I‘m so glad you love the Apple Watch I gifted you! I know you‘ve already filled it up with fun apps. But have you noticed it feeling a bit…sluggish lately?
Don‘t fret – the solution is simply deleting some unused apps to reclaim storage space. This speedy little wearable slows down quickly when capacity runs low.
Let me walk you through streamlining your apps down to essentials. I promise the process is super quick! With some expert deletions out of the way, your Apple Watch will be back to peak performance.
Why App Decluttering Improves Performance
Apple Watches contain far less storage than iPhones or iPads. My Series 5 Watch only has 32GB – many apps take up 1 GB or more! Without manual deletion, the system really drags.
But simply removing unused apps gives your processor and memory a chance to breathe. Check out these average install sizes:
| App | Install Size |
|---|---|
| 113.6 MB | |
| Messenger | 109 MB |
| Uber | 98.5 MB |
As you can see, just a handful of apps eats through storage shockingly fast. That‘s why periodic deletions keep things speedy!
Now let‘s cover how to delete apps directly on your Apple Watch first. Then we‘ll tackle the iPhone method too.
Step-By-Step: Deleting Apps On Your Apple Watch
With your watch on its charger, we‘ll start the app deletion process now:
1. Press the Digital Crown to Reveal All Apps
Turn on your display, then press that little dial button on the watch side to head to your home screen. This pulls up every app installed right now.
You should see all recently used apps first, followed by the full grid.
2. Long Press Watch Face to Access Options
Great! With all your apps visible, complete a long press on the watch screen itself. Hold down with firm pressure until you feel a longer buzz.
This brings up the "View Options" menu. The first option changes your app view between grid or list. Leave as-is.
Underneath, you‘ll see the "Edit Apps" option. Tap this!
3. Enter Selective Delete Mode
Selecting "Edit Apps" triggers a confirmation ding. Your watch screen then switches to show your apps gently shaking.
This means they can now be deleted, just like moving apps on your iPhone.
Time for some decluttering!
4. Tap and Hold Unwanted Apps, Then Delete
In edit mode, press and hold any app you want gone to make a remove icon pop up. Tap this "X" to delete.
For example, if you haven‘t opened Uber in months, remove it! This frees up an instant 98 MB.
Repeat for other neglected apps. Some built-ins can go too like "Breathe" or "Stopwatch."
Be mindful not to delete anything still useful! I‘ll cover restoring apps later.
5. Click Digital Crown Again To Save Changes
Once all your spring cleaning is complete, press the crown again to exit deletion mode. Give your watch face a final tap to finalize any removals.
Double check your home screen to validate unwanted apps were properly deleted. Nice tidying up!
Let‘s shift gears to removing Apple Watch apps from your linked iPhone next…
Removing Apps Through Your iPhone
In addition to directly editing your Apple Watch, you can delete associated apps remotely from your iPhone.
The effect is the same: removing an iPhone app removes its Apple Watch version automatically during your next overnight sync.
Let me demonstrate how!
1. Launch the Apple Watch App, Select "My Watch"
First, locate and open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. This has a simple icon showing the side of the wearable.
Once launched, choose the "My Watch" tab along the bottom. This is where companion settings live.
2. Scroll Down to The "Installed on Apple Watch" Section
This tab has various menus. Scroll down past notifications and such until you find:
"Installed on Apple Watch"
This displays all third-party apps synced to your watch with toggles. System apps don‘t appear.
3. Turn Off "Show App on Apple Watch" For Unwanted Apps
Under the installed apps list, select any you want removed from your Apple Watch. This brings up app details.
Toggle the green "Show App on Apple Watch" switch off to stop syncing the app over. Gray means disabled.
Repeat for any other unnecessary apps! They‘ll disappear from your watch face during the next overnight refresh.
And there you have it – two easy methods to free up precious storage space on your Apple Watch by deleting unwanted apps!
Oops! How To Restore Deleted Apple Watch Apps
As you were decluttering apps, did you accidentally remove something still useful? Not a problem at all.
Let‘s cover how to reinstall deleted Apple Watch apps in just a few taps.
Reinstall Deleted Apps Via The App Store
If you recall the app name, search for it directly on the App Store app. When you find it, tap the little cloud icon to redownload.
This sends the app to both your iPhone and Apple Watch! Syncing restores your layout too.
Restore From iCloud Backup
Can‘t remember all the deleted app names? Simply restore your most recent iCloud backup!
- iPhone Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups
- Select your iPhone > Restore [Device]
While cumbersome, this completely reverts your phone and Apple Watch to a previous saved state with all apps intact. Leverage this if unsure of missing app names!
Either App Store redownload or full iCloud restore will rescue those important accidentally deleted apps. Now they‘re out of the way, let‘s cover best practices…
Should You Remove Built-In Apple Apps?
When editing apps directly on your Apple Watch, you likely noticed some default Apple apps can be removed while others cannot.
Removable
- Timers
- Alarm
- Breathe
- Radio
- Compass
Protected
- Phone
- Messages
- App Store
Deleting optional apps like Timers or Breathe free up sizable storage instantly. I remove them from all new Apple Watches without hesitation.
However, eliminating certain system apps carries big functionality risks once deleted! For example:
- No Weather app = no weather data in Calendar
- No Maps = limited directions
Think very carefully before removing Apple‘s default apps. Reclaiming storage space is great but broken experiences are incredibly annoying.
| App | Storage Reclaimed | Functional Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Timers | Low | None |
| Weather | High | Moderate |
| Messages | High | Very High |
I recommend referring to this risk profile when considering deleting system apps. Default apps should mainly stay!
Now that you‘re a deletion expert, what other Apple Watch app questions can I answer for you today? So glad I could help reclaim some performance and order for your gift…
