What to Know
- Content & Privacy Restrictions may be to blame when your iPhone or iPad cannot delete apps.
- Allow deleting apps in Screen Time Settings > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases > Deleting Apps.
- Toggling restrictions off entirely also fixes this issue.
My iPhone won't let me delete an apps! It's a common problem, and it's often fixed with a very simple solution. We'll show you how to delete apps on an iPhone or iPad when tapping the X doesn't do the trick.
Jump to:
How To Fix iPhone or iPad Cannot Delete App
If you're here, you probably already know how to delete apps the standard way, but it's not working. If you're asking, "why won't my phone let me delete apps?", Content & Privacy Restrictions may be to blame. Here's how to remove apps from an iPhone or iPad that won't let you delete apps:
- To get your apps deleting again, first open the Settings app.
![Open the Settings app]()
- Scroll down and tap on Screen Time.
![Tap on Screen Time]()
- Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions. You may be prompted to enter your Screen Time passcode.
![Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions]()
- Select iTunes & App Store Purchases.
![Tap on iTunes & App Store Purchases]()
- Tap on Deleting Apps.
![Tap on Deleting Apps]()
- Tap on Allow.
![Tap on Allow]()
You'll see a blue checkmark appear next to Allow, and at this point you can leave the Settings app and try deleting apps again. It's a simple solution, but most of the time this is all it takes to fix the issue. Still having trouble? Try restarting your iPhone or iPad and give it another go. If you're having trouble finding apps on your iPad, they may not be listed on your Home screen, but you can find them in your iPad app library. For more troubleshooting tips, check out our free Tip of the Day newsletter.
Why Won't My Apps Delete? How to Disable Content & Privacy Restrictions
Alternatively, you may not care to have any restrictions in place for content, in which case you can simply disable the feature altogether using the following steps:
- Open the Settings app.
![Open the Settings app]()
- Scroll down and tap on Screen Time.
![Tap on Screen Time]()
- Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
![Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions]()
- Tap the toggle next to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
![Tap the toggle next to Content & Privacy Restrictions to turn it off]()
- When the Content & Privacy Restrictions feature is disabled, the toggle will be gray.
![The Content & Privacy Restrictions feature is disabled when the toggle is gray]()
These are two very simple ways to fix the common problem of not being allowed to delete apps. Now you should have the freedom to delete apps as you see fit! If you want to delete apps because you're worried about the data they are collecting on you, you can learn how to prevent apps from tracking you without having to delete them.
