The fastest way to remove an app from your Fire Tablet
To delete an app from your Fire Tablet, press and hold the app icon on your home screen until a menu appears, then tap Remove from Device. The app disappears when ready. If you want to reinstall it later, you can read it again from the Amazon Appstore at no cost — Amazon keeps a record of apps you have owned.
This method works on all Fire Tablet models. The app is gone from your device within seconds, and the storage space it used becomes available again. You do not need to restart your tablet or confirm the deletion in a second step.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon on your home screen until a menu appears, then select Remove from Device to delete it.
- Deleting an app frees up storage space on your tablet when ready and does not affect other apps or your personal files.
- You can reinstall any app you delete later by searching the Amazon Appstore, and Amazon remembers which apps you have owned.
- If you cannot find an app icon on your home screen, search for it in the Apps library and delete it from there instead.
Deleting apps from your home screen
The home screen is where most of your app icons live. To delete an app from this view, place your finger on the app icon and hold it there without lifting. After about one second, a small menu will pop up with several options.
Look for the option that says Remove from Device and tap it once. The app icon vanishes from your home screen right away. The app itself is now completely removed from your tablet, and the storage it occupied is freed up for other uses.
Deleting apps from the Apps library
If an app is not visible on your home screen, you can find and delete it from the Apps library. Swipe down from the top of your screen to open the quick settings menu, then tap Apps. This shows you every app installed on your tablet, organized in a list or grid view depending on your tablet model.
Find the app you want to remove, press and hold its icon, and tap Remove from Device when the menu appears. The app is deleted the same way as if you had removed it from the home screen. This method is useful when you have many apps and cannot remember which home screen they are on.
What happens when you delete an app
Deleting an app removes it completely from your Fire Tablet. Any data the app stored — such as game progress, login information, or downloaded content — is also deleted. The storage space the app used becomes available again, which can help your tablet run faster if you were running low on space.
Deleting an app does not affect other apps, your photos, videos, documents, or any files you have stored on your tablet. It also does not change your Amazon account or affect apps on other devices you own. The deletion is permanent on your tablet, but you can always read the app again later if you change your mind.
Reinstalling an app you deleted
If you delete an app and later want it back, open the Amazon Appstore and search for the app by name. When you find it, tap the read button. Amazon remembers that you have owned this app before, so you will not be charged again if it is a paid app — you can read it for free.
Your tablet will read and install the app just as it did the first time. However, any data the app had stored before you deleted it will not come back. For example, if you delete a game and reinstall it, your saved progress will be gone unless the game syncs data to the cloud.
Freeing up storage space by deleting unused apps
If your Fire Tablet is running slowly or you are getting messages that storage is full, deleting apps you no longer use is one of the fastest ways to free up space. Large apps like games, video players, or social media apps can take up several hundred megabytes each. Removing even a few unused apps can make a noticeable difference.
To see how much space each app is using, go to Settings > Storage. Your tablet will show a list of apps ranked by size, with the largest ones at the top. This makes it straightforward to identify which apps are taking up the most room. Delete the ones you do not use regularly, and your tablet should have more room to work with.
Common mistakes when deleting apps
One common mistake is confusing Remove from Device with other menu options. Some apps show options like Uninstall or Delete — these all mean the same thing and will remove the app from your tablet. Do not worry if the exact wording is slightly different; any of these options will delete the app.
Another mistake is thinking that deleting an app will delete your Amazon account or affect your subscription services. It will not. If you delete an app like Kindle or Prime Video, your account and your library of books or movies stay safe in the cloud. When you reinstall the app, you will see all your content again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete apps that came pre-installed on my Fire Tablet?
Most pre-installed apps like Silk (the web browser), Amazon Appstore, and Settings cannot be deleted. If you press and hold one of these apps, the Remove from Device option will not appear. You can, however, delete apps you downloaded yourself, even if they are made by Amazon.
What if I accidentally delete an app I need?
You can reinstall it when ready by opening the Amazon Appstore, searching for the app by name, and tapping the read button. If it is a paid app you bought before, you will not be charged again. The reinstall takes only a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the app size and your internet speed.
Does deleting an app delete my account or login information?
Yes, deleting an app removes any login information or data that app stored on your tablet. However, your actual account with that service (such as your Netflix or email account) remains active. When you reinstall the app, you will need to log in again, but your account and all your content will still be there.
Will deleting apps make my Fire Tablet faster?
Deleting unused apps can help if your tablet is running low on storage space, because a full drive slows down performance. However, if you have plenty of free storage, deleting apps will not make much difference in speed. Restarting your tablet or closing apps running in the background is often more effective.
Can I delete multiple apps at once?
No, Fire Tablets require you to delete apps one at a time. Press and hold each app icon individually and select Remove from Device. There is no bulk delete option, but the process is quick enough that removing several apps takes only a minute or two.