How to Delete iPhone Apps for Good

What Apple’s iPhone platform provides in ease of use, it takes away in control. As easy as it is to learn how to use an iPhone, it can be tricky to get it to behave exactly like you want it to — that’s why almost nobody was particularly thrilled when Apple decided to upload U2’s newest album onto iPhones across the world without asking first.

One of the more difficult tasks for new iPhone owners is removing apps you’ve decided you no longer want. Here’s how to delete an iPhone app for good.

First, the simple method is to tap and hold the offending app’s icon on your home screen until all your iPhone’s app icons begin to jiggle. Then, you can tap the small “x” on the upper corner of the app. You’ll then be prompted with an option to delete the app and its data.

However, this doesn’t always rid your iPhone of the unwanted app for good. Sometimes you’ll find that upon connecting your iPhone to your computer to sync with iTunes, you’ll find the app has mysteriously reappeared on your iPhone. The solution for this is to go into iTunes on your desktop or laptop, select “Apps,” find the app you want to delete and click the small “x” on the app icon. That will ensure the app doesn’t find its way back to your iPhone through a sync again.