Your Apple Watch is crowded with apps you never use, and it's time for a cleanup. You can remove them right on your wrist or from your paired iPhone. Here are the watchOS 27 steps, including how to keep the iPhone apps you still want.
Delete an app directly on your Apple Watch
Automatic downloads add Watch versions of apps purchased elsewhere, even when you don't need them on your wrist.
Press the Digital Crown.
Swipe up to reach all your apps.
Touch and hold the display until the app icons jiggle.
Tap the unwanted app's delete icon.
Select Delete App to confirm. No delete icon means the app cannot be removed this way.
Keep the iPhone app and remove its Watch companion
Still use the app on your phone? The Watch app lets you remove its Watch companion while leaving the iPhone version installed.
On your paired iPhone, open Watch > My Watch > Apps.
Select the app you want to remove.
Switch off Show App on Apple Watch. This option applies to apps that offer the companion-app toggle.
When the app is available only on Apple Watch
A watchOS-only app has a delete command instead of the companion-app toggle. You can remove it from your paired iPhone, too.
Open Watch > My Watch > Apps on your iPhone.
Select the unwanted app.
Tap Delete app on Apple Watch.
Choose Delete to confirm.
Remove the app from both devices
Done with both versions? Deleting the iPhone app also deletes its Apple Watch counterpart.
- 1.On your paired iPhone, touch and hold the app on the Home Screen or in App Library.
- 2.Select Remove App.
- 3.Tap Delete App.
- 4.Tap Delete to confirm.
What to know about built-in Apple apps
You're not stuck with every built-in app. Apple supports deleting eligible built-in Watch apps on watchOS 9.4 or later; its published list includes Alarms, Stopwatch, Timers, Voice Memos, Wallet, and Workout. App availability varies by Watch model and region.
Use the direct Watch deletion steps above. Look for the delete icon: without it, you cannot remove that app through this method. Deleting a built-in app on your watch leaves its corresponding iPhone app installed.
Check which features you'll lose before confirming Delete App. Deleting Heart Rate, for example, also removes its associated heart-rate, rhythm, and cardio-fitness notifications.
Stop automatic downloads from adding more apps
Automatic downloads install Watch versions of purchases made on other devices.
On your Apple Watch, open Settings > App Store.
Switch off Automatic Downloads.
That stops those automatic installations. Apps already on your watch still need to be removed separately.
If your iPhone won't let you delete an app
Use these steps when Screen Time blocks deletion of the iPhone app and its Watch counterpart. This setting controls iPhone app deletion; a missing delete icon on the watch alone doesn't establish a Screen Time restriction.
On your iPhone, open Settings > Screen Time > Apps & Websites > Restrictions.
Set Deleting Apps to Allowed.
Repeat the iPhone deletion steps under “Remove the app from both devices” above.
If a third-party app blocker prevents deletion, check that app's settings for its deletion restriction. The exact controls depend on the blocker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I restore an Apple Watch app I deleted by mistake?
Yes, if it's still available in the App Store. Open the App Store on your watch or iPhone. Search for the app by its exact name. Tap its redownload icon. Restoring a supported built-in iPhone app also restores its Watch counterpart.
Does Remove from Home Screen on iPhone delete the Watch app?
No. Remove from Home Screen only moves the iPhone app icon to App Library. It doesn't uninstall the iPhone app or its Watch counterpart.
Should I reset my Apple Watch to remove an app?
A reset is unnecessary for routine app cleanup. Erasing the watch removes all personal content and installed apps. Apple describes the erase as removing all media, data, and settings from your watch, and it doesn't remove Activation Lock.