How to see recently deleted apps on iPhone
Photos has a Recently Deleted album, but apps do not. The App Store keeps a list of everything you downloaded, and that is where to look.
Photo by thiago japyassu on Unsplash
Many guides say iPhone keeps a list of recently deleted apps for 30 days, like the Recently Deleted album in Photos. It does not. Apps are removed at once, and the list you are looking for is really your App Store download history. It is just as useful: every app you ever downloaded with your Apple Account is there, and reinstalling is free for apps you already got.
The fix
Find deleted apps in the App Store
- 1
Open the App Store.
- 2
Tap your profile picture at the top right.
- 3
Tap Purchased.
If you use Family Sharing, tap My Purchases on the next screen.
- 4
Tap Not on this iPhone.
This tab lists apps you downloaded before that are not installed now. Use the search bar to find one by name.
- 5
Tap the cloud icon next to the app to reinstall it.
Free apps appear here too. The word Purchased is misleading: it covers everything you downloaded, not only paid apps.
Why you cannot see when you deleted an app
The Not on this iPhone list is sorted by when you first downloaded each app, not when you removed it. iPhone does not record a deletion date that you can see. If you remember roughly what the app was called, the search bar is faster than scrolling.
Check for offloaded apps
An offloaded app is different from a deleted one. Offloading removes the app but keeps its data, and the icon stays on your Home Screen with a small cloud next to its name. Tap it and the app downloads again with your data in place. iPhone can offload unused apps by itself when storage is low. Look in Settings › General › iPhone Storage to see which apps are offloaded and to turn the automatic option on or off.
App not in the list? Check Hidden Purchases
If you hid a purchase, it will not show in Purchased. Open the App Store, tap your profile picture, then your name to open the account page, and look for Hidden Purchases. Unhide the app there and it returns to your list. Also check that you are signed in with the same Apple Account you used when you downloaded the app.
- Different Apple Account: sign in with the other account to see its downloads.
- Family Sharing: tap My Purchases, then pick a family member to see what they bought.
- Removed from the App Store: if the developer pulled the app, it may not be available to download again.
What happens to your data when you reinstall
Deleting an app removes the app and the data it stored on your iPhone. When you reinstall, anything saved in the app's own account or in iCloud comes back after you sign in, such as messages in a chat app or progress in many games. Anything that lived only on the iPhone is gone, unless you restore from a backup. If an app held something important, see how to restore an iPhone from a backup.
Deleted apps can still charge you
Deleting an app does not cancel its subscription. To see what you are still paying for, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions. Apps you deleted still appear if they bill you. Our guide to canceling subscriptions on iPhone shows how to cancel.
How to stop deleting apps by accident
- Press and hold an app, then choose Remove App carefully. The menu offers Delete App and Remove from Home Screen. Remove from Home Screen keeps the app in the App Library.
- Use Screen Time to block deleting apps: Settings › Screen Time › Content & Privacy Restrictions › iTunes & App Store Purchases › Deleting Apps.
- Keep your iPhone backed up, so a deleted app and its data can be restored. See our guide to backing up an iPhone.
Short on space and tempted to delete? Try freeing up iPhone storage first, which shows what is using space before you remove anything.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Recently Deleted folder for apps on iPhone?
No. Photos has a Recently Deleted album, but apps do not. To see apps you removed, open the App Store, tap your profile picture, then Purchased, then Not on this iPhone.
Will I get my app data back when I reinstall a deleted app?
Not always. Deleting an app removes its data from the iPhone. Data stored in your account or iCloud comes back after you sign in. Offloading an app instead keeps its data.
Why is a deleted app missing from my Purchased list?
You may have hidden the purchase, signed in with a different Apple Account, or the developer removed the app from the App Store. Check Hidden Purchases in your account page.
Do I still pay for an app after I delete it?
If it has a subscription, yes. Deleting the app does not cancel it. Cancel in Settings › your name › Subscriptions.
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