The fastest way to delete an app from your Samsung tablet
Press and hold the app icon on your home screen or in the app drawer until a menu appears. Tap Uninstall or the trash icon, then confirm the removal. The app is gone when ready. This works for almost every app you installed yourself.
If you cannot see an uninstall option, the app came pre-installed with your tablet and Samsung restricts removal. You can still hide it from view or turn off its notifications — both methods are covered below.
The process is the same whether your tablet runs Android 11, 12, 13, or later. Samsung has not changed this basic step across recent versions.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon until a menu appears, then tap Uninstall to remove it permanently from your tablet.
- Pre-installed Samsung apps often cannot be uninstalled, but you can disable them or hide them from your home screen.
- Disabling an app stops it from running in the background and removes it from your app drawer without freeing storage space.
- You can recover a deleted app by downloading it again from the Google Play Store at no cost.
- Clearing an app's cache and data is different from uninstalling and does not remove the app itself.
Uninstalling apps you downloaded yourself
Apps you installed from the Google Play Store or sideloaded onto your tablet can be removed in seconds. Find the app icon anywhere on your tablet — your home screen, app drawer, or a folder — and press your finger on it without lifting until the menu appears. This usually takes one to two seconds.
Once the menu is open, look for the word Uninstall or a trash can icon. Tap it. Your tablet will ask you to confirm; tap Uninstall again. The app is removed from your tablet and no longer takes up storage space.
If you cannot find the app on your home screen, open the app drawer (usually a grid icon at the bottom of your screen) and search for it there. The same press-and-hold method works in the app drawer.
Removing pre-installed Samsung and Google apps
Samsung tablets come with apps you did not install — Samsung Notes, Samsung Health, Google Maps, Gmail, and others. Most of these cannot be uninstalled completely because Samsung built them into the system. When you press and hold one of these apps, you will see Disable or Remove instead of Uninstall.
Tapping Disable stops the app from running and removes it from your app drawer, but it still takes up storage space on your tablet. This is usually the only option for pre-installed apps. Tapping Remove (if available) does the same thing as Disable.
A few pre-installed apps cannot be disabled at all — these are core system apps that Samsung requires to run your tablet. If you see no menu option when you press and hold, the app cannot be removed or hidden.
Hiding apps without removing them
If you want an app off your home screen but do not want to disable it, you can hide it instead. Press and hold the app icon and look for Hide, Remove from home screen, or a similar option. The app stays on your tablet and continues to work, but it no longer appears on your home screen or in your app drawer.
To find a hidden app later, open your app drawer and look for a Show hidden apps option or a settings menu. The exact location depends on your tablet's Android version, but it is usually at the top or bottom of the app drawer.
Hiding is useful when you want to keep an app but do not use it often. It frees up visual space without freeing up storage space.
Clearing app cache and data versus uninstalling
Clearing cache and clearing data are not the same as uninstalling. When you clear an app's cache, you delete temporary files it created — this frees up some storage space but leaves the app itself on your tablet. When you clear an app's data, you delete saved settings, logins, and files the app created — the app is still there, but it will feel brand new the next time you open it.
To clear cache or data, open Settings, tap Apps, find the app you want, and tap it. Look for Storage or Storage and cache. You will see buttons for Clear cache and Clear data. Tap whichever one you need.
Use this method when an app is misbehaving or taking up too much space, but you want to keep the app itself. If you want the app completely gone, uninstall it instead.
Getting an app back after you delete it
If you uninstall an app and change your mind, you can read it again from the Google Play Store for free. Open the Play Store app, search for the app by name, and tap Install. Your tablet will read and install it just as if you were installing it for the first time.
If the app cost money when you first bought it, you will not be charged again — Google remembers your purchase. If the app is no longer available in the Play Store (the developer removed it), you cannot read it again unless you have a backup or the app file saved elsewhere.
Uninstalling an app does not delete your account or settings on the service itself. If you uninstall Gmail, for example, your Google account and emails are still safe. When you reinstall the app, you can log back in and everything will be there.
Removing multiple apps at once
If you want to delete several apps quickly, you can select multiple apps in your app drawer. Press and hold one app until it is highlighted, then tap other apps to select them too. Once you have selected all the apps you want to remove, look for a delete or uninstall button — usually at the top or bottom of the screen.
Not all Samsung tablets support bulk deletion in the app drawer. If you do not see a way to select multiple apps, uninstall them one at a time using the press-and-hold method.
Bulk deletion is faster when you are cleaning up after a factory reset or removing a large batch of apps you no longer use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I uninstall Google Play Store?
No. Google Play Store is a system app that Samsung and Google require to run your tablet. You can disable it, which removes it from your app drawer, but you cannot uninstall it completely. If you disable it, you will not be able to read new apps until you re-enable it.
What happens to my data if I uninstall an app?
Any files or settings stored inside the app are deleted. However, data stored in your online account (like emails in Gmail or photos in Google Photos) stays safe in the cloud. When you reinstall the app and log back in, your account data will be there.
Why does an app keep coming back after I uninstall it?
Some apps are set to reinstall automatically through Google Play or Samsung's system settings. Open Settings, go to Apps, and check if the app has an Auto-install or Auto-update toggle. Turn it off. If the app is pre-installed, disabling it instead of uninstalling it may prevent it from reappearing.
Does uninstalling an app free up storage space?
Yes. Uninstalling removes the app and all its files from your tablet's storage. Disabling an app does not free up space — it only hides the app. If your tablet is running low on storage, uninstalling unused apps is one way to make room for new ones or system updates.
Can I uninstall apps that came with my tablet?
Most pre-installed apps cannot be uninstalled, only disabled. A few core system apps cannot even be disabled. If you see Disable instead of Uninstall, the app is pre-installed and Samsung does not allow full removal.