How do I uninstall apps on my Android phone?
Touch and hold the app's icon, then tap Uninstall and confirm with OK. You can also open the Play Store, tap your profile picture, tap Manage apps & devices, then Manage, pick the app and tap Uninstall. Apps that came with the phone often cannot be removed, but most can be disabled instead.
Steps to check
Uninstall from the Home screen or app list
Find the app on your Home screen or in your list of apps. Touch and hold its icon until a small menu appears. Tap Uninstall, then tap OK to confirm. If you do not see Uninstall in that menu, use one of the next two ways instead.
Or uninstall from the Play Store
Open the Google Play Store app. At the top right, tap your profile picture. Tap Manage apps & devices, then tap Manage. Tap the name of the app you want to remove, then tap Uninstall. This is handy when you cannot find the app's icon on your phone.
Or uninstall from Settings
Open Settings, then tap Apps (on some phones, Apps & notifications). Tap See all apps if you need the full list. Tap the app, then tap Uninstall and confirm.
If you only see Disable, not Uninstall
Some apps came with your phone and cannot be removed. On many phones you can turn them off instead: in the same Settings screen, tap Disable. The app stops running and is hidden from your app list. You can turn it back on later with Enable.
Want to keep your data? Try Archive
On Android 15 and newer phones that support it, you can archive an app instead. Open Settings, tap Apps, choose the app and tap Archive. The app itself is removed to save space, but its icon and your data stay on the phone. Tap the faded icon later to put the app back.
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
Not seeing Uninstall for apps that came with the phone, such as the phone maker's own apps. Disable is the usual option for those.
Worth a closer look
An app you installed yourself that will not uninstall, keeps coming back, or shows pop-up ads. Restart the phone and try again from Settings. If it still will not go, see our guide on checking your phone for a virus.
Common questions
- If I uninstall a paid app, do I have to buy it again?
- No. Apps you bought stay linked to your Google Account, so you can install them again from the Play Store without paying again.
- Does uninstalling an app delete my account with that service?
- No. Removing the app only removes it from your phone. Any account you made with that company stays open until you close it with them.
- What is the difference between uninstall and archive?
- Uninstall removes the app and its data. Archive removes the app but keeps its icon and your data, so it is quicker to bring back. Archive is only on newer phones.
Related questions
Sources we checked
- Delete apps on your Android device (Google Play Help)
- Disable apps that came with your Android device (Google Play Help)
- Archive unused apps on Android (Google Play Help)
- Free up storage space on your Galaxy phone or tablet (Samsung)
Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.