The fastest way to remove an app from your iPhone
To delete an app, press and hold its icon on your home screen or in your app library until a menu appears. Tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen if you want to keep it in your library but hide it, or tap Delete App to remove it entirely from your phone. Confirm by tapping Delete when prompted.
The app and all its data — saved passwords, cached files, settings you configured — are gone once you confirm. If you think you might want it back later, removing it from your home screen first lets you keep it in your app library without cluttering your main screens. You can always reinstall it from the App Store later at no cost if the app was free, or without paying again if you bought it.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold an app icon, tap Remove App, then choose whether to hide it or delete it completely.
- Deleting an app removes all its data from your phone, including saved logins and settings.
- You can reinstall free apps or apps you paid for without paying again by going to the App Store and searching for the app name.
- Removing an app from your home screen keeps it in your app library but hides it from view.
- Apps that came with your iPhone (like Mail or Calendar) cannot be fully deleted, only hidden.
Why you might want to delete an app
Apps take up storage space on your phone, and deleting ones you no longer use frees up room for photos, messages, and other data. Some apps also run in the background and use battery power even when you are not actively using them. Removing apps you do not need can improve your phone's speed and battery life.
Deleting an app also removes the data it stores — login credentials, browsing history, saved preferences. If an app has been collecting information you no longer want it to have, deletion is the way to stop that. This is different from just closing the app, which leaves everything on your phone.
Deleting apps from your home screen versus your library
Your iPhone has two places where apps live: your home screen (the pages you swipe through) and your app library (a separate section that organizes all your apps by category). You can remove an app from your home screen without deleting it from your phone entirely. This hides it from view but keeps it in your app library in case you want it back.
To remove an app from just your home screen, press and hold the icon and tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen. The app stays on your phone and appears in your app library. To get it back on your home screen later, open your app library, find the app, press and hold it, and tap Add to Home Screen.
If you want the app completely gone, choose Delete App instead. This removes it from both your home screen and your library, and erases all the data it stored.
What happens to your data when you delete an app
Deleting an app removes everything it stored on your phone: login information, messages, photos you saved within the app, game progress, settings you changed. Some apps back up their data to the cloud (iCloud or the app maker's own servers), which means you might be able to restore that data if you reinstall the app later. Others do not, and the data is lost permanently.
Before you delete an app that matters to you — a banking app, a messaging app, a game you have invested time in — check whether it has a backup or sync feature. Look in the app's settings for options like "Back up to iCloud" or "Sync with cloud". If it does, turn that on before you delete. If you are unsure, take a screenshot of any important information (account numbers, usernames, settings) before you delete the app.
Built-in apps you cannot fully delete
Apps that came with your iPhone — Mail, Calendar, Reminders, Stocks, Compass, Measure — cannot be completely removed. You can only hide them from your home screen. Press and hold the icon, tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen. The app stays on your phone but disappears from view.
If you want to use one of these apps again, open your app library, search for it by name, and tap Add to Home Screen. You cannot delete the app itself or the data it stores, but you can prevent it from showing up where you do not want to see it.
Reinstalling an app you deleted
If you delete an app and later change your mind, you can reinstall it from the App Store. Open the App Store app, tap the search icon at the bottom, type the app name, and tap the cloud icon with a down arrow next to it. The app downloads and installs on your phone.
If you paid for the app originally, you do not have to pay again — the App Store remembers your purchase. If the app had a subscription (like a streaming service or a productivity tool with a monthly fee), you will need to renew that subscription when you reinstall. Any data the app backed up to the cloud may restore automatically when you open it again, depending on how the app maker set it up.
Freeing up storage space by deleting apps
Apps vary widely in how much space they use. A straightforward utility app might take up a few megabytes, while a game or a photo editor can take up several gigabytes. To see how much space each app is using, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. The list shows every app ranked by size, with the largest at the top.
If your phone is running low on storage, deleting the largest apps you do not use regularly is the fastest way to free up room. You can also delete the app's cached data (temporary files it stores) without deleting the app itself: go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, tap the app name, and tap Offload App. This removes the app but keeps its data, so you can reinstall it later and your settings will still be there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete an app and keep its data?
Not on your phone itself — deleting an app removes its data from your device. However, if the app backs up to iCloud or its own cloud service, that data may still exist online. When you reinstall the app, it may restore that data automatically. Check the app's settings before you delete it to see whether backup is turned on.
What if I accidentally delete an app I need?
Open the App Store, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon to reinstall it. If you paid for it, you will not be charged again. If the app had data backed up to the cloud, it may restore when you open the app again.
Does deleting an app free up a lot of storage space?
It depends on the app. Check Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much space each app uses. Games and photo editors often use the most space. Deleting several large apps you do not use can free up several gigabytes.
Can I delete the Mail app or other built-in apps?
No, you can only hide them from your home screen. Press and hold the icon, tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen. The app stays on your phone but will not appear on your home screen. You can add it back anytime by searching for it in your app library.
Will deleting an app stop it from using my battery?
Yes. Apps that run in the background use battery power even when you are not looking at them. Deleting an app stops it from running entirely. If you want to keep an app but prevent it from running in the background, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh, find the app, and turn the toggle off.