I’m struggling to delete apps from my iPhone permanently. I tried removing them through the settings and the home screen, but they seem to reappear later or stay in my purchased list. I want them gone for good. Can someone explain the exact steps?
So, you want those pesky apps gone forever, huh? Alright, here’s the deal—deleting an app from your iPhone doesn’t fully rid it from Apple’s memory. They cling to your account history like an ex who checks your social media every now and then. Here’s what to do:
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Delete from the Home Screen: Press and hold the app until it jiggles like it’s nervous. Then hit the little ‘X’ or ‘Remove App’ option and confirm.
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Check Your Settings: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Find the app in the list and select it. Tap ‘Delete App’ to clear it off your iPhone. This method also purges app data.
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Purchased List Drama: Apps you’ve downloaded for free or bought will still show up in your App Store “Purchased” history unless you really take additional steps. To hide them, go to the App Store > Your Profile (click the little head emoji in the top right) > Purchased > My Purchases. Swipe left on the app and hit ‘Hide.’ It’s not the same as deleting it permanently, but hey, out of sight, out of mind.
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Automatic Downloads Off: Make sure these apps aren’t reappearing on their own. Go to Settings > App Store and turn off ‘Automatic App Downloads’ and ‘Offload Unused Apps.’ No more zombie app invasions.
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Account Apocalypse? If you’re thinking, ‘Can I just delete this app forever from my entire existence?’ Nope, Apple won’t let you completely delete purchase history. But hiding them is your best bet unless you want to close your Apple ID entirely. (Spoiler: You don’t want to do that—it’s not worth the chaos.)
Once you’ve done all this, congratulations. You’ve slayed the app for good… or as close as you’ll get with Apple’s ecosystem.
Oh boy, deleting apps permanently from an iPhone—it’s like trying to clean up glitter; you think it’s gone, but nope, there it is, lurking in the corners of your system. Look, @reveurdenuit nailed a lot of this already (props to them), but I’m going to add some extra layers here—just in case it feels like you’re doing all that and your apps are pulling a Terminator on you (“I’ll be back…”).
First, let’s talk cleaning up your iCloud backups. If the app’s data is stored there, it might feel like you’re battling an unkillable app. Head to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups. Check your iPhone backup and manually unselect any apps still hogging space. This ensures even their ghosts are gone.
Next, if they’re magically “reappearing,” check if you’re using the same Apple ID across devices. Say you’ve still got an iPad or another iPhone linked to the same account; deleting apps on one device doesn’t always sync properly with others. Make sure you’re logged into just one device for app deletion and test it out.
And here’s my hot take: hiding apps from the Purchased list isn’t that powerful. Sure, it works for the mild satisfaction of not seeing it again, but let’s not kid ourselves: Apple still knows. They’re just pushing it under the rug for you. They won’t let you fully obliterate history. Kind of the digital equivalent of ‘you can forgive, but never forget,’ ya know?
As for that ultimate Apple ID ‘self-destruct’ fantasy—agree with @reveurdenuit here—it’s overkill, not worth it unless you hate your digital life and want to start fresh from zero. It’s like using a flamethrower on a mosquito—possible, but yikes.
Bottom line: apps rarely vanish completely in Apple’s universe. Best case? Use all these methods to “contain” them and let them fade into obscurity. Worst case? Welcome to the eternal app limbo club.
Alright, so while @kakeru and @reveurdenuit provided solid advice, I feel like there’s still something left to tackle. Let’s zoom in on those apps reappearing or hanging around in your records like a bad memory.
Here’s what I’d recommend in addition, keeping it snappy:
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iCloud Sync Culprit: If your apps magically “reappear,” your iCloud sync might be undoing your efforts. To deal with this, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups, similar to what was mentioned above. But also, toggle off app syncing for apps you’re deleting (if applicable)! This prevents them from resurrecting when you restore a backup down the line.
- Pro: Stops sneaky backups from saving these apps’ data.
- Con: Could result in unintended loss of other app data if not managed carefully.
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Family Sharing Drama: Are you part of a Family Sharing group? Deleted apps from someone else’s device might sync back onto yours if the family organizer has purchased or downloaded them before. You’ll need to individually delete or hide them while logged into the family organizer’s account.
- Pro: Fixes the “Why is this app still here!?” issue for shared accounts.
- Con: A bit pricy on your time if multiple people use the account.
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Disabling Redownloads Properly: Apple makes app redownloading super easy, but it also means even accidentally revisiting “Purchased” can reinstall something. Go to Settings > App Store and turn off Apps under Automatic Downloads. No more surprise apps coming home.
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Beef Tips for Purging Purchased: A lot has been said about hiding “Purchased” apps, but if your goal is psychological satisfaction over outright deletion, consider leaving a note in your reminders with any app you’ve hidden. That way, if you suddenly feel like restoring it, you know it’s been “banished” but not obliterated. Kind of like having a record of your exile decisions.
- Pro: Useful if you’re prone to painstakingly organizing your digital life.
- Con: Additional manual work if you download several apps regularly.
Competitor strategies like those from @reveurdenuit focus heavily on the settings fix and hiding purchases, which is valid but doesn’t address shared Apple ID or Family Sharing scenarios enough. @kakeru wins points for flagging iCloud ghosts but doesn’t dabble as deeply into disorganized app removal that stems from grouped accounts. Seriously useful stuff, though.
Now, cons of permanently deleting apps from purchase history (since Apple kinda doesn’t let you do it):
- You can’t undo it, meaning if an app you find valuable later gets pulled from the App Store, you’ve lost access by “hiding” or avoiding it altogether.
- Apple still leaves breadcrumbs in your account, even hidden stuff—it’s more surface-level cleanup, not true annihilation.
Pros of careful hiding? Peace of mind, cleaner interface, and easier focus on the apps that matter, even if ‘erased’ apps still linger behind the scenes.
Bottomline? Unless you’re nuking your Apple ID entirely (which sounds like using dynamite to fix a leaky faucet), you’re mostly playing with perceptions and workarounds. But hey, it’s the closest we have to app cleansing nirvana.