The short answer
Touch and hold the app on your Home Screen, tap Remove App, then tap Delete App and confirm with Delete. Choosing Remove from Home Screen only hides the app in App Library. To get a deleted app back, open the App Store, tap your photo, tap Apps & Purchase History › Your Apps › Not on this iPhone, and tap the download button.
Deleting an app on iPhone takes a few seconds, but there are three different options that look similar: removing an app from the Home Screen, deleting it, and offloading it. Here’s what each one does, and how to get an app back if you change your mind.
Remove, delete or offload: what’s the difference?
| Option | What happens | Your data |
|---|---|---|
| Remove from Home Screen | The icon disappears, but the app moves to App Library | Kept, nothing is deleted |
| Delete App | The app is removed from your iPhone | Deleted from the phone (iCloud data stays) |
| Offload App | The app is removed, but the icon stays | Kept on the phone, restored when you reinstall |
Step 1: Delete an app from the Home Screen
- Go to your Home Screen.
- Touch and hold the app icon until a menu appears.
- Tap Remove App.
- Tap Delete App, then tap Delete to confirm.
Apple notes that it may take a moment for the free storage shown on your iPhone to update after you delete an app.
If you tap Remove from Home Screen instead, the app isn’t deleted. It moves to App Library and still works from there.
Step 2: Delete an app from App Library
Some apps don’t have a Home Screen icon. You can delete them from App Library:
- Go to App Library, which comes after your last Home Screen page.
- Tap the search field at the top to see an alphabetical list of your apps.
- Touch and hold the app icon, then tap Delete App.
- Tap Delete to confirm.
If you can’t delete an app that isn’t made by Apple, Apple says parental controls may be blocking it. Turn off the restriction in Screen Time, then try again. See our guide to iPhone parental controls.
Step 3: Offload an app to keep its data
Offloading is useful when you need space but want to keep your logins, settings and documents for later:
- Open Settings › General › iPhone Storage.
- Tap the app.
- Tap Offload App, then confirm.
The app’s icon stays on your Home Screen. Tap it to reinstall the app with your data.
In the same screen you’ll find Delete App, which removes the app and its data, and you can see how much space each app uses. Want iPhone to do this for you? Turn on Offload Unused Apps in the recommendations at the top of iPhone Storage.
Step 4: Get a deleted app back
There’s no Recently Deleted folder for apps, but every app you’ve downloaded with your Apple Account is in your purchase history:
- Open the App Store.
- Tap your photo or the My Account button at the top of the screen.
- Tap Apps & Purchase History, then Your Apps. (Some versions just say Apps.)
- Tap Not on this iPhone to see apps you’ve deleted.
- Find the app and tap the download button.
You won’t pay again for an app you already bought. If you use Family Sharing, you can also tap a family member’s name to see apps they bought.
If the app isn’t in the list
According to Apple:
- You may have downloaded it with a different Apple Account.
- The app may not be compatible with your iPhone, or no longer be available in the App Store.
- The purchase may be hidden.
What happens to your data
- Deleted apps: the app and the data stored in it are removed from your iPhone. Anything the app saved to iCloud, such as photos or documents, is not deleted.
- In-app purchases: Apple says you can’t redownload them, but some can be restored if you bought them with Apple In-App Purchase.
If you’re not sure, offload the app instead of deleting it, or back up your iPhone first.
Related guides
Deleting apps to make room? Our guide to freeing up iPhone storage shows what else is using space, including photos and old messages. If an update won’t install because your phone is full, see how to update your iPhone.
The bottom line
Touch and hold the app, tap Remove App, then Delete App. Use Offload App in Settings › General › iPhone Storage if you want to keep the app’s data, and redownload any deleted app from App Store › Apps & Purchase History › Not on this iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
Does deleting an app delete my data?
Deleting an app removes it and the data stored in it from your iPhone. Data the app saved to iCloud, such as photos or documents, isn't deleted. If you want to keep the app's data on the phone, offload the app instead.
Do I have to pay again to redownload a paid app?
No. Apps you bought with your Apple Account can be redownloaded from your purchase history. In-app purchases can't be redownloaded, but some can be restored inside the app.
Is there a Recently Deleted folder for apps?
No. iPhone has no Recently Deleted list for apps. To see apps you deleted, open the App Store, go to Apps & Purchase History › Your Apps, and look under Not on this iPhone.
Why you can trust this guide
- Based on official sources. The steps here are checked against the 4 official sources listed below, such as the help pages of the companies involved.
- Checked and dated. Last checked on November 13, 2026. We update guides when software or advice changes.
- Independent. No company paid for or reviewed this guide. We don't sell products, and ads never influence our advice.
- Open to corrections. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Read how we research.
Sources
- Apple Support — Remove or delete apps from iPhone
- Apple Support — Organize the Home Screen and App Library on your iPhone
- Apple Support — Redownload apps from Apple
- Apple Support — How to check the storage on your iPhone and iPad
This guide is general information. Menus and features can change with software updates, and steps may differ on your device or version. Back up important data before making big changes. Read our disclaimer.
