage, this view helps you decide which apps are worth keeping. For example, a video editing app might use 2 gigabytes, while a weather app uses 15 megabytes. Removing the video app frees up far more space than removing the weather app.
The "Offload App" option removes the app but keeps your data for it on your phone. If you reinstall the app later, your settings and saved information come back. This is useful if you want to free up space temporarily but plan to use the app again.
What happens to your data when you delete an app
When you delete an app, any data stored only on your phone — like saved games, drafts, or notes you wrote inside that app — is gone. However, data stored on the company's servers (like your email, your social media posts, or your banking information) remains safe. You can reinstall the app and log back in, and that information will be there.
Some apps let you back up your data before you delete them. For example, many games let you link your progress to a Facebook account or a game service account. If you do that before deleting the game, your progress stays saved even after you remove the app. Check the app's settings to see if this option exists.
Built-in apps you cannot fully delete
Apple includes certain apps with iOS that you cannot delete completely — apps like Stocks, Reminders, Compass, and Measure. You can remove them from your home screen by holding the icon and choosing "Remove from Home Screen," but they stay on your phone and cannot be fully deleted.
If you want these apps out of sight, removing them from your home screen is the only option. They will still appear if you search for them or look in the App Library, but they will not clutter your home screen. You can reinstall them to your home screen at any time by searching for them and tapping "Add to Home Screen."
Reinstalling an app you deleted by accident
If you delete an app and change your mind, you can reinstall it free from the App Store. Open the App Store app, search for the app by name, and tap the read button (a cloud icon with a down arrow). The app reinstalls in a few seconds. Your account information stays the same — you do not need to create a new account or pay again.
This works even if you deleted the app months ago. As long as the app still exists in the App Store, you can get it back. The only exception is if the app was removed from the App Store entirely by Apple or the developer — in that case, you cannot reinstall it.
Freeing up storage space by deleting apps
Apps are one of the biggest uses of storage on most iPhones. If your phone is running slowly or you are getting warnings that storage is full, deleting apps you no longer use can help. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see which apps take up the most space, then delete the ones you do not need.
Photos and videos usually take up more space than apps, so if you are trying to free up room, check your Photos app first. But if you have several large apps you never open — like games, video editors, or streaming services — removing them can give you back several gigabytes of space. After you delete apps, your phone may run faster because it has more room to work with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting an app delete my account?
No. Deleting an app only removes it from your phone. Your account with that service stays active on the company's servers. When you reinstall the app and log in with your username and password, everything is still there.
Can I delete an app and then get it back for free?
Yes. You can reinstall any app free from the App Store as long as it still exists there. Search for the app by name and tap the read button. You will not be charged again, and your account information will be the same as before.
What is the difference between "Remove from Home Screen" and "Delete App"?
"Remove from Home Screen" hides the app from view but leaves it on your phone taking up storage space. "Delete App" removes it completely. If you want to free up space, choose "Delete App." If you just want it out of sight, choose "Remove from Home Screen."
Will deleting an app make my iPhone faster?
Deleting large apps can free up storage space, which may help your phone run more smoothly if it was nearly full. However, deleting a small app will not make much difference. The biggest speed boost comes from deleting apps you do not use and freeing up several gigabytes of space.
Can I delete the built-in Apple apps like Mail or Safari?
You can remove Mail, Safari, and most other Apple apps from your home screen, but you cannot delete them completely from your phone. They will remain in the background. If you want them out of sight, remove them from your home screen — you can always add them back later.