Under the weight of numerous apps, does your iPhone feel a bit too sluggish? Often, Apple’s offload unused apps feature kicks in to save the day (and storage space) resolving the question how to offload unused apps. The good news is you can disable this feature and prevent your iPhone from removing unused apps.
Head to the settings app on your iPhone. Navigate to ‘iPhone Storage’, and here, you’ll find the option to “offload unused apps”. Simply toggle the setting to turn it off.
This article explains how to turn off offload unused apps, and walk you through how to turn it off on apple iPhone models running iOS 11, pro or later. Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
- The “offload unused apps” feature automatically removes unused apps but retains their data.
- Disabling this feature provides more control over app management.
- Even with the feature off, you can manually offload apps.
- Redownloaded apps retain all previous settings and data.
- Regularly review your apps and clear unwanted files to maintain optimal storage health.
What Does “Offload Unused Apps” Mean on iPhone?
Do you notice some of your apps disappearing from your iPhone home screen even though you didn’t delete them? This is likely due to a feature called Offload Unused Apps.
The Offload Unused Apps feature allows your iPhone to automatically offload apps you haven’t used in a while. When an app is offloaded, its icon disappears from your home screen and the app data is removed from your phone storage.
Your settings and documents for the offloaded app are saved, and you can reinstall the app and pick up where you left off at any time. This makes Offload Unused Apps different than actually deleting an app.
Why Does My iPhone Offload Unused Apps?
Your iPhone will automatically offload unused apps when all of these conditions are met:
- The Offload Unused Apps setting is enabled (it’s on by default)
- Your iPhone is low on storage space
- You haven’t launched or used an app in over 180 days
Offloading unused apps helps maximize storage space on your device. iOS intelligently identifies apps you likely don’t need anymore and removes them to make room for new apps and data.
However, you may not want every unused app removed automatically. Next, I’ll show you how to disable Offload Unused Apps if you want to keep tighter control.
How to Turn Off Offload Unused Apps on iPhone
Here we’ll discuss about how to turn off offload unused apps and it only takes a moment:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap General.
- Tap iPhone Storage.
- Toggle Off the switch next to Offload Unused Apps. It will turn gray when disabled.
That’s all there is to it! Now your iPhone will not automatically offload unused apps. Apps will remain on your home screen even if you don’t use them for over 180 days.
Here are some additional points about disabling Offload Unused Apps:
- Offloaded apps that have already been removed from your iPhone will not reappear when you turn off the feature. You’ll need to manually redownload them from the App Store if you want them back.
- Disabling Offload Unused Apps means your iPhone storage may fill up faster. Be sure to manually offload or delete unused apps periodically to free up space.
- You can always turn Offload Unused Apps back on if you want your iPhone to intelligently manage unused apps again.
How to Turn Off Offload Unused Apps on iPhone Manually
Just because you disabled automatic offloading doesn’t mean you can’t manually offload unused apps to save space. Here’s how:
- Go to your iPhone home screen and find an app you want to offload.
- Touch and hold the app icon until the context menu appears.
- Tap Offload App.
- Confirm you want to offload the app.
This will remove the app while retaining its data and settings. You can reinstall it later from the App Store.
How To Turn Off Offload Unused Apps Multiple:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap General > iPhone Storage.
- Tap an app, then tap Offload App.
- Repeat for other apps you wish to offload.
Offloading apps manually gives you total control over which apps get removed. Just be diligent about reoffloading apps you’re no longer using so your iPhone doesn’t fill up.
Disabling Offload Unused Apps on iPad – Is there a Difference?
Wondering how to turn off offload unused apps on iPad? The process for iPads is virtually identical to iPhones. Open settings, head over to ‘iPad Storage’, and find the “offload unused apps” option. Tap the toggle, and voilà! You’ve taken the reins back on your iPad’s app management.
Here is the process:
Access iPad Storage Settings
- Open the Settings app on your iPad.
- Scroll down and tap General.
- Now select iPad Storage from the list of options.
This will open your iPad’s storage management screen.
Locate the Offload Unused Apps Toggle
- On the iPad Storage screen, scroll down and look for the Offload Unused Apps section.
- Tap the switch next to Offload Unused Apps so it turns gray and displays “Off”.
The toggle will be green and in the “On” position by default.
Confirm Offload Unused Apps Is Disabled
Offload Unused Apps is now disabled on your iPad. To confirm:
- Back out to the main Settings menu.
- Tap General and re-select iPad Storage.
- Check that the Offload Unused Apps switch is still gray and off.
That’s all there is to it! Your iPad will no longer automatically remove unused apps to free up space. They will remain on your home screen even if unused for a long period of time.
The only other difference is the settings path is iPad Storage instead of iPhone Storage. But the actual Offload Unused Apps toggle works the same. Now you have full control over managing unused apps on your iPad.
Storage Space Impact of Disabling Offload Unused Apps
While offloading can free up storage, turning off the automatic feature means your device might fill up faster if you’re not manually managing apps. However, the perk is you have complete control over what stays and what goes.
Turning off automatic offloading of unused apps can have both positives and negatives when it comes to your iPhone or iPad’s storage capacity.
Potential Downsides
With Offload Unused Apps disabled, your device’s storage may fill up faster for a few reasons:
- Unused apps aren’t automatically removed, so they continue taking up space.
- You have to manually offload unused apps to free up storage. This takes more time and effort.
- It’s easier to forget about offloading apps, letting storage fill up more quickly.
- iOS doesn’t automatically free up space when storage gets low.
Potential Benefits
However, there are some benefits to managing app offloading yourself:
- You decide which apps get offloaded and when.
- Specific apps you want to keep won’t disappear.
- Offloading apps manually gives you better understanding of your storage usage.
- Monitoring your own storage often leads to deleting unused apps/files more regularly.
Overall, disabling the feature requires you to be more hands-on with managing your device’s storage capacity. But in return, you have complete control over your apps and files. It’s a tradeoff between convenience and control.
| Category | Info |
|---|---|
| Number of apps available on App Store | Over 2 million |
| Average number of apps installed per iPhone user | Around 60 |
| Average iPhone storage used by apps | Over 1GB |
| Percentage of app data that is cache files | Up to 60% |
| Time before unused app is offloaded by iOS | 180 days of no use |
| Easiest way to offload apps manually | iPhone Storage settings > Select App > Offload App |
| Typical storage recovered from offloading 10 apps | 0.5 – 1 GB |
| Best practices for managing iPhone storage | Offload unused apps monthly, delete old media, use iCloud storage |
Alternative Ways to Free Up Storage
If you don’t want to offload unused apps, there are a few other tactics you can use to clear up storage space.
Regularly clear cache, delete unwanted media, and review apps on your iPhone or iPad. These practices can save significant storage space, without the need to offload apps.
Delete Unneeded Media
Photos, videos, and music can quickly consume storage. Consider deleting:
- Blurry or duplicate photos
- Screenshots you no longer need
- Video projects you’ve finished
- Songs you don’t listen to anymore
This can potentially free up gigabytes of space.
Offload Large Apps
Focus on offloading your largest apps first. Games, navigation apps, and streaming services tend to use significant storage. Remove those you don’t absolutely need.
Clear App Cache
Over time, app cache and data builds up. Open each app and look for options to clear cache and saved data. This deletes temporary unneeded files.
Enable iCloud Photo Library
Storing photos/videos in iCloud reduces the media kept directly on your device. Optimize your iPhone/iPad storage settings.
Remove Infrequently Used Apps
Periodically re-evaluate apps you rarely use. Delete ones that no longer serve a purpose rather than just offloading.
With a combination of these practices, you can take control of your iPhone or iPad storage without having to rely on automatically offloading unused apps.
What to Consider Before Turning off the Offload Feature?
Remember, offloading is designed to improve performance and storage management. Before disabling, ensure you’re prepared for manual management and regular check-ins on storage health.
Offload Unused Apps provides a degree of automatic storage management. Before disabling it, think about these factors:
Be Ready for Manual Management
- Are you willing to periodically offload apps yourself? This takes more time and effort.
- Can you remember to check your storage usage regularly? Offloading unused apps will be up to you.
- Are you prepared to proactively delete old photos, videos, etc to free up space?
Understand Your Storage Needs
- Do you take lots of photos or download media that consumes storage? The automatic feature may help manage this.
- How many unused apps do you have? If many, offloading could significantly free up space for you.
- Do you need your device storage optimized or do you not mind it getting full?
Consider Your App Usage Habits
- Do you use most of your apps frequently? Disabling offloading may be fine.
- How often do you download new apps then stop using old ones? Offloading can clear those out.
- Are you comfortable re-downloading apps if you change your mind after offloading?
Weighing factors like these will help determine if turning off Offload Unused Apps is right for your needs or if keeping it on would be more beneficial.
FAQs
Can I still use the app icon after I offload it?
Yes, you can still use the app icon after you offload it. However, if you tap on the app icon, the app will be downloaded again from the App Store.
How can I tell if an app has been offloaded?
If an app has been offloaded, the app icon will have a cloud icon next to it.
How do I reinstall an offloaded app?
To reinstall an offloaded app, go to the App Store and download it again. Your data and documents will be restored.
What happens if I temporarily offload an app I use a lot?
No worries – you can always reinstall the app and pick up right where you left off. Offloading doesn’t delete any of your app data.
Does offloading apps also remove their data from iCloud backups?
No, offloading an app only deletes it locally from your iPhone. Your iCloud backup will still retain the app and its data.
Conclusion
Learn how to turn off offload unused apps. Offloading unused apps can be a helpful way to save storage space on your iPhone. But if you don’t want your device automatically removing apps without asking, disabling the Offload Unused Apps feature gives you back full control. Now you can decide which apps get removed and when.
Thank you for tuning into this step-by-step guide of how to turn off offload unused apps. It’s always good to be informed and in control of your devices, ensuring they work precisely the way you want them to.
