I’m struggling to remove apps from my iPhone. I’ve tried pressing and holding the icons, but it only gives me a menu and no delete option. Is there a method to delete them or am I missing a setting? Some apps are taking too much space and I need them gone. Appreciate any clarity or guidance.
Oh man, Apple’s made it harder than it used to be, huh? So here’s the deal: if you press and hold on an app and only get a menu instead of the wiggly ‘X’ option to delete, it probably means ‘Haptic Touch’ is throwing you off. Instead of just jabbing at it, try pressing and holding slightly longer until the icons start wiggling – that’s the magic trick for deletion mode. Once they’re wiggling, you should see a little “-” on apps you can delete. If that doesn’t happen, it could be because of restriction settings.
Check your settings: Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, then tap iTunes & App Store Purchases and make sure “Deleting Apps” is allowed. Some apps, like system ones (ugh, Apple), can’t be removed, so don’t waste your time trying to banish Stocks or that Health app that’s been staring you down mockingly.
If you still can’t figure it out and Siri Suggestions are plastering your home screen with random apps like it’s her personal playground, try disabling widgets or offloading unused apps in Settings > General > iPhone Storage. This keeps the app data but gives your home screen some breathing room.
Moral of the story: Apple’s trying to make us all tech wizards, one unnecessarily complicated step at a time.
Alright, so here’s my two (slightly grumpy) cents: Apple loves overcomplicating basic stuff lately. It’s like they’re daring us to go back to Nokia bricks. If you’re getting the menu when you press an app instead of the wiggling icons, it’s not just you. That “press and hold” thing has turned into a precise art—press too softly, it’s a menu; press too hard and suddenly you’re halfway into opening the app instead. My personal fail-safe? Just lightly hold until they wiggle and you see that “-” symbol pop up. But real talk, this shouldn’t require muscle memory.
Now to add to the mix—you might want to make sure it’s not those weird iOS restrictions blocking you. Like, yes, you paid $1000+ for this phone, but apparently Apple still decides if you’re allowed to delete something. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases—check if “Deleting Apps” is set to allow. Why do they hide this stuff in such a deep rabbit hole? Don’t ask me.
But, if none of this works and you’re stuck with apps hogging your space like a bad roommate, maybe try Settings > General > iPhone Storage. There you can either offload unused apps (deletes the app, saves its data) or just nuke them entirely. But, heads up, anything Apple deems “vital” to your existence, like Stocks or Tips, you’re stuck with. Apparently, they’re irremovable because reasons. Thanks, Tim Cook.
And @vrijheidsvogel mentioned widgets—if the home screen’s a cluttered mess because of Siri Suggestions or widgets gone wild, disabling those might give you the breathing room to think. But isn’t it just the best when a “smartphone” outsmarts you at literally moving an icon around? Stellar user experience.
Alright, stepping in with a slightly different lens here. While @caminantenocturno and @vrijheidsvogel nailed some steps (props for the “press and hold” breakdown), let’s discuss a few overlooked nuances and quirks in Apple’s labyrinth of settings that might be tripping you up.
Alternate Approach: Reset Home Screen Layout
If your apps still refuse to budge after tackling the “Haptic Touch” timing dance or toggling the Deleting Apps permission under Content & Privacy Restrictions, try resetting your home screen layout. Sometimes, UI glitches prevent apps from entering that delete-mode wiggle. Here’s how:
- Navigate to Settings > General > Reset (or Transfer/Reset iPhone).
- Tap Reset Home Screen Layout.
This will return your widgets and app arrangement to factory default without deleting any apps. Bonus: it forces weird or redundant home behaviors (yes, Siri, looking at you) to normalize.
iCloud Linked Apps and System Shocks
The apps that appear undeletable? Some can be, but there’s a catch: If the app data is synced through iCloud Drive, toggling iCloud settings might help to offload or outright delete them. Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Manage Storage—you might find relevant app settings buried here. Sometimes it’s not a restriction—it’s Apple quietly syncing your soul across devices.
Why Widgets Might Be Your Silent Saboteur
@vrijheidsvogel hinted at this, but let’s dig in: Certain “apps” on your screen might not even be apps—they’re widgets. To confirm this:
- Swipe to bring the widgets into view and scroll down to Edit Widgets.
- Anything non-essential or unhelpful (which Siri Suggestions often is) can be disabled completely here.
This tip doesn’t delete apps directly, but reducing clutter makes management easier. Win some, lose some.
The Pros and Cons of Apple’s Walled Garden
- Pros: Keeps you from ruining your system accidentally by deleting vital apps; retains your app data safely.
- Cons: Needlessly complex for power users, doesn’t always offer freedom for personal preferences. Can someone @GooglePlay me a refund for my frustration?
BONUS TIP: Offloading vs. Deletion—Choose Wisely
Settings > General > iPhone Storage is solid advice (as they noted), but understand the difference between offloading and full deletion:
- Offloading keeps your user data intact (great for apps you might revisit).
- Deleting nukes everything. Be brutal only if you know you won’t ever need the app again.
While both @caminantenocturno and @vrijheidsvogel threw shade at Apple (justifiably), let’s recognize Google phones occasionally suffer similar stubbornness with inbuilt apps. Apple just makes it personal with that patronizing Stocks app, huh?
Above all, keep experimenting without frustration—a little tapping finesse plus thoughtful use of widgets and storage settings will de-clutter your phone in no time.