We've all been there: you hand your child their iPad, only to discover later that they've downloaded an app you'd rather they not have, or an old game is taking up too much precious storage. When parental controls are in place, deleting apps can seem like a puzzle, but with the right steps, it's quite straightforward. Let's dive in and tackle this together!
Understanding iPad Parental Controls (Screen Time)
Before we jump into the "how-to," it's crucial to understand why you might be facing difficulty deleting apps. Apple's parental control system, known as Screen Time, is designed to give parents comprehensive control over how their children use their devices. This includes managing app usage, content restrictions, communication limits, and, yes, even preventing the deletion of apps.
The primary reason you might not be able to delete an app is that the "Deleting Apps" option within Screen Time's Content & Privacy Restrictions has been set to "Don't Allow." This is a security feature to prevent children from bypassing restrictions or accidentally removing important applications.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Delete Apps on iPad with Parental Controls
This guide assumes you know the Screen Time passcode. If you don't, please refer to the FAQ section at the end for options on how to proceed.
Step 1: Accessing Screen Time Settings
First things first, let's get to the control center for your iPad's restrictions.
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Grab the iPad: Take the iPad that has the parental controls enabled.
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Open the Settings App: Look for the grey gear icon on the iPad's Home Screen and tap it. This will open the Settings app.
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Navigate to Screen Time: In the left-hand sidebar of the Settings app, scroll down and tap on Screen Time.
This is where all the magic happens for managing your child's device usage.
Step 2: Unlocking Content & Privacy Restrictions
This is the key section for allowing app deletion.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions: Within the Screen Time menu, you'll see several options. Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Enter the Screen Time Passcode: You'll be prompted to enter the Screen Time Passcode. This is a 4-digit or 6-digit code that was set up when Screen Time was first enabled. It's crucial to know this passcode.
- Ensure Content & Privacy Restrictions are ON: Make sure the toggle next to "Content & Privacy Restrictions" at the top is green (on). If it's off, you won't be able to adjust individual restrictions.
Step 3: Allowing App Deletion
Now, let's enable the ability to delete apps.
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Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases: Within Content & Privacy Restrictions, scroll down and tap on iTunes & App Store Purchases.
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Select Deleting Apps: You'll see a list of options related to purchases and downloads. Tap on Deleting Apps.
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Choose "Allow": By default, if you can't delete apps, this option will be set to "Don't Allow." Tap on Allow to enable app deletion. A blue checkmark will appear next to "Allow."
You've just granted permission for apps to be deleted from this iPad!
Step 4: Deleting the App
Now that the restriction is lifted, you can proceed with deleting the app as you normally would. There are a few ways to do this:
Sub-heading: Method A: From the Home Screen
This is the most common and quickest way to delete an app.
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Go to the Home Screen: Press the Home button (if your iPad has one) or swipe up from the bottom of the screen to return to the Home Screen.
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Locate the App: Find the app icon you wish to delete.
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Tap and Hold the App Icon: Gently press and hold your finger on the app icon until all the app icons start to "jiggle" (and a small 'x' or minus sign appears in the top-left corner of the icons).
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Tap the 'x' or Minus Sign: Tap the small 'x' (or a minus sign '-') in the corner of the app icon you want to remove.
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Confirm Deletion: A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm if you want to delete the app. Tap Delete App, then tap Delete again to confirm.
The app will now disappear from your iPad's Home Screen and App Library.
Sub-heading: Method B: From the App Library (iPadOS 15 and later)
If your iPad is running iPadOS 15 or newer, you might prefer using the App Library.
- Access the App Library: Swipe left on your Home Screen until you reach the App Library, which is the last page of your Home Screens.
- Find the App: You can either browse through the categorized folders or use the Search bar at the top to find the app.
- Tap and Hold the App Icon: Gently press and hold your finger on the app icon you want to delete.
- Tap "Delete App": A small menu will pop up. Tap on Delete App.
- Confirm Deletion: Confirm your choice by tapping Delete in the pop-up.
Sub-heading: Method C: Through iPad Storage Settings
This method is useful if you want to see how much space apps are taking up.
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Open Settings: Go back to the Settings app (the grey gear icon).
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Tap General: In the left-hand sidebar, tap on General.
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Tap iPad Storage: Scroll down and tap on iPad Storage.
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Find the App: This will show you a list of all your apps and how much space they are consuming. Scroll through the list to find the app you want to delete.
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Tap on the App: Tap on the name of the app.
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Tap "Delete App": On the app's detailed page, tap Delete App.
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Confirm Deletion: Tap Delete App again in the confirmation pop-up.
This method also offers an "Offload App" option, which removes the app itself but keeps its data, allowing you to reinstall it later without losing your progress or settings.
Step 5: Re-enabling Parental Controls (Optional but Recommended)
Once you've deleted the desired app(s), it's a good practice to re-enable the parental control for app deletion to prevent unintended changes.
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Return to Screen Time Settings: Go back to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases > Deleting Apps.
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Choose "Don't Allow": Tap on Don't Allow to reinstate the restriction.
This ensures that apps cannot be deleted without the Screen Time passcode, maintaining the integrity of your parental control settings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are 10 common questions related to deleting apps on an iPad with parental controls:
How to delete built-in Apple apps?
Some built-in Apple apps like Safari, Messages, and Photos cannot be deleted entirely as they are essential to the iPad's functionality. You can, however, hide them from the Home Screen through Screen Time's "Allowed Apps" settings.
How to delete an app if I don't know the Screen Time passcode?
If you've forgotten the Screen Time passcode, you can reset it using your Apple ID. Go to Settings > Screen Time, then tap Change Screen Time Passcode or Turn Off Screen Time Passcode, and then select Forgot Passcode?. You'll need to enter your Apple ID and password associated with the Family Sharing organizer account.
How to prevent my child from reinstalling a deleted app?
After deleting an app, you can go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web & Games > Apps and set an age rating that would exclude that specific app. Additionally, you can enable Ask to Buy in Family Sharing for your child's account, which requires your approval for all new downloads (even free ones).
How to delete an app that is "waiting" or "loading"?
If an app download is stuck or appears as "waiting," you can usually tap and hold the icon until it jiggles, then tap the 'x' or minus sign to delete it. If that doesn't work, try restarting your iPad, ensuring you have a stable internet connection, and then attempting to delete it again.
How to delete an app from App Library if it's not on the Home Screen?
Simply swipe left on your Home Screen until you reach the App Library. Tap and hold the app icon within the App Library, then select "Delete App" from the pop-up menu.
How to check which apps are taking up the most space?
Go to Settings > General > iPad Storage. This screen will list all your apps, sorted by the amount of storage they are consuming, allowing you to identify large apps that might need to be deleted or offloaded.
How to offload an app instead of deleting it?
In Settings > General > iPad Storage, select the app you want to manage. You'll see an option to Offload App. This removes the app itself but keeps its documents and data, so if you reinstall it later, your progress and settings will be preserved.
How to hide an app without deleting it?
Tap and hold the app icon on the Home Screen until it jiggles. Instead of tapping the 'x' or minus sign, tap Remove App, and then choose Remove from Home Screen. The app will still be available in your App Library.
How to restrict in-app purchases?
Within Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases, set "In-app Purchases" to Don't Allow.
How to disable all Screen Time restrictions temporarily?
You can turn off Content & Privacy Restrictions entirely by going to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggling the main switch off. You'll need to enter your Screen Time passcode to do this. Remember to re-enable them afterward if you wish to maintain control.
