3 Easy Ways to Delete Apps on iPhone and iPad [in 2023]

At some point, we have all cluttered our homescreens with unused apps. Maybe we downloaded some apps for a reason, and they are no longer useful to us.

In situations like this, it’s recommended to delete those apps to maximize your iPhone or iPad performance, as many apps take up your storage space and can cause your device to lag.

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for ways to delete apps on iPhone and iPad. Deleting apps on these devices follows a similar procedure, which we’ll explain in more detail in this article.

However, when you uninstall an application, all the data it contains is also deleted. So if you only need to uninstall an app for a short period of time, or if you need some files from the app you’re uninstalling, you should swap them out rather than delete them. This means that your app will be uninstalled, but the app’s data will remain stored in your device’s memory and can be retrieved at any time.

How to Delete App on iPhone and iPad

Delete App from iPhone/iPad Home Screen

This is the most convenient technique for any iPhone or iPad user to completely uninstall apps from their device if the application is present on the home screen.

However, deleting apps from the home screen of the phone can be done in two different ways. It depends on which method is convenient for you and which iOS version is available on your device.

Method 1: Delete App on the home screen by long-pressing

For those using iOS 14 (or iPadOS 14) and above, apps can be deleted effortlessly by holding down the app you want to delete and following the keyboard shortcuts.

Here you can learn how to delete apps on iPhone by long pressing:

1. Go to your home screen.
2. Touch and hold the app you wish to delete till the shortcut menu comes up.
3. Select Remove App from the menu.
   
4. On the resulting menu, click on Delete App (clicking on Remove from Home Screen will only make the app available in the App Library)
5. Confirm the action by clicking on Delete in the subsequent pop-up.

   

Method 2: Uninstall App on iPhone or iPad with Jiggle mode

This method also requires long presses, but your apps need to go into jiggle mode before you can delete them.

Jiggle mode allows you to delete apps in bulk from your home screen without having to repeat the first methods multiple times in each app. The method is straightforward, so follow the steps below to uninstall apps on iPhone one by one or in bulk:

1. Go to your iPhone Home Screen
2. Touch and hold the icon of the app you wish to delete
3. Then select Edit Home Screen to enter jiggle mode (on iOS 13 and older versions, you’ll have to touch and hold one of your app’s icons for a while to enter jiggle mode)

   

4. Tap the minus sign at the top of the app(s) you wish to delete.
5. Click on Delete to uninstall the app from your iPhone or iPad
6. Afterward, press the home button on your iPhone to quit the jiggle mode.

Delete iPhone/iPad Apps from App Library

Alternatively, you can delete apps on your iPhone by going through your App Library, as this feature has been integrated into iOS 14. With this feature, you can organize and separate apps on your devices so that they don’t clutter your home screen.

In the App Library, you’ll find all applications including those you’ve removed from your home screen, and, applications can be deleted from here as well. Uninstall apps on iPhone and iPad by following this:

1. Swipe right on your home screen till you reach the App Library section.
2. Click on the category the app you wish to delete is and long-press the app from there.
3. Tap and hold the app you wish to delete.
4. Select Delete app on the resulting menu.
   
5. Then click on Delete to confirm the action.

Delete Apps on iPhone/iPad via Settings

Another method you can use if you want to delete an app on your iPhone or iPad is to go through the phone settings. Through iPhone settings, you can access all the apps on your device at any time to manage and delete them from your device.

Essentially, you can use this method to remove an app entirely or delete only the app while leaving all its data behind if you need it later.

How to Delete App on iPhone and all its data

If you wish to totally delete an app on iPhone including its data via Settings, here is how you can do it:

1. Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and select General.
3. Then click on iPhone Storage (this will be iPad Storage on iPad)

   

4. Navigate through the App list on the resulting page and select the app you wish to delete.

   

5. Tap Delete App on the App page.
6. Click on Delete App again to confirm the action.

   

How to Delete App and leave its data behind on iPhone

For whatever reason, you may need to delete apps like WhatsApp from your iPhone. However, you might need to retain its data on your device in case the app contains any important files or images.

Also, you may need to reinstall the application at a later time and want to pick up all the data where you left it. This is where offloading, another method of deleting apps on the iPhone, comes into play. Here is how you can do this on your iPhone:

1. Go to Settings on your device
2. Scroll down and click on General
3. Select iPhone Storage for iPhone and iPad Storage for iPad.

   

4. Then click on the app you wish to offload from the App list.
5. Select Offload App and tap Offload App again to confirm the process.
   

To sum up, any of these methods can be used to delete apps on iPhone or iPad. Just make sure that you use the best method for you, and keep in mind that all the data associated with the app you are uninstalling will be deleted with it. Also, if you want to remove pre-installed Apple apps, you can do so by following this guide.

FAQs on Deleting iPhone and iPad Apps