With iOS 14 and later, Apple gives users more control than ever to customize their iPhone experience, including the ability to delete and reinstall many built-in apps like Mail, Music, Maps, and more. While not every default app can be removed, many non-essential ones can be deleted just like third-party apps—and restored anytime from the App Store.
This guide walks you through how to delete and reinstall Apple’s built-in apps on your iPhone, what happens when you remove them, which apps can and can’t be deleted, and how to fix issues if a built-in app is missing.
✅ Why Delete Built-In Apps?
You might want to delete a built-in app because:
- You don’t use it and want to free up Home Screen space
- You’re using a third-party alternative (e.g., Gmail instead of Mail, Spotify instead of Music)
- You want to streamline your iPhone’s interface or reduce clutter
- You’re troubleshooting an issue and need to reinstall the app
Good news: Apple allows deletion of many default apps without affecting the core performance of iOS.
🗑 How to Delete Built-In Apps on iPhone (iOS 14 and Later)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Find the built-in app you want to delete on your Home Screen.
- Tap and hold the app icon until a menu appears.
- Tap Remove App.
- Tap Delete App.
- Confirm by tapping Delete again.
The app will be removed from your iPhone and hidden from search, Siri, and shortcuts.
📥 How to Reinstall Built-In Apple Apps from the App Store
If you deleted an app like Mail, Music, Maps, or Weather, you can easily restore it from the App Store.
Steps:
- Open the App Store on your iPhone.
- Tap the Search tab at the bottom.
- Enter the name of the Apple app (e.g., “Mail” or “Music”).
- Tap the download icon (cloud with a downward arrow) next to the app.
- The app will reappear on your Home Screen.
🔁 Reinstalling the app restores it with default settings. You may need to re-enable it as the default app (e.g., setting Mail as the default email app).
💡 List of Built-In Apple Apps You Can Delete
As of iOS 14+, here’s a list of Apple apps that can be deleted:
- Calculator
- Calendar
- Compass
- Contacts
- FaceTime
- Files
- Find My
- Home
- iTunes Store
- Maps
- Measure
- Music
- News
- Notes
- Podcasts
- Reminders
- Shortcuts
- Stocks
- Tips
- Translate
- TV
- Voice Memos
- Watch
- Weather
📝 Some apps (like Contacts and FaceTime) may still be accessible from other apps even after deletion. For example, Contacts is still available through the Phone app.
🛑 Built-In Apps You Cannot Delete
These system-level apps are deeply integrated and cannot be deleted:
- Phone
- Messages
- Safari
- Settings
- App Store
- Camera
- Clock
- Photos
- Health
- Wallet
- Find My (partial removal only)
📌 You can hide these apps from the Home Screen or restrict them using Screen Time settings, but you can’t delete them entirely.
🔧 What Happens When You Delete a Built-In App?
- The app and its associated data (preferences, settings) are removed.
- Siri and Search results for that app are disabled.
- Related system functions may not work fully. For example:
- Deleting Maps breaks navigation in Siri until reinstalled.
- Deleting Mail disables mail-to links until another app is set as default.
- If you delete Contacts, your saved contacts are not lost—they’re stored in iCloud or other synced accounts and remain accessible via Phone or Messages.
🧠 Reassigning Default Apps (iOS 14+)
If you uninstall Mail or Safari and reinstall them, you may need to reassign them as default apps.
To Set a Default Email or Browser App:
- Go to Settings > [App Name] (e.g., Gmail or Chrome).
- Tap Default Mail App or Default Browser App.
- Select the app you want to use.
You can only assign this setting to apps that support being default.
🛠 Troubleshooting: Can’t Find or Reinstall a Deleted App?
If you’re unable to find or reinstall a built-in app:
Check Restrictions
- Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps
- Make sure the app is toggled ON
Make Sure You’re Using the Correct App Name
- For example, search “Apple Mail” or “Apple Maps”
- If the app doesn’t appear, you may be using the wrong Apple ID or App Store region
Restart Your iPhone
- Occasionally, the App Store won’t show Apple apps until the device is rebooted
📋 Summary Table
| Task | Steps |
| Delete Apple app | Tap & Hold > Remove App > Delete App |
| Reinstall deleted app | Open App Store > Search app name > Tap download icon |
| Set as default again | Settings > App > Default App |
| Can’t delete app | May be system-required (e.g., Safari, Messages) |
| Can’t reinstall | Check Screen Time restrictions or Apple ID region |
✅ Final Thoughts
With iOS 14 and later, you can delete and reinstall most built-in apps on your iPhone to better customize your experience. Whether you prefer third-party alternatives, want to free up screen space, or need to troubleshoot an issue, Apple makes it easy to remove and restore apps like Mail, Music, Maps, and more.
Just remember: Some apps are permanently baked into iOS and can’t be deleted. For those, consider using Screen Time to hide or restrict them instead.
Meta Description:
Want to remove Apple apps like Mail or Music from your iPhone? Learn how to delete and reinstall built-in apps on iOS 14+ with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips.
