To delete an app on an iPad, touch and hold the app icon, tap Remove App, then tap Delete App and Delete to confirm. If you only want it off your Home Screen, choose Remove from Home Screen instead. The app then stays in the App Library. On a phone, follow our guide on how to delete apps on an iPhone instead.
This guide covers deleting apps from the Home Screen, App Library, Spotlight and Settings, hiding apps without deleting them, offloading, what to do when you can’t delete an app, and how to reinstall one. It is based on Apple’s Remove or delete apps from iPad, Delete apps on your iPhone or iPad and How to check the storage on your iPhone and iPad. The steps work on every iPad model, including the 6th generation.
Before You Delete an App
Check important files before deleting. Delete App removes the app and its local data. Export anything that exists only inside the app, or confirm its own sync or backup method first. Reinstalling the app later does not guarantee that local-only work will return.
“Permanently” deleting an app means removing the installed app from this iPad. It does not automatically erase separately stored iCloud files, close a service account, or cancel billing. Removing the Home Screen icon alone leaves the app installed; offloading deliberately keeps documents and data. If you only want an app out of the row at the bottom of the screen, see how to add or remove apps in the iPad Dock.
Apple says deleting an app doesn’t automatically cancel its in-app subscriptions, so cancel any you don’t need first. If you can’t find the app, use Spotlight to search for it. Apple says you can delete apps from Spotlight too.
How to Delete Apps on iPad
- Find the app on your Home Screen or in the App Library.
- Touch and hold the app icon.
- Tap Remove App.
- Tap Delete App.
- Tap Delete to confirm.
Result: Apple says deleting an app removes it and its data from your iPad. Data stored in iCloud, such as photos or documents you saved through the app, isn’t deleted. It may take a moment for your available storage to update.
If the apps start to jiggle when you touch and hold, Apple says to tap the Remove icon in the upper-left corner of the app, tap Delete App and Delete, then tap Done.
How to Hide an App Without Deleting It
- Touch and hold the app.
- Tap Remove App.
- Tap Remove from Home Screen.
Result: Apple says the app moves to the App Library and can still be used from there. To limit access instead, Apple points to its Lock or hide an app feature, and to Screen Time for blocking an app.
How to Delete or Offload Apps From Settings
- Go to Settings > General > iPad Storage.
- Tap an app to see how much space it uses.
- Tap Offload App or Delete App.
Result: Apple explains the difference: Offload App frees up the storage the app uses but keeps its documents and data, while Delete App removes the app and its related data. This screen also lists storage recommendations.
Can’t Delete an App?
- Built-in apps: Apple says some Apple apps can be removed from the Home Screen but can’t be deleted. In the European Union, more built-in apps may be deletable.
- Parental controls: if you can’t delete a third-party app, Apple says to check that Deleting Apps is set to Allow in your parental control settings.
- Managed iPads: Apple says a device managed by a school or company (MDM) may not let you delete apps. Contact the administrator.
How to Reinstall a Deleted App
Apple says you can reinstall any app you downloaded before if it’s still in the App Store. Open the App Store, tap your picture at the top right, tap Apps & Purchase History, then Your Apps, find the app, and tap the download button. In a Family Sharing group, tap My Apps or choose a family member.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting an app cancel my subscription?
No. Apple says deleting an app doesn’t automatically cancel in-app subscriptions, so cancel them separately before or after you delete the app.
What’s the difference between offloading and deleting?
According to Apple, offloading frees up the storage the app uses but keeps its documents and data, while deleting removes the app and its related data.
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Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.