It’s worth noting that your system apps like App Store, Photos, Safari, and any other native Apple apps won’t be deleted on your iPhone. You can only delete applications that you have downloaded from the App Store or third parties. Moreover, it’s also possible that the problem is caused by app restrictions you’ve enabled on your iPhone.
Therefore, these are some common reasons behind the issue on your iPhone. Try the below troubleshooting solutions to fix the “can’t delete an app on your iPhone.”
How to Fix Can’t Delete Apps After iOS 17 Update
On the iPhone, there are two ways to delete or uninstall programs. The first comes from the Home screen, while the second is from the App Library. If you are trying to delete apps from the Home screen and it’s not deleting, try the App library instead.
However, deleting apps on the home screen and App Library is slightly different. We suggest you delete the app from the App Library on your iPhone. If it fails to work, follow the solutions listed below. Make sure to follow every solution carefully till the end, and you’ll get back to delete apps again.
Fix 1: Disable Restrictions on iPhone
If you cannot delete apps on your iPhone, the first thing you have to do is disable restrictions on your iPhone. You may have accidentally enabled it, preventing the app from deleting on your iPhone.
To disable restrictions on iPhone, follow the steps below:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. (You have to enter the passcode).
- Select iTunes & App Store Purchases.
- Tap Deleting Apps.
- Finally, tap the Allow button.
Once you have allowed the option, close the settings app and try deleting apps to check if the issue has been resolved.
Fix 2: Force Restart Your iPhone
The next thing you have to do is force restart your iPhone. There’s a possibility that due to software conflicts and glitches, you are unable to delete the application on your iPhone. In that case, the best way to troubleshoot the problem is to restart the device.
Restarting the device is one of the most workable methods of all time that fixes several issues and glitches. It improves the device performance and efficiency as well.
To force restart your iPhone, follow the steps below:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Next, press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Power button (side button) until the screen goes black and the Apple logo appears on the screen.
- Once the Apple logo appears on the screen, release the power button.
- Wait until the device completely reboots into the system.
Fix 3: Update Your iPhone
If you are running on the oldest iOS version on your iPhone, you probably experience several issues. In that case, you should check your device for pending software updates.
Apple frequently releases software and beta updates to improve the performance of the device. It also fixes several issues including software bugs and glitches. Make sure to check for pending software updates on your iOS 17 device. To do so:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on General.
- Next, tap on Software Update > Select Automatic Updates to On. Once you enable this, your iPhone will install updates automatically whenever it’s available.
- Now, your iPhone will also check for the pending software update.
- Download and install the update if available. (Enter the passcode once the prompt appears).
- Wait for the update installation process, once the update is finished, the iPhone will automatically reboot the system.
- It may take some time to boot up, so have some patience.
Note: If there is no update available on the screen, you will have an “iOS is up to date” message on the screen. This means you’re already running on the latest iOS version.
Fix 4: Sign Out of Apple ID and Sign Back In
If you are still unable to delete apps on your iPhone, bother not. You can also try to sign out of Apple ID and sign back in on the iPhone. This may help you to get back to delete apps on your iPhone. Here’s what to do.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on the Apple ID banner at the top center.
- Scroll down to the bottom and tap the Sign Out button.
- Once you successfully logged out, then sign back in using your Apple ID and password.
- Once logged in, check if the issue has been resolved.
Fix 5: Try Deleting Apps from Settings App
Many users don’t know how to delete the apps, especially those who are new in the Apple ecosystem. Apple offers a pretty simple way to remove apps right from the settings app. If you are unable to remove the app from the home screen or App Library, try uninstalling the apps via the settings app. Here’s how you can delete the app from settings app:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on General > iPhone Storage.
- Look for the app that you want to remove and tap on it.
- Finally, please tap on the Delete App and confirm it to proceed.
Fix 6: Reset All Settings
Resetting the device settings is one of the most effective methods that fixes several issues and glitches on the device. It’ll help you in fixing the “unable to delete app” issue on your iPhone. Keep in mind that resetting the device settings will not impact your personal data and media files.
However, the settings on your device such as notification settings, network settings, permissions, etc., will be reset completely.
To reset all settings on your iPhone, follow the steps below:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on General.
- Next, tap on the Reset > Tranfer or Reset iPhone > Reset All Settings.
- Enter the passcode and tap on the Reset All Settings to proceed.
Once you have proceeded with this method on your iPhone, leave your device for a few minutes to complete the process. Once the process is finished, try deleting the app to check if the issue has been resolved.
Final Words
That’s how you can troubleshoot, and fix can’t delete app issue on your iPhone by following the solutions above. It can be irritating when you are unable to delete the app you’re trying to remove. Thankfully, you can easily get back to uninstalling the app by attempting the workarounds. If you have tried the above solutions and it fails to work, then you can also perform a factory reset or contact the support team for further help. We hope that this guide helped you. If you have any other questions, let us know in the comments section.
