Easy Ways to Clean Out Unwanted Apps from Your iPhone
Looking to free up some storage or tidy up your home screen? Deleting apps on your iPhone is straightforward, but sometimes Apple makes it feel like you need a degree in rocket science to find the right options. Here’s how to do it without pulling your hair out.
Find the App You Want to Delete
Start by locating the app you want gone on your home screen. This step’s important — no one wants to accidentally tap an app they still use. Take a moment to be sure it’s the right one; you don’t want to delete your favourite game by mistake instead of that once-used weather widget.
Enter Edit Mode by Holding the Icon
Press and hold the app icon until it starts to wiggle — like it’s nervous about being deleted. This shaking indicates you’re in editing mode, ready to remove or move the app around. It’s a bit more interactive than just tapping randomly, and it beats the old way of moving icons around.
Remove the App
While the app is wiggling, you’ll see a little minus sign (-) in the corner. Tap that, or choose “Remove App” from the options that appear. You’ll be asked to confirm if you really want to delete it. It’s a small internal debate — some apps seem to stick around forever, it’s like they have a life of their own!
Confirm the Deletion
A prompt will pop up, asking if you’re sure. Tap “Delete” to remove it permanently. Keep in mind, this deletes all its data too — any saved info will be gone. Make sure you’ve saved anything important beforehand.
Getting Back to Normal
Once the app’s gone, tap Done or press the home button (if you’ve still got one) to exit editing mode. Looks tidy, doesn’t it? Though, often, a new round of app decluttering is just around the corner.
Tips for Managing Apps Like a Pro
Before deleting in a frenzy, back up anything you might regret losing. It’s also handy to check how much space each app uses by heading to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. That way, you can identify the real storage hogs.
- Tap on any app in the list to see its size — you can choose Offload App (which removes the app but keeps its data) instead of deleting it entirely if you prefer.