Delete built-in Apple apps from your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch

With iOS 14 or later, iPadOS, and watchOS 9.4 or later, you can delete some built-in Apple apps from your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.

When you delete a built-in app from your device, you also delete any related user data and configuration files. This can affect things like related system functions or information on your Apple Watch.

Built-in apps you can delete from iPhone or iPad

If you have iOS 14 or later or iPadOS, you can delete these apps from your device:

  • Activity7

  • Apple Books1

  • Apple TV

  • Calculator7

  • Calendar

  • Clock

  • Compass7

  • Contacts2

  • FaceTime3

  • Files

  • Find My5

  • Freeform

  • Health4

  • Home

  • iTunes Store

  • Mail

  • Maps1

  • Measure

  • Music1

  • News (where available)

  • Notes

  • Podcasts1

  • Reminders

  • Shortcuts

  • Stocks

  • Tips

  • Translate7

  • TV (where available)

  • Voice Memos

  • Wallet

  • Watch app6 7

  • Weather

Built-in apps you can delete from Apple Watch

If you have watchOS 9.4 or later, you can delete these apps directly from your Apple Watch:

  • Activity

  • Alarms

  • Blood Oxygen

  • Camera Remote

  • Contacts

  • Cycle Tracking

  • Depth

  • ECG

  • Siren

  • Find Devices

  • Find Items

  • Find People

  • Heart Rate

  • Medications

  • Memoji

  • Mindfulness

  • Noise

  • Now Playing

  • Sleep

  • Stopwatch

  • Timers

  • Tips

  • Voice Memos

  • Wallet

  • Walkie-Talkie (where available)

  • Workout

  • World Clock

Delete a built-in app from your device

On your iPhone or iPad:

  1. Touch and hold the app.

  2. Tap Remove App or Delete App from the shortcut menu.

  3. Tap Delete App or Delete from the submenu.

If you have Apple Watch, deleting an app from your iPhone also deletes that app from your Apple Watch.

On your Apple Watch:

  1. Press the Digital Crown to show all of your apps on the Home Screen.

  2. Touch and hold an app.

  3. Tap the Delete buttonNo alt supplied for Image on the app you want to delete, then tap Delete App to confirm.

  4. Press the Digital Crown to finish.

If you delete a built-in app from your Apple Watch that is also on your iPhone, such as Contacts, the app won’t be deleted from your iPhone.

Restore a built-in app that you've deleted

  1. On your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, go to the App Store.

  2. Search for the app. Make sure you use the exact name of the app.

  3. Tap the Redownload buttonNo alt supplied for Image.

  4. Wait for the app to be restored, then open it from your Home Screen.

If you have Apple Watch, restoring an app to your iPhone also restores that app to your Apple Watch.

What happens when you delete built-in apps from your device

Deleting built-in apps from your device can affect other system functionalities:

  • If you have an Apple Watch paired with your iPhone, deleting an app from your iPhone will also delete that app from your Apple Watch.

  • If you delete the Podcasts app from your device, Podcasts won’t be available with CarPlay.

  • If you delete the Stocks or Weather app from your device, stocks and weather won’t be available elsewhere. For example, you won’t see stocks and weather information in Notification Centre on your iPhone or as Complications or Glances on your Apple Watch.

  • If you delete the Calculator app, the calculator won’t appear in Control Centre.

  • If you delete the Heart Rate app from your Apple Watch, high heart rate, low heart rate, irregular rhythm and cardio fitness notifications won’t be available in your Health Checklist.

To restore an affected functionality, you can add built-in apps back to your device.

  1. If you delete the Apple Books, Maps, Music or Podcast apps, they won’t be available to use with CarPlay. If you delete the Music app, you'll be unable to play audio content in its library using Apple apps or third-party apps on some car stereos or stereo receivers.

  2. If you delete the Contacts app, all of your contact information will remain in the Phone app.

  3. If you delete the FaceTime app, you can still make and receive FaceTime calls in Contacts and the Phone app.

  4. If you try to delete the Health app from an iPhone that’s paired with Apple Watch, an alert will ask you to unpair your Apple Watch before you can delete the app. If you delete the Health app, all of your data will remain on your iPhone, and any apps you’ve shared health data with will continue to have access. You can manage your health data in the Settings app > Health. Medication Reminders, Sleep, Cycle Tracking and Health Sharing will be turned off.

  5. If you delete the Find My app, sharing location relationships will not be broken. After deleting Find My, select Settings > Apple ID > Find My > Friends. Tap into any Friend, and at the bottom of the info card, tap Stop Sharing My Location. For AirTag and other non-Apple accessories using the Find My network, owners will lose visibility to these previously paired items.

  6. If you try to delete the Apple Watch app from an iPhone that’s paired with Apple Watch, an alert will ask you to unpair your Apple Watch before you can delete the app.

  7. App is not available on iPadOS.

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