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Remove apps to free up space and declutter your iPod
- You can delete iPod Touch apps that you no longer want or need. Maybe you downloaded the app by mistake or were only testing it out. Deleting apps is simple and can be done in seconds.
- There are a few different ways to uninstall iPod Touch apps. When you delete apps, you free up space on your device and make room on your home screen for more apps. Before you delete the app, consider organizing your apps into folders if you just need to declutter your screen.
NOTE: The directions on this page should work for all versions of the iPod Touch, regardless of the model or iOS version.
How to Delete Apps From the Home Screen
The easiest way to delete apps on the iPod is to do it directly on the device. This process is similar to how you rearrange apps on the home screen or create folders.
- Tap and hold any app so that all of your apps begin to wiggle.
- Locate the app you want deleted, and tap the X from the upper-left side.
- Tap Delete to confirm and remove the app.
- Repeat this process for each app you want to delete.
- Press the home button when you’re finished to make the apps stop wiggling and return the home screen to its normal state. You could also just wait a while for this mode to end.
- This technique deletes the app from your iPod Touch but not your computer. If you sync your iPod with a computer, it doesn’t remove the app from there, so you can reinstall it later.
SEE THIS: Beginning with iOS 10, you can delete apps that are pre-installed with iOS. For example, if you don’t own any stocks, you can delete the Stocks app that came with your iPod Touch. The same is true for Weather, Books, Home, Maps, Reminders, etc.
How to Get Rid of Apps Using Settings on the iPod Touch
This little-known method gets rid of apps right on your iPod Touch through the Settings app. The benefit of this technique over the tap-and-hold one from above is that you can see how much space the apps are taking up, making it much easier to delete the biggest offenders.
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to General > iPod Touch Storage.
- On some older iPod Touch versions, the storage section is called Storage & iCloud Usage. If you select that option, choose Manage Storage on the next page.
- Tap any app from the list to see how much space the app is taking up and how much of that space is the app itself or just its associated documents and data.
- Select Delete App, and then confirm it once more to remove the app from your iPod Touch.
- Tap < Back at the top of the screen to return to the list of apps on your iPod and remove other ones.
- TIP: Do you also have an iPad that you want to delete apps from? Get step-by-step instructions in How to Delete Apps on an iPad.
How to Delete Apps Using iTunes on Your Computer
If you sync your iPod Touch with a computer, use iTunes to delete apps from your device. This option is convenient when you want to remove lots of apps.
NOTE: The ability to sync apps was removed from iTunes version 12.7, released in 2017. If you’re using an earlier version of iTunes, these instructions still apply, but if not, try some of the other instructions on this page to delete your iPod apps.
- Sync your iPod with your computer. The process works the same way as syncing an iPhone.
- When the sync is complete, select Apps from the drop-down menu at the top of the screen, and select your iPod Touch to display all the apps on your device.
- Select any app you want to remove.
- Hit the Delete key and then choose Move to Trash on the pop-up.
- Repeat for any other apps you want to remove.
- Apple remembers all your purchases. If you decide you need an app back in the future, you can re-download it. You may, however, lose in-app information, such as game scores.
NOTE: There’s one scenario in which your apps might seem to be deleted but actually are still on your iPod Touch. Learn how to get missing apps back.
How to Hide Apps From iCloud
iCloud saves information on everything you buy from the iTunes Store and App Store so you can re-download past purchases. Even if you delete an app from your iPod and your computer, it’s still available in iCloud.
You can’t permanently delete an app from iCloud, but you can hide it from your computer and mobile device:
- Open iTunes on your computer.
BE WARNED: Since this uses iTunes, remember that this only works on older versions of that program.
- Select App Store.
- Go to Purchased in the right column.
- Select the Apps tab and then choose All.
- Find the app you want to hide and hover your mouse over it. Select the X when it appears to hide the app.
Uninstall iPod Touch Apps With Third-Party Programs
iTunes isn’t the only software that can interface with an iPod Touch from your computer. Other applications that run from your PC or Mac can transfer files to and from the iPod just like iTunes, and some can also remove apps.
Using a third-party program to uninstall apps from your iPod is ideal if you’re running the latest version of iTunes and you don’t want to revert to an older edition just to delete apps. These applications also usually have features missing in iTunes.
Syncios is one example of a free manager that lets you delete apps. Just plug your iPod Touch into your computer like you would to use it with iTunes, but open Syncios instead, and go into its Apps menu to find the apps you want removed.
Tap the trash icon next to any app you want deleted, or place a check in the box next to multiple apps to remove them in bulk.
