The fastest way to remove an app
To delete an app on a Samsung tablet, press and hold the app icon on your home screen until a menu appears, then tap Remove or Uninstall. The app disappears when ready. If you cannot find the app on your home screen, open the Play Store, tap your profile icon in the top right, select Manage my apps and device, go to the Manage tab, find the app, and tap Uninstall.
Both methods work equally well. The home screen method is faster if you can see the app. The Play Store method is useful if the app is buried in folders or if you want to remove multiple apps at once.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon on your home screen, then tap Remove or Uninstall to delete it in seconds.
- Apps deleted from your home screen are not permanently removed—they stay in your Play Store library and can be reinstalled later without paying again.
- If an app will not delete from the home screen, open the Play Store, find it under Manage my apps and device, and uninstall it from there.
- Some pre-installed Samsung apps cannot be uninstalled, but you can disable them to hide them from your home screen and app drawer.
Deleting an app from your home screen
This is the quickest method if you can see the app icon. Press your finger on the app icon and hold it there for about two seconds. A menu will pop up with several options.
Look for the option that says Remove or Uninstall—the exact wording depends on your tablet's Android version and Samsung interface. Tap it once, and the app is gone from your home screen. A confirmation message may appear asking if you are sure; tap OK or Yes to confirm.
Uninstalling through the Play Store
If the app is not on your home screen or if the press-and-hold method did not work, use the Play Store. Open the Play Store app (the colorful triangle icon), and tap your profile picture or initial in the top right corner.
Select Manage my apps and device from the menu. Tap the Manage tab at the top. Scroll through the list to find the app you want to remove. Tap the app name, then tap the three-dot menu icon and select Uninstall. Confirm by tapping Uninstall again.
What happens when you delete an app
Deleting an app removes it from your tablet's storage and your home screen, but it does not erase your Google account record of owning it. You can reinstall the same app later from the Play Store without paying again if it was free, or without being charged twice if it was paid.
Any data the app stored on your tablet—such as saved games, login information, or notes—is also deleted. If the app stores information in your Google account (like Gmail or Google Drive), that data stays safe in the cloud and syncs to other devices.
Disabling apps you cannot uninstall
Samsung tablets come with some pre-installed apps that cannot be uninstalled, such as Samsung Health, Samsung Internet, or Google apps. If you do not use these apps, you can disable them instead, which hides them from your home screen and app drawer.
Press and hold the app icon. If Uninstall is grayed out or missing, tap App info or App details. Tap Disable or Turn off. The app will no longer appear in your app drawer, though it still takes up storage space. You can re-enable it later by going back to App info and tapping Enable.
Removing apps from folders
If an app is inside a folder on your home screen, open the folder first by tapping it. Then press and hold the app icon inside the folder and tap Remove. The app is deleted from both the folder and your home screen.
If removing the app leaves the folder empty, the folder itself usually disappears. If it does not, press and hold the empty folder and tap Remove to delete it as well.
Troubleshooting when an app will not delete
If an app refuses to uninstall, it may be set as a device administrator or it may be a system app. Open Settings, tap Apps, find the app, and tap App info. Look for an option called Device admin apps or Administrator. If the app is listed there, tap it and toggle the app off. Then return to App info and try uninstalling again.
If the app is a pre-installed Samsung or Google app, you likely cannot uninstall it—disable it instead, as described above. Restarting your tablet can also help if an app seems stuck; hold the power button until the power menu appears, tap Restart, and wait for the tablet to turn back on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get an app back after I delete it?
Yes. Open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, select Manage my apps and device, tap the Manage tab, and scroll to find the app. Tap it and select Install. If it was a paid app, you will not be charged again.
Does deleting an app free up storage space?
Yes, uninstalling an app removes all its files from your tablet and frees up the storage it was using. You can check how much space an app takes up by opening Settings, tapping Apps, selecting the app, and looking at the storage size listed.
What is the difference between removing and disabling an app?
Removing (uninstalling) deletes the app entirely and frees up storage. Disabling hides the app from your home screen and app drawer but leaves it on your tablet taking up space. Disable apps you cannot uninstall; uninstall apps you do not want at all.
Why does my Samsung tablet have apps I cannot uninstall?
Samsung and Google pre-install certain apps on every tablet as part of the operating system. These system apps cannot be removed to prevent the tablet from malfunctioning, but you can disable them to hide them from view.