The fastest way to remove an app

To delete an app from 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 confirm. The app is gone from your home screen when ready.

This method works whether the app is on your main home screen, in a folder, or in the App Library (the last screen you see when you swipe all the way right). The app icon disappears right away, but the actual removal takes a few seconds in the background.

If you want to keep the app but just hide it from view, you can move it to the App Library instead. Press and hold the icon, tap Move App, then choose App Library. The app stays on your iPad and keeps its data, but you won't see it on your home screens.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold any app icon, tap Remove App, then confirm to delete it completely from your iPad.
  • When you remove an app, you can choose to keep its data or delete that too — the menu gives you both options.
  • Deleting an app frees up storage space, but you can reinstall it later from the App Store without paying again if it was free or if you bought it before.
  • If you just want the app out of sight but not gone, move it to the App Library instead of removing it.
  • Apps you delete do not affect other apps or your iPad's performance — removing one app cannot break another.

What happens to your data when you delete an app

When you delete an app, you have two choices. The first option removes the app but keeps its data — documents, settings, saved games, login information. If you reinstall the app later, everything will be there. The second option removes both the app and all its data at once.

Which one you choose depends on whether you think you'll use the app again. If you're just cleaning up space and might want the app back someday, keep the data. If you're removing an app you're sure you won't use, deleting the data frees up more storage.

Some apps store data in iCloud as well as on your iPad. Deleting the app from your iPad does not automatically delete the iCloud copy. If you want to remove everything, you may need to go into the app's settings or your iCloud account separately.

Deleting apps from Settings instead of the home screen

You can also delete apps through the Settings app if you prefer not to hunt for the icon. Open Settings, tap General, then iPad Storage. You'll see a list of every app on your iPad, sorted by how much space each one uses.

Tap any app name, then tap Delete App. You'll get the same choice: remove the app only, or remove the app and its data. This method is useful if you want to see how much space each app takes before you decide what to delete.

The Settings route is also faster if you want to delete several apps in a row, since you can tap through the list without going back to your home screen each time.

How much storage space you'll free up

The amount of space you recover depends on the app and how much data it has stored. A straightforward app like a calculator might use only a few megabytes. A game with lots of graphics or a photo app with cached images could use hundreds of megabytes or even a gigabyte or more.

To see exactly how much space an app uses, go to Settings, tap General, then iPad Storage. The list shows each app's size. Apps at the top of the list use the most space. Deleting a large app can free up enough room to notice a real difference, especially if your iPad is running low on storage.

If your iPad is running slowly or you're getting warnings that storage is full, deleting large apps you don't use is one of the fastest ways to improve performance and make room for updates.

Reinstalling an app you deleted

If you delete an app and later change your mind, you can get it back from the App Store. Open the App Store app, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon with a down arrow (or the Get button if it's free). The app will read and install automatically.

You won't be charged again for apps you bought before, even if you deleted them. The App Store remembers your purchase history. Free apps are always free to reinstall.

When you reinstall an app, it starts fresh unless you kept the data when you deleted it. If you kept the data, your settings and saved information will be there waiting for you.

Apps you cannot delete from your iPad

Some apps that come built into iPadOS cannot be deleted. These include the Finder, Settings, Health, Wallet, and a few others. If you press and hold one of these apps, you won't see a Remove App option — you'll only see options to move it or add it to a folder.

You can hide these built-in apps by moving them to the App Library, which keeps them out of sight but leaves them on your iPad. This is the closest you can get to removing them.

Third-party apps — anything you downloaded from the App Store — can always be deleted. There are no restrictions on removing apps you installed yourself.

Deleting apps in bulk or from a folder

If you want to delete multiple apps at once, you can do it faster by entering edit mode. Press and hold any empty space on your home screen (not an app icon) until the screen starts to shake and a menu appears. Tap Edit. Now you can tap the minus sign on any app icon to delete it, one at a time.

To delete an app that's inside a folder, open the folder first, then press and hold the app icon and tap Remove App. Deleting an app from a folder does not delete the folder itself — the folder stays even if it becomes empty.

If you want to delete the folder too, press and hold it and tap Remove App. This removes the folder and all the apps inside it at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting an app affect other apps or slow down my iPad?

No. Removing an app does not affect how other apps work or how fast your iPad runs. In fact, deleting large apps you don't use can free up storage space, which may help your iPad perform better if it was running low on room.

Can I delete an app and keep its data, then reinstall it later?

Yes. When you delete an app, choose the option to remove the app only (not the data). When you reinstall it from the App Store later, your saved information, settings, and login details will still be there.

What if I accidentally delete an app I need?

Open the App Store, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon or Get button to reinstall it. If you kept the data when you deleted it, everything will be restored. If you deleted the data too, the app will start fresh.

Do I have to pay again to reinstall an app I bought?

No. The App Store remembers all your purchases. You can reinstall any app you bought before without paying again. Free apps are always free to reinstall.

Can I delete multiple apps at the same time?

You can delete them one at a time using edit mode, but there's no button to delete several at once. Press and hold an empty space on your home screen, tap Edit, then tap the minus sign on each app you want to remove.