Delete built-in Apple apps on your iOS 12, iOS 13, iPadOS device or Apple Watch

With iOS 12, iOS 13 and iPadOS, you can delete some built-in Apple apps from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch 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 that you can delete from your device

If you have iOS 12, iOS 13 or iPadOS 13, you can delete1 these apps from your device:

  • Activity

  • Apple Books4

  • Calculator

  • Calendar

  • Compass

  • Contacts2

  • FaceTime3

  • Files

  • Find My Friends (iOS 12 only)

  • Home

  • iTunes Store

  • Mail

  • Maps4

  • Measure

  • Music4

  • News (where available)

  • Notes

  • Podcasts4

  • Reminders

  • Stocks

  • Tips

  • TV (where available)

  • Videos

  • Voice Memos

  • Watch app5

  • Weather

  1. With iOS 10, you can remove built-in apps from the Home screen on your device, but you can't delete them. See this article for more information on built-in apps in iOS 10.

  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 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.

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

Delete a built-in app from your device

  1. On your iOS or iPadOS device, touch and hold the app.

  2. Tap Rearrange Apps.

  3. Tap No alt supplied for Image in the top left-hand corner to delete the app.

  4. Tap Delete. Then on an iPhone X or later, tap Done. Or on an iPhone 8 or earlier, press the Home button.

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

Restore a built-in app that you've deleted

  1. On your iOS or iPadOS device, go to the App Store.

  2. Search for the app. Make sure you use the exact name of the app. Find the correct name of built-in apps.

  3. Tap No alt supplied for Image to restore the app.

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

If you have an 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. Here are some examples:

  • If you have an Apple Watch paired with your iPhone, deleting an app from your iPhone also deletes that app from your Apple Watch Home screen.

  • If you delete the Podcasts app from your device, the Podcasts app 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.

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

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