How to Delete Apps on an Android Phone

Tap and hold on the Home screen, or go to Settings

What to Know

  • From homescreen: Swipe up from the homescreen > tap and hold the app > Uninstall > OK.
  • From Settings: Tap Apps > tap the app > Uninstall > OK.
  • From the Play Store app: Tap profile icon > Manage Apps & Device > Manage > checkbox > trash can > Uninstall.

This article provides step-by-step instructions for three ways to delete apps from your Android smartphone, including how to delete pre-installed apps.

How Do I Get Rid of Apps I Don't Want? 

There are multiple ways to delete apps that you don't want from your Android smartphone. Here are two of the easiest.

How to Delete Android Apps

  1. From the homescreen of your phone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to show your list of apps.

  2. Tap and hold the app you want to delete until a menu pops out from it.

  3. In the pop-out menu, tap Uninstall.

    In some versions of Android, like Android 12 on Pixel, you have to drag the app to see the Uninstall option, and when you see it, drag the icon into that box at the top.

    An Android with the app pop-out menu activated
  4. A pop-up window makes sure you understand what's going to happen. To continue with deleting the app, tap OK.

  5. A message tells you the app has been uninstalled and it is now removed from your Android phone.

    Deletion and confirmation of an app on Android

To delete an app from the home screen without uninstalling the app itself , just tap and hold until the pop-out menu appears. Tap Remove. Or in some versions of Android, like Android 12 on Pixel, you have to drag the app to see the Remove option, and when you see it, drag the icon into that box at the top.The app is still on your phone, but is no longer taking up room on the home screen.

How to Delete Android Apps From Settings

This option is particularly good if you're trying to free up storage space, since it lets you see which apps take up a lot of space.

  1. Open the Settings app and tap Apps.

  2. Tap the app you want to delete.

    Android App Settings screen with an app selected
  3. Tap Uninstall.

    Some apps don't show an Uninstall button on this screen. To learn how to delete these pre-installed apps, check out the next section.

  4. In the pop-menu, tap OK. In just a moment, the app you selected will be deleted from your Android.

    Android app marked Uninstall and confirmation

How Do I Uninstall Preinstalled Apps in Android?

Android phones come with a lot of pre-installed apps, and uninstalling these often requires a different set of steps. To uninstall preinstalled apps, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Google Play Store app and tap on your profile icon in the top right corner.

  2. Tap Manage Apps & Device.

  3. Tap Manage.

    Managing apps and devices in Google Play Store
  4. Tap the check box next to each app you want to delete.

  5. Tap the trash can icon at the top right of the screen.

  6. In the pop-up menu, tap Uninstall.

    App marked for deletion with Uninstall highlighted
  7. Technically, this won't totally remove the pre-installed app from your phone. The icon will still appear in this list. However, this does remove all updates you've installed to the app and frees up all storage used by the app.

Why Can't I Delete Apps on My Android?

In some cases, you may find you're not able to delete the apps you want to remove. If you're facing that situation, here are some of the causes:

  • App is system or pre-installed: Some apps can't be deleted, either because they're essential to the operation of the phone or because the phone's maker or phone company has blocked deleting them.
  • Deletion is blocked by an admin: If you get your phone from work or a parent, it could be configured to only allow someone with an administrator password to delete some or all apps.
  • There's a bug: It's possible that you're experiencing some kind of bug preventing app deletion. If so, try restarting your Android and, if that doesn't work, installing any available OS updates.
FAQ
  • How do I hide apps in Android?

    The Android OS doesn't have a built-in way to hide apps you aren't using or want to secure, but you have options. One is to disable an app by going to Settings > Apps > tap the app > Disable. A disabled app won't appear in your App Drawer, but you can still reactivate it from Settings without having to go to the App Store. You can also use a secure folder or a third-party app.

  • How do I move apps to an SD card in Android?

    One alternative to deleting things from your Android device to clear space is moving apps to an SD card. To do so, insert the SD card, and then go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App info > select app > Storage > Change, and then select your SD card. Not all apps support this option.

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