Introduction
At some point, downloading a lot of apps and taking a lot of pictures and videos catches up with all of us, leaving us to scramble to figure out what to delete to free up space on our device. Thankfully, Apple makes it possible to offload apps we no longer need to free up space. When you offload an app you still keep your unique information associated with that app on your iPhone or iPad, but you delete the core app. So if you reinstall that app again at a later date, you can pick up where you left off. Apple makes it possible to manually offload individual apps, or you can turn on automated app offloading, which will offload your most unused apps automatically when you’re low on storage.
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Steps to Manually Offload Unused Apps on iPhone or iPad
- Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. You’ll land on the Settings screen.
- Scroll down this menu, and then tap “General.”
- Tap either “iPad Storage” or “iPhone Storage” in this menu, depending on which device you’re using.
- Scroll down to the bottom of this screen, where you’ll see a long list of the apps on your iPhone or iPad in order of the space they are taking up on your device.
- Find the individual app you want to offload from your iPhone or iPad, and then tap that app. An information screen for that specific app opens.
- Tap “Offload App” on this screen. An Offload App window pops up, letting you know that offloading this app will delete the app but keeps its documents and data on your device.
- Tap “Offload App” again. The app will be offloaded, meaning that you’ll still see the app icon on your iPhone or iPad, and your data associated with that app is still stored on your device, but you’ll need to redownload the app again to use it. Offloaded apps will have a cloud icon next to their name.
Steps to Automatically Offload Unused Apps on iPhone or iPad
- Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. You’ll land on the Settings screen.
- Scroll down this menu, and then tap “App Store.” The App Store menu is shown.
- Tap to toggle on “Offload Unused Apps.” Going forward, whenever your iPhone or iPad is low on storage, your device will automatically offload unused apps to free up space. For any apps that are offloaded, you’ll still see the app icon on your iPhone or iPad, and your data associated with that app is still stored on your device, but you’ll need to redownload the app again to use it. Offloaded apps will have a cloud icon next to their name.
Reasons to Offload Unused Apps on iPhone or iPad
1. Low Storage Space
If your iPhone or iPad is constantly reminding you of limited storage space, offloading apps can help. This feature removes the app, but keeps its documents and data. As a result, you reclaim valuable storage space without losing important information. Keep in mind that some apps, such as games, can take up a lot of space. Offloading these can make a significant difference.
2. App Performance
If an app is slowing down your device or causing performance issues, offloading it and reinstalling it can help. This process refreshes the app and its data, improving its performance.
3. Backup
Backing up your device can take a while, especially if you have a lot of data. Offloading apps can reduce the backup size, making the process faster. This way, you can ensure your data is backed up efficiently.
