How To Delete iPhone Apps: A Complete Guide [2023]

10/04/23 • 7 min read

How To Delete iPhone Apps: A Complete Guide [2023]

Want to delete iPhone apps but don’t know how? It’s actually really simple and you have four possible methods for it which we detail in this quick n’ easy guide…

Apps are what make the iPhone great, but many times we download an app and only use it once. If that’s the case there’s little reason for you to keep that app on your iPhone taking up space.

If you want to uninstall apps on your iPhone there are actually four ways you can do this (although method #1 listed below is the easiest):

One app at a time (using Jiggle-Mode);
Multiple apps at a time;
Via the App Store;
Or via the Settings app.

Please note: all of the methods listed below will work on iPhone (all models), iPod, and iPad (all models) provided they are running a recent version of iOS – say iOS 14 and above. Basically, if the device you’re using runs on a recent version of iOS, the following methods for deleting apps will all work.

Let’s take a look at all four ways in more detail:

1) How To Delete A Single App On iPhone (Inc. Jiggle-Mode)

If you want to delete just a single app on your iPhone, iOS makes it very easy. Here’s what to do:

Choose which app you want to delete and then press and hold the app’s icon on the home screen. After a few moments, a pop-up menu will appear.
From the pop-up menu, you’ll see (at least) three options: Remove App, Share App, and Edit Home Screen. You may see additional menu items depending on which app you have tapped but don’t worry about these other app-specific menu items. Tap the red Remove App button.
A pop-up window will appear asking you how you want to remove the app. Since you want to delete the app entirely, tap the red Delete App button.

What is Jiggle-Mode?

In case you’re unsure what “jiggle-mode” means, here’s a quick explanation because it is a rather silly phrase.

When you long press on an app icon on your iPhone’s home screen, it will start shaking (all of your apps will do this, actually) and a “X” will appear above each one.

This shaking is jiggle-mode, it is the mode that iOS enters to instigate the app deletion process. So, yeah, that’s jiggle-mode in a nutshell.

But there’s more than one way to delete an app inside iOS, so read on for the other options below…

What’s The Difference Between ‘Delete App’ & ‘Remove From Home Screen’?

You may notice that in Step #3 above you have the option to “Remove From Home Screen” instead of deleting the app. But what does this mean? Simply you can remove the app’s icon from your iPhone’s home screen, but the app will still actually stay on your iPhone. It will then only be accessible from the App Library.

If you want to remove the app entirely from your iPhone, you want to use the Delete App option and not the Remove From Home Screen option.

2) How To Delete Multiple Apps On iPhone

If you want to uninstall multiple apps on your iPhone, iOS makes that very easy, too. You can do that by entering what some people refer to as “jiggle mode”.

You’re probably wondering what “jiggle mode” is, right? It’s pretty simple. Whenever you long-press on an app icon on your iPhone, it will then start to jiggle. There will also be a little “-” (minus sign) icon in the top left corner of the app icon. If you want to delete the app, simply click the “-” icon, and choose “Delete App” from the popup menu.

Here’s what to do:

Press and hold any app’s icon on the home screen. After a few moments, a pop-up menu will appear but just ignore that and keep your finger pressed on the screen until all the apps start to jiggle; OR just tap the “Edit Home Screen” button from the pop-up menu. Now all the apps on your home screen will be jiggling. You’ll also notice that the jiggling app icons have a minus button in the top-left corner of the icon.
Tap the minus button on the app icon that you want to delete.
A pop-up window will appear asking you how you want to remove the app. Since you want to delete the app entirely, tap the red Delete App button.
Once you’ve deleted one app using this method, the app icons on the home screen will continue jiggling. Repeat steps 2-3 above to continue deleting apps.
When you’ve deleted your final app, simply tap the Done button in the screen’s upper-right corner to go back to your normal home screen.

3) How To Delete iPhone Apps Via The App Store

In iOS, you can also delete apps you have installed on your iPhone from within the App Store app. Here’s how to do that:

Open the App Store app.
Tap your Apple ID icon (your picture) in the top-right corner of the App Store app.
In the Account window that slides up, scroll down the screen until you see the “Updated Recently” apps.
From the “Updated Recently” list, any app you see in this list can be deleted from your phone right from the list itself. To delete an app using this method, find it in the “Updated Recently” list and swipe left on it so a red Delete button appears.
Tap the red Delete button.
A pop-up window will appear asking you if you really want to delete the app. Click Delete to delete the app (tap Cancel if you’ve changed your mind).

The logic behind allowing users to delete apps via the App Store is that users may see an update for an app on their iPhone that they haven’t used in a long time. If so, they have the option of uninstalling that app from their iPhone right there.

4) Delete iPhone Apps From The Settings App

If none of the above methods, for whatever reason, are not working, there is one last way to delete applications from your iPhone – using the Settings app. All you have to do is follow the following steps:

Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Tap iPhone Storage. From here, you’ll be able to see ALL of the apps installed on your iPhone.
To delete one, tap the app.
On the app’s screen, tap Delete App.
Tap the Delete App button that appears in the pop-up. This will remove the application from your phone.

Can I Hide Apps on iPhone Instead of Deleting Them?

Yes, you can hide apps on iPhone instead of deleting them. To do this, go to the home screen, touch and hold any app until the apps jiggle, and then tap the small x on the top left corner. This will hide the app from your home screen, although it will still appear in your App Library. That’s how to hide apps on iPhone.

How Many Apps Should I Have On My iPhone?

When it comes to apps, less is usually better. The reason for this is simple: apps take up valuable storage on your iPhone, so if you’re not using an application for weeks at a time, you might be better off deleting it altogether. The number of applications you have installed on your iPhone will not affect how your iPhone performs (unless you have them all open at once), so you don’t need to worry about this.

But they do take up room on your iPhone’s storage. Games especially, so if you have loads of games on your iPhone and you’re running out of storage, start by deleting the games you no longer play. Me personally?

I try and keep my apps limited to around 10-15. These are my core apps, the ones that I use most days, either for work or pleasure. I don’t have Facebook installed on my phone either; it’s way too creepy these days.

The less access Facebook has to your phone, the better.

Follow on Google News

Michael Grothaus

Michael Grothaus is an American author and journalist with a flair for exploring the intersection of technology, creativity, and digital culture. With a background in film, journalism, and creative writing, he brings a unique perspective to the world of mobile technology. His work has been featured in renowned publications like Fast Company, The Guardian, and Engadget. At KnowYourMobile, Michael leverages his extensive knowledge to guide readers through the complexities of mobile devices, helping them make informed choices in the fast-paced tech landscape.

Keep Reading

Explore more →