How to Delete Apps from Your Device: A Step-by-Step Guide

Have you ever downloaded an app on your device, only to realize later that it wasn’t what you were looking for? Or maybe you have too many apps, taking up your memory and causing lags.

In either case, you’re likely to end up Googling “how to delete apps,” and that’s probably why you’re here!

Deleting unnecessary apps frees up space for what you do need and keeps processing speeds high. Just like with clutter in your house, a regular spring cleaning can do your device a lot of good.

Different devices and operating systems have different procedures for uninstalling apps, making the process a little confusing. Well, worry not, because we’re here to help! Here are step-by-step instructions on how to delete apps from Android, iOS, Mac, Windows and Chromebooks. Let’s dive in!

Deleting Apps on Mobile Devices

Smartphones and tablets usually have more limited memory space than PCs, so you may need to uninstall apps more frequently. Though Android and iOS devices are similar, the process for deleting apps is different for each of them.

iOS (iPhones & iPads)

There are a few methods for deleting apps on iPads and iPhones.

Method 1 – Touch and hold

Step 1: Locate the app you want to delete on your home screen.
Step 2: Touch the app icon and hold for a few seconds.

Touch and hold the app you want to delete.

Step 3: From the menu that appears, select Remove App.

Select Remove App.

Step 4: Another menu will pop up. From there, select Delete App.

Confirm deletion.

Method 2 – Use the App Library

Step 1: From your home screen, swipe left to access the App Library.
Step 2: Using the search tool, find the app you want to delete.

Search for the app you want to delete. Source

Step 3: Touch and hold the app icon. From the menu that appears, select Delete App.

Select Delete App. Source

Step 4: A box will pop up. Tap Delete again to confirm you want to delete the app.

Confirm deletion. Source

Method 3 – Jiggle Mode

Jiggle mode lets you rearrange and reorganize the apps on your home screen. It can also be used to delete multiple apps at the same time on an iOS device.

Step 1: To enter jiggle mode in iOS 13 and above, touch and hold any app and then select Edit Home Screen from the menu. For older iOS versions, simply touch and hold any app until the icons begin to jiggle.

Touch and hold any app and then select Edit Homescreen from the drop down menu. Source

Step 2: Tap the minus sign at the top of the icons of apps that you want to delete.

Tap the minus sign on the top of the app icon. Source

Step 3: A box will pop up and ask you to confirm your choice. Tap Delete to finish deleting apps from your Apple device.

Keep in mind that some default apps can’t be deleted from iOS devices. However, you can disable or offload them to save space. You can generally offload any app you don’t currently use but may want to use later, or that you don’t want to delete.

Also, be sure to cancel any app subscriptions you have before deleting apps from your phone, because deleting the app won’t automatically cancel your subscription.

Android

Here are some of the methods for deleting apps on Android devices, including both smartphones and tablets like the Samsung Galaxy.

Method 1 – Touch and hold

Step 1: Locate the app you want to delete in your app menu.
Step 2: Touch and hold the app icon.

Locate the app you want to delete in the app menu.

Step 3: The Uninstall button will appear at the top of the screen. Drag the app icon towards the button. (In older versions of Android, touching and holding may trigger a menu to pop up instead of the Uninstall button; select Uninstall App from the menu.)

Drag the app icon towards the Uninstall button at the top of the screen.

Step 4: In the pop up box that appears, press OK to confirm deletion.

Confirm deletion.

Method 2 – Delete through Settings

Step 1: Go to your Settings app. It can be found in the app menu.
Step 2: Tap on Apps to go to your app manager.

Go to your Settings and tap on Apps.

Step 3: Tap on See All Apps.

Select See All Apps.

Step 4: Find the app you want to delete. Tap on it to go to App Info.

Select the App you want to delete.

Step 5: Tap Uninstall to delete the app.
Step 6: From the pop up box, select OK to confirm your choice.

Select Uninstall.

Method 3 – Delete through the Play Store

Jiggle mode lets you rearrange and reorganize the apps on your home screen. It can also be used to delete multiple apps at the same time on an iOS device.

Step 1: Open the Google Play Store on your Android device. You can find the Play Store in your app menu.
Step 2: On the top right hand corner of the screen, tap on your profile icon.

Open Google Play Store and tap on the profile icon at the top right corner of the screen.

Step 3: Tap on the Manage Apps & Devices option.

Go to Manage Apps & Devices.

Step 4: Tap on the Manage tab to access the list of apps on your device.

Go to Manage tab.

Step 5: Select all the apps you want to delete from here, and then tap on the Trash icon on the upper right corner.

Select the app you want to delete from the app list under Manage tab and tap the Trash icon.

Step 6: From the pop up box, select Uninstall to confirm deletion.

Keep in mind that some of these methods may look slightly different for different Android smartphones and tablets, depending on the manufacturer. Android device manufacturers often use a unique, proprietary UI, so a Samsung device will work a little differently from LG one.

Also, some default apps can’t be deleted from Android. However, you can disable them by following the steps from method 2 and then tapping Disable instead of Uninstall. Disabling an app on Android deletes all data from its memory and cache and uninstalls all updates, meaning that, while the app itself stays on your device, it takes up less data.

Deleting Apps on Desktop

Now that we’ve covered how to delete apps on smartphones and tablets, let’s turn our attention to computers. Once again, the methods of deleting apps are different for different devices.

MacOS (Macbooks & Apple Devices)

Here are some step by step instructions on how to uninstall apps on Mac devices. This method works for MacOS Mojave 10.14 and up, and applies to devices like the iMac, Macbook Pro and Macbook Air.

Step 1: Locate and click on the Finder icon on your toolbar and then click on the Go menu and select Applications.

Caption: Click on the Finder > Go > Applications. Source

Step 2: If the app is in a folder, check the folder for an Uninstaller. If there is one, simply double click on it and then follow the instructions to uninstall the app from your Mac device. If the app is not in a folder or if there is no uninstaller, simply right click on the app and select Move to Trash.

Right click and select Move to Trash. Source

Step 3: Locate Trash on your toolbar and right click on it. Then click Empty.