Table of Contents

1. Remove an app via the iPad, iTouch, or iPhone
2. Remove an app via iTunes
3. Permanently delete an app from your iTunes library and iPad, iTouch, or iPhone

Remove an app via the iPad, iTouch, or iPhone

To remove an app directly from your iPad, iTouch, or iPhone, press the icon on the device for the particular app you wish to delete until all of the icons on the screen start to wiggle. Once they are wiggling you will also see the symbol appear in the upper left-hand corner of each icon as shown in the image below.

Apps in Delete/Move mode

The symbol denotes an app that can be removed from your device. Note how this symbol does not appear on any Apple apps as you are not able to uninstall these.

To delete an app from the iPad or iPhone, simply tap on the symbol and you will be presented with a screen asking you to confirm that you would like to delete the app.

Confirmation prompt when deleting an app

When you tap on the Delete button, you will then be asked if you would like to rate the app. You can either tap on No Thanks or the Rate button to finish removing the app. The app should now be removed from your iPad or iPhone. The next time you reconnect your device to iTunes, this app will also be unchecked in the devices Apps synchronization screen. In the future if you wish to add that app back to the iPad, simply put a checkmark in the Apps Synchronization screen in iTunes and synch again. When the synchronization process is finished, the app will be restored on your device.

Remove an app via iTunes

It is also possible to remove apps from an iPad, iTouch, or iPhone from within iTunes. Simply start iTunes and click on your device's name under the Devices section and then click on the Apps tab. You will now be at a screen similar to the one below that shows all of your installed apps.

Apps synchronization screen

To remove an app from your iPad or iPhone, simply uncheck the app you wish to uninstall. The next time you sync iTunes will prompt if you wish to remove that app from your device as shown by the image below.

Remove apps from device confirmation

If you wish to continue removing the app then click on the Remove button. Otherwise click on the Cancel button to cancel the synchronization. Once the app is removed you can always add it back by putting the checkmark back next to the app that you removed previously and performing a sync.

Permanently delete an app from your iTunes library and iPad, iTouch, or iPhone

When you remove an app through your iPad, iTouch, or iPhone or through the device's Apps synchronization screen in iTunes it does not delete the application off of your computer. In order to permanently delete an app from your hard drive you need to delete it through the iTunes library.

To do this, start iTunes and under the Library category click on the Apps section. You will now be at a screen similar to the one below that shows all of the apps installed in the iTunes library and thus on your computer's hard drive.

iTunes Apps Library

To remove the app permanently you should right-click on the icon for the app you wish to remove and select delete. iTunes will then prompt if you wish to delete the App from your library as well as delete it off of your hard drive. Answer yes to both of these questions and the app will be removed from your library and computer.

If this app is also installed on your iPad, iTouch, or iPhone and you perform a sync, iTunes will ask if you would like to add these apps back into your library as shown below.

Prompt asking if you would like to add the apps back to the library

If you wish to add the apps back on to your computer, click on the Transfer button. Otherwise, click on the Don't Transfer button to remove the apps from your device as well.

Your apps will now be remove from both your computer's hard drive as well as your device. As always if you have any questions about this procedure, please do not hesitate to ask in the iPad forum.