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    How to Delete Apps on iPhone and Android

    Clean up your phone by removing apps you do not use — here is how to do it on iPhone and Android, safely.

    3 min read · 6 steps · Checked April 2026

    1. Step 1. On iPhone: press and hold the app icon

      On your home screen, put your finger on the icon of the app you want to remove and keep holding for about 1 second. A small menu pops up. Tap "Remove App" at the bottom.

    2. Step 2. On iPhone: tap Delete App to confirm

      A second box appears asking whether to move to Library or Delete App. Tap Delete App. Then tap Delete one more time to confirm. The app is gone.

    3. Step 3. On Android: press and hold the app icon

      Put your finger on the app icon and hold for 1 second. A small menu or a drag bar appears at the top. Drag the app up to the word Uninstall (or a trash can icon), or tap "Uninstall" in the menu.

    4. Step 4. On Android: confirm with OK

      A box asks if you are sure. Tap OK or Uninstall. The app disappears from your home screen and is removed from your phone.

    5. Step 5. Cancel the subscription first if needed

      Before deleting an app like Netflix, Apple Music, or a news app, cancel the subscription. On iPhone, go to Settings > your name > Subscriptions. On Android, open the Play Store, tap your photo, tap Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions.

    6. Step 6. Reinstall anytime if you miss it

      Open the App Store (iPhone) or Play Store (Android). Search for the app name. Tap the cloud icon with a downward arrow (iPhone) or the green Install button (Android). The app returns — usually already signed in.

    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.

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