Unused Apps May Be Secretly Hogging Space

Key takeaways

• Ed Baig explains quick ways to remove unused apps from smartphones.
• Your iPhone storage settings help identify which apps consume the most space.
• Samsung Galaxy users can manage and uninstall apps through the Play Store.

Summary

Deleting unused smartphone apps can help free up valuable storage space and reduce clutter. Ed Baig walks through simple app removal methods for both iPhone and Samsung Galaxy devices, including press-and-hold shortcuts and built-in app management tools.

He also shares a more strategic approach by reviewing storage usage to find apps that take up space but are rarely used. These steps can help keep a phone organized and running more efficiently.

The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Full transcript

[0:00] You probably have a few regular apps in your rotation on your phone that you use every single day, for messages, for photos, for streaming video.

[0:09] But lots of us also have apps we rarely, if ever, touch.

[0:13] Three different weather apps.

[0:15] The weather doesn’t change across apps.

[0:17] They’re just sitting there, getting in your way, judging you.

[0:21] So let’s clean house.

[0:24] Here’s how to delete apps on your phone.

[0:27] First, the easiest method.

[0:30] On an iPhone, just press and hold the app you wanna delete, tap Remove App,

[0:36] then tap Delete App, tap Delete again.

[0:40] That’s it.

[0:41] Gone.

[0:42] Android users, it’s just as easy, but it can vary a bit depending upon your specific phone.

[0:49] On a Samsung Galaxy, press and hold the app, then uninstall and confirm.

[0:55] Very similar to the iPhone.

[0:57] Now, if you wanna be a little more strategic, on an iPhone, go to Settings,

[1:04] then General, then iPhone Storage.

[1:08] You’ll see exactly which apps are taking up the most space on your device.

[1:14] Find one you haven’t opened since Eisenhower was in the White House,

[1:18] then swipe left, tap Delete, done.

[1:24] On a Samsung Galaxy, open the Play Store, tap your profile, go to

[1:30] Manage apps & device, then Manage.

[1:34] Select apps you wanna delete, and hit the trash icon.

[1:40] And just like that, your phone is cleaner and a whole lot less chaotic.

[1:46] Now, go ahead, delete that game.

[1:49] And for more tech advice, go to aarp.org/techguru