iOS and iPadOS 16 allow more native apps to be uninstalled by users

When iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 are released later this year, iPhone and iPad users will be able to remove even more system apps from the phone. Users first got this opportunity in 2016 with iOS 10. Since then, several system apps have been added to the list of native apps that could be uninstalled. If you have the same app on your Apple Watch, deleting your iPhone or iPad will also delete it from your timepiece.

With iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, the following system apps can be removed:

Calculator.
Calendar.
Compass.
Contacts.
FaceTime.
Find my friends.
House.
iBooks.
iCloud drive.
itunes store.
Mail.
Cards.
Music.
News. (where available)
Comments.
podcasts.
Memories.
Shares.
Tips.
Videos or television.
Voice Memos.
Watch app.
Weather.

Over the years, the list of system apps that can be uninstalled on iOS and iPadOS has grown, and iOS and iPadOS 16 also allow users to uninstall Find My, Health, and Clock apps from their iPhones and iPads. Keep in mind that uninstalling these apps will also remove some functionality from iPhone and iPad models.

The Clock app is one of the system apps that can be uninstalled

As indicated by 9to5MacUninstalling the Find My app will not erase built-in features such as Find My Friends. Users will see a message that any devices, people, or items associated with their Apple ID are still associated with their Apple ID, even after the Find My app is deleted. Users can manage certain options in the Settings app. However, without the Find My app installed, the Air Tag accessories will not work.

Reinstalling a system app that you deleted is a breeze.

To remove an app from your iPhone or iPad, gently press the screen until the app icons shake like Jello. Tap the “-” associated with the icon for the app you’re uninstalling and tap Uninstall app.

Similarly, Apple notes that if you delete the Contacts app, all your contact information will remain in the Phone app. If you decide to delete the FaceTime app, you can still make and receive FaceTime calls in Contacts and the Phone app. If you uninstall the iBooks, Maps, Music, or Podcast apps, they will not be available for use with CarPlay. If you try to remove the Watch app from an iPhone that’s paired with an Apple Watch, you’ll be prompted to unpair your Apple Watch before you can remove the app.

Reinstalling iOS or iPad system apps that you delete is not a problem as you can find them in the App Store and install them just like any other app. After this news, there are only a few system apps that users cannot uninstall, such as Phone, Safari, Messages and the App Store. In addition to reinstalling a system app from the App Store, you can always replace a system app with a third-party app.

For example, let’s say you delete the clock app from iOS system. You can always replace it by adding a third-party clock app from the App Store.

Since it is always possible that deleting a system app will seriously disrupt the operation of your iPhone or iPad, make sure that you definitely want to delete the system apps that you delete. And keep in mind that uninstalling a system app won’t add much extra storage to your device, so don’t take such a step just because you’re running out of native storage space.

Apple says, “The apps built into iOS are designed to be very space-efficient, so they all use less than 200MB together. Removing built-in iOS apps won’t free up storage space on your device.” However, it is important to remember that “when you delete a built-in app from your home screen, you also delete all related user data and configuration files.”

Apple is expected to release the final, stable version of iOS 16 sometime in September.