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 app, tap your profile icon in the top right, select Manage my apps and device, go to the Manage tab, find the app you want to remove, tap it, and select Uninstall.
Both methods do the same thing—they remove the app and free up storage space on your tablet. The home screen method is faster if you can see the app. The Play Store method works even if you have hidden the app or cannot remember its name.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon on your home screen, then tap Remove or Uninstall to delete it in one step.
- If the app is not visible on your home screen, open the Play Store, go to Manage my apps and device, and uninstall from there.
- Deleting an app removes it completely and recovers the storage space it was using.
- You can reinstall any app you delete later by searching for it in the Play Store.
Deleting an app from your home screen
This is the quickest method if you can see the app icon. Find the app on any of your home screen pages and press your finger on it without lifting. Hold for about one second until a menu pops up above or below the icon.
Look for a button labeled Remove, Uninstall, or sometimes a trash can icon. Tap it once. The app vanishes from your screen right away. If you change your mind within a few seconds, you may see an Undo option at the bottom of the screen—tap it to bring the app back.
If nothing happens when you hold the icon, your tablet may have a different interface. Try holding the icon and looking for a menu that slides up from the bottom of the screen instead. Some Samsung tablets show options like Edit or App info—if you see App info, tap it, then look for an Uninstall button on the next screen.
Deleting an app using the Play Store
Open the Play Store app (the colorful triangle icon). Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right corner. A menu drops down with several options.
Select Manage my apps and device. You will see three tabs at the top: Updates, Manage, and Library. Tap the Manage tab. This shows every app currently installed on your tablet.
Scroll down to find the app you want to remove. Tap it once to open its details page. At the top, you will see an Uninstall button. Tap it, and a confirmation message appears asking if you are sure. Tap Uninstall again. The app is removed from your tablet.
What happens when you delete an app
Deleting an app removes it completely from your tablet and frees up storage space. Any data the app stored—such as saved games, login information, or downloaded files—is also deleted. If the app had a widget on your home screen, the widget disappears too.
Deleting an app does not affect other apps or your tablet's performance otherwise. You can reinstall the same app later by searching for it in the Play Store and tapping Install. When you reinstall, you start fresh—your old data will not return unless the app syncs to a cloud account.
Apps you cannot delete
Some apps come built into your Samsung tablet and cannot be uninstalled. These are called system apps and include things like Settings, Phone, Messages, and the Play Store itself. If you tap an app and the Uninstall button is grayed out or missing, it is a system app.
You can hide system apps so they do not clutter your home screen. Press and hold the app icon and look for an option like Hide or Remove from home screen. The app stays on your tablet but disappears from view. To see hidden apps later, open your app drawer (usually a grid icon at the bottom of your home screen) and look for a Show hidden apps option or similar.
Recovering storage space
When you delete an app, the storage space it used becomes available again. You can check how much space an app is taking up before you delete it. Open the Play Store, go to Manage my apps and device, tap the Manage tab, find the app, and look at the file size listed below its name.
Large apps like games or video editors can use several gigabytes of space. Deleting even a few of these can noticeably speed up your tablet if storage was running low. If your tablet is running slowly or you are running out of space, removing unused apps is one of the first things to try.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get my app back after I delete it?
Yes. Open the Play Store, search for the app by name, and tap Install. The app downloads and installs again. However, any data the app stored (like game progress or saved settings) will not return unless the app backs up to a cloud account.
What if the Uninstall button is grayed out?
That means the app is a system app that came with your tablet and cannot be removed. You can hide it from your home screen instead by pressing and holding the icon and selecting Hide or Remove from home screen.
Will deleting an app make my tablet faster?
Deleting apps frees up storage space, which can help if your tablet was running low on room. However, straightforward having an app installed does not slow down your tablet if you are not using it. Deleting apps is most useful when you need storage space or want to clean up your home screen.
How do I delete multiple apps at once?
On most Samsung tablets, you must delete apps one at a time using either the home screen method or the Play Store. There is no built-in option to select and delete several apps together. However, you can delete them quickly by pressing and holding each one in succession.