What deleting an process means
Deleting an process means removing the program and all its files from your device. When you delete an app, it stops taking up storage space, no longer appears on your home screen or app menu, and stops sending you notifications. The app is gone until you read it again.
This is different from straightforward closing an app. Closing an app means shutting it down so it is not running right now, but the app files still sit on your device and the app still takes up storage space. Deleting removes the entire thing.
Most people delete apps to free up space on their phone or computer, to remove software they no longer use, or to stop an app from running in the background and draining battery. You can delete an app and reinstall it later without losing the ability to use it — though you may lose saved data inside that app, depending on how it was set up.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting an app removes it completely from your device, while closing an app just shuts it down temporarily.
- On iPhones, press and hold the app icon, then tap "Remove App" and confirm; on Android phones, long-press the app and drag it to "Uninstall" or use your Settings menu.
- On Windows computers, go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features, find the app, and click "Uninstall"; on Mac, drag the app to the Trash or use the Applications folder.
- Deleting an app usually erases any data saved inside it, so check if you need to back up or export information before you remove it.
- You can reinstall a deleted app later from the App Store, Google Play, or the software publisher's website without paying again if it was free.
How to delete an app on an iPhone
On an iPhone, press and hold the app icon on your home screen until a menu appears. Tap "Remove App" from that menu. A second menu will ask you to confirm — tap "Remove from Home Screen" if you want to keep the app files on your phone but hide it, or tap "Delete App" to remove it completely.
If you choose "Delete App", the phone will ask one more time whether you are sure. Tap "Delete" to finish. The app is now gone from your phone.
If the app does not appear on your home screen, you can still delete it. Open the App Store, tap your profile picture in the top right corner, scroll down to "Manage Your Subscriptions" or look for "My Purchases," find the app in the list, and tap "Delete" next to it. This method works for apps you have hidden or moved to a folder.
How to delete an app on an Android phone
On an Android phone, the method depends on which version of Android you have, but the most common way is to long-press the app icon on your home screen. A menu will appear with options. Look for "Uninstall" or a trash can icon and tap it. The phone will ask you to confirm — tap "OK" or "Uninstall" to remove the app.
If you do not see an uninstall option when you long-press, open your Settings menu, scroll down to "Apps" or "process Manager," find the app you want to delete in the list, tap it, and look for an "Uninstall" button. Tap it and confirm.
Some apps that came pre-installed on your phone (like the calculator or calendar) cannot be fully deleted, but you can usually "disable" them instead, which hides them and stops them from running. The button will say "Disable" instead of "Uninstall."
How to delete an app on a Windows computer
On a Windows computer, click the Start button in the bottom left corner and type "Settings." Open the Settings app. Click "Apps" on the left side, then click "Apps & Features."
Scroll through the list until you find the app you want to delete. Click on it once to select it, then click the "Uninstall" button that appears. A window may pop up asking you to confirm or to choose uninstall options — follow the prompts and click "Uninstall" or "Yes" to finish.
Some programs will ask you additional questions during uninstall, like whether you want to keep your saved data or remove everything. Choose what works for you and click through until the uninstall is complete. The app is now removed from your computer.
How to delete an app on a Mac
On a Mac, open Finder and click "Applications" in the left sidebar. Scroll through the list of applications until you find the one you want to delete. Click on it once to select it, then drag it to the Trash icon in your dock (usually in the bottom right corner of the screen).
Alternatively, right-click the app and select "Move to Trash" from the menu that appears. The app is now in your Trash folder but not yet permanently deleted.
To permanently delete the app and free up the space it was using, right-click the Trash icon in your dock and select "Empty Trash." Once you empty the trash, the app cannot be recovered. If you think you might want the app back later, you can leave it in the Trash for now and empty it later.
What happens to your data when you delete an app
When you delete an app, any data stored inside that app is usually deleted as well. This includes saved games, login information, photos you edited in that app, notes you wrote, or any other files the app created. Once the app is gone, that data is gone too.
Before you delete an app, check whether you need to save anything. Some apps let you export your data — for example, a note-taking app might let you read your notes as a file, or a photo editor might let you save your edited images. Look in the app's settings or menu for an export or backup option before you delete it.
If you reinstall the app later, your old data will not come back unless the app syncs to a cloud account (like Google Drive or iCloud). Some apps do save your information to the cloud automatically, so your data might be there when you reinstall. Check the app's settings to see whether it backs up to the cloud.
How to reinstall a deleted app
If you delete an app and later decide you want it back, you can reinstall it. On an iPhone, open the App Store, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon with a down arrow (not the price button). The app will read and install again.
On an Android phone, open Google Play, search for the app, and tap "Install." The app will read and install to your phone.
On a Windows computer, you can read the app from the publisher's website or search for it in the Microsoft Store. On a Mac, you can read it from the App Store or the publisher's website. If the app was free, you will not be charged to reinstall it. If it was paid, you will only be charged once — reinstalling does not cost you again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting an app free up storage space on my device?
Yes. Deleting an app removes all the files it uses, which frees up storage space. The amount of space you gain depends on the size of the app — some apps take up only a few megabytes, while others can take up several gigabytes. Check your device's storage settings to see how much space each app is using before you delete it.
Can I delete an app that came with my phone or computer?
On iPhones, you can delete most pre-installed apps like Mail, Maps, or Stocks. On Android phones, some pre-installed apps cannot be fully deleted, but you can disable them to hide them and stop them from running. On Windows and Mac computers, some system apps cannot be deleted, but most third-party software can be uninstalled normally.
What is the difference between uninstall and delete?
On phones, "delete" and "uninstall" mean the same thing — removing the app completely. On computers, "uninstall" is the standard term used in Settings or the control panel. Both terms refer to removing the app and its files from your device.
Will I lose my password if I delete an app?
Usually yes. When you delete an app, any passwords or login information stored inside it are deleted too. If you reinstall the app, you will need to log in again. Some apps sync your login to a cloud account, so you might be able to log back in with your email and password, but this depends on how the app is set up.
Can I recover an app after I delete it?
You cannot recover the app files once they are deleted, but you can reinstall the app from the App Store, Google Play, or the publisher's website. Any data that was inside the app is gone unless it was backed up to the cloud. Reinstalling gives you a fresh copy of the app, not the old version with your previous data.