How to offload unused apps on an iPhone
2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Open Settings, tap General, then iPhone Storage. Tap Enable next to Offload Unused Apps to let the iPhone do it automatically, or tap a single app and choose Offload App. The app is removed, but its documents and data stay.
Offloading frees storage without losing anything. The app itself is deleted, its data stays on the phone, and the icon remains on the Home Screen with a small download symbol. One tap brings the app back as it was.
Menu names are from iOS 26. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the screen, not screenshots.
Step by step
Open Settings and tap General
Then tap iPhone Storage. The list takes a moment to load.
Turn on automatic offloading
Under Recommendations, tap Enable next to Offload Unused Apps. The iPhone then removes apps you have not opened for a long time when space runs low.
Or offload one app
Tap the app in the list and tap Offload App, then confirm. The page shows how much space the app itself uses and how much its data uses.
Bring an app back
Tap its icon on the Home Screen. It downloads again from the App Store and opens with your data in place.
Good to know
Offloading helps most with large apps that hold little data, such as games you have finished. For apps where the data is the big part, like a podcast or video app, clear the downloads inside the app instead.
Built-in apps such as Phone, Messages, Photos, Safari and Wallet cannot be offloaded.
An offloaded app can only return while it is still in the App Store, and it needs an internet connection.
To switch automatic offloading off again, go to Settings, Apps, App Store and turn off Offload Unused Apps.
More ways to make room: iPhone storage full.
In short: Settings, General, iPhone Storage. Enable Offload Unused Apps, or tap an app and Offload App.
- iDownloadBlog: What is Offload App and how to use it on iPhone or iPad
- Apple Support: iPhone User Guide, storage
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.