How to Delete Apps on iPhone and Android

Over time, most phones collect a lot of apps — some you opened once, some you forgot you had, some that came pre-installed. Deleting the ones you do not use has three benefits: your home screen gets tidier, your phone speeds up slightly. And you free up storage space for photos and things you actually care about.

The good news is that deleting an app does not lose your data permanently, in most cases. If the app stored information with your account (like Facebook posts, Gmail messages, or your Amazon order history), that stays safe on the company's servers. If you ever change your mind and install the app again, signing back in brings everything back. Only apps that stored things only on your phone — like certain notes apps or offline games — actually lose content when deleted.

There are a few apps you cannot delete because they are built into the phone: on iPhone, apps like Camera, Messages, and Phone cannot be removed. You can hide them in a folder, but not delete them. On Android, the pre-installed apps vary by phone maker. Some can be disabled (hidden and stopped from running) even if not fully deleted.

Before deleting, if an app is tied to a subscription (like Netflix, a newspaper, or gym app), deleting the app does not cancel your subscription. You will keep getting charged. To stop the subscription, go to Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions on iPhone, or Play Store > your profile > Payments & subscriptions on Android, and cancel it there first.

If you ever delete an app by accident, do not worry. Go to the App Store or Play Store, search for the app, and tap a cloud icon (iPhone) or Install (Android). It comes back, usually with your login and data in place.