I recently got an iPhone and am struggling with storage. I downloaded a lot of apps that I don’t use, and I need to remove them to free up space. Can someone guide me on the best way to uninstall apps on my iPhone?
Removing apps on an iPhone is super easy, especially if you’re looking to free up some storage space. Here’s a straightforward method to get rid of apps you don’t need:
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From the Home Screen:
- Press and hold the app icon until a menu appears or they all start to wiggle.
- If the apps are wiggling, tap the little “X” that shows up on the upper corner of the app you want to delete.
- If a menu appears, choose “Remove App” from the options, then “Delete App.”
- Follow the prompts to confirm, and the app will be gone.
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From Settings:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. This will list all your apps and how much space they are taking up.
- Tap on an app you want to delete.
- You’ll see a couple of options: “Offload App” (which keeps its data) and “Delete App” (which removes everything). You’ll want to select “Delete App” to free up more space.
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Using the App Store:
- Surprisingly, you can also delete apps from the App Store. Open the App Store and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Under Purchased, you can swipe left on any app and tap “Delete.”
Pro-tip: Don’t forget to offload unused apps if you’re low on storage. Your iPhone can do this automatically for you. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and enable the Offload Unused Apps option. This will save space by removing apps you don’t use but keeps their data.
One thing to note is that some pre-installed apps can’t be removed (like the Phone app, Safari, or Messages), so you’ll have to manage with those in place. But most others, including third-party apps, can be deleted with the steps above.
If you mess up and remove one you didn’t mean to, don’t worry, you can always re-download it from the App Store. It’s not a permanent situation.
And hey, if you’re constantly running low on space, maybe consider reviewing what you really need installed and make a habit out of clearing up stuff regularly. It also helps to back up important data on iCloud or another service to keep your iPhone less cluttered.
Hope that helps, happy cleaning!
Seriously? Another how-to-delete-apps-on-iPhone post? 
Anyway, @codecrafter’s given you the basics, but let’s be real here. Are you actually going to spend time going through all these settings?
The quickest, simplest way—just hold and wiggle those little app icons on the home screen and tap the X. Job done. The other methods are overkill for most people.
Also, the “Offload Unused Apps” feature? Sounds nice on paper but kinda meh IRL. If your phone is always pushing you to offload apps, maybe it’s just not enough storage, to begin with. Ugh, my ancient iPhone’s doing that all the time.
Alternately, there’s always just buying more iCloud storage. Annoying as hell, right? But it’s an option. Or just get a decent Android phone with expandable storage and avoid this BS. But then you’re stuck with Android, so pick your poison.
In short, stick to the home screen method unless you’re feeling a desperate need to deep dive into your settings for some reason. Most of those extra features are pointless for everyday users.
Hey there! I see you’ve gotten some solid advice already, but there are a couple more ways you can approach this without diving too deep into settings or getting frustrated.
Home Screen tweaker here:
If you’re the type who likes to keep things tidy right from the home screen, here are a few quick tips beyond the usual long-press method:
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Organize First, Delete Later:
- Use folders to categorize apps. Sometimes just reorganizing them makes you realize which apps you don’t need.
- Long press and drag an app to another one to create a folder, name your folder, and then decide what’s really clogging up your space.
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Mass Deletion (Well, Sort of):
- When your apps are wiggling (after the long press), tap and hold on an app that you want to remove but instead of hitting the X immediately, move it to one side to start dragging it.
- You can then tap other apps with another finger to select multiple apps at once, then drag them all to a newly created folder.
- Once they’re all tucked away, long press the folder and hit delete. It’ll help you clean house faster!
Deep Dive Approach:
Okay, @codecrafter and @techchizkid gave you the mainstream methods, but if you really wanna dig deeper:
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Explore iPhone Storage More Critically: Yes, go through Settings > General > iPhone Storage. But this time, instead of just deleting apps one by one, look for apps that Automatically save data offline like Netflix or Spotify if you’ve downloaded huge playlists or shows.
- Tackle those caches by managing storage within these app settings. For instance, clearing Spotify’s downloaded cache will give you back a ton of space without uninstalling.
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Safari’s Cache: Surprise, just browsing can chew up storage. Head into Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. This can free up some unnoticed space if you frequently surf the web.
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Giant Media Cleanup:
- Photos and videos are also culprits. Use Settings > Photos and enable Optimize iPhone Storage. This keeps lower resolution versions of your images on your device while saving full res in iCloud.
- Go through your photos and purge duplicates or old screenshots, memes, and gifs you no longer need. Apps like Google Photos can backup before you delete them.
And about the pre-installed apps? Can’t remove them, but you can disable them:
- Disable Non-Removable Apps:
- Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Tap Allowed Apps and turn off apps you don’t use. This hides them from your home screen, freeing up mental space, if not actual storage.
Alternative Solutions and Tidbits:
In case you’re looking at a long-term solution:
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Temporary Apps: Certain apps can be temporarily sideloaded for specific needs (like QR scanners, transit apps, etc.). Delete them right after usage to keep your storage lean.
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iOS Updates: Updating your iOS can sometimes optimize the operating system’s handling of apps and storage. Just make sure you have a backup before you proceed.
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Cloud Storage: I know it’s mentioned before but consider cloud options like Dropbox, Google Drive for files, and media that don’t need to live on your iPhone. This helps declutter deeply.
Ultimately, while the wiggle-delete method is straightforward, you might find the settings dive more gratifying with the amount of control it offers. Offloading apps is really hit or miss and often a band-aid rather than a fix.
Also, switching to a device with more storage might be a drastic suggestion, but if you find these practices don’t suffice long-term, it’s something worth considering. Whether that’s another iPhone or as techchizkid noted, a phone with expandable storage options.
Hopefully, these extra pointers bridge the gap and make your iPhone management a tad smoother!