Managing storage space on your iPhone or iPad can be a constant challenge, especially with the increasing sizes of apps and media. The "Offload App" feature, introduced by Apple, offers a convenient solution to free up storage space while preserving your app data.
What is Offload App?
Offloading an app is a middle ground between keeping an app installed and deleting it entirely. When you offload an app, the app itself is deleted from your device, freeing up local storage space, but the app's documents and data remain saved locally. This means that when you reinstall the offloaded app, you can pick up right where you left off, as the app data is still intact.
How to Manually Offload Apps
To manually offload apps on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app and tap General.
- Tap on iPhone Storage (or iPad Storage for iPads) and give it a moment to load.
- Select the app you want to offload from the list of apps.
- Tap on "Offload App" and confirm the action.
Which Apps Can Be Offloaded?
You can offload most third-party apps downloaded from the App Store, as well as several Apple apps such as TV, Music, Mail, Files, Maps, Books, Reminders, Podcasts, Contacts, Calendar, Shortcuts, Measure, Home, Compass, Stocks, FaceTime, Tips, iTunes Store, Translate, Calculator, Weather, Voice Memos, Notes, Magnifier, iMovie, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, Apple Support, and Apple Store. However, you cannot offload or delete essential apps like Photos, Phone, Safari, Wallet, Messages, and Health.
Automatically Offload Unused Apps
If manually managing your apps is too cumbersome, you can enable your iPhone or iPad to automatically offload unused apps. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app and tap General.
- Tap on iPhone Storage.
- Enable "Offload Unused Apps" by tapping on the option. If you don’t see this option, tap See All next to Recommendations.
Reinstalling Offloaded Apps
Offloaded apps retain their icons on your Home Screen and App Library, but they will have a cloud icon next to them. To reinstall an offloaded app:
- Locate the app icon on your Home Screen or App Library.
- Tap the app icon, and it will start downloading and reinstalling. Alternatively, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the offloaded app, and tap Reinstall App.
Important Considerations
- Internet Connection: Reinstalling offloaded apps requires a stable internet connection. If you frequently lack reliable internet access, automatic offloading might not be the best option.
- App Availability: To reinstall an offloaded app, it must still be available in the App Store. If the app is removed from the store, you won’t be able to reinstall it.
- Data Retention: Offloading an app does not delete its data, but if you decide not to reinstall the app, you can delete the app data from iCloud to free up additional space.
By using the Offload App feature, you can efficiently manage your device's storage without losing your app data, making it a valuable tool for maintaining your iPhone or iPad's performance.