Apps You Should Delete Immediately

Brad Marshland

You've got a ton of great apps on your phone, but some are now defunct, obsolete, or have much better alternatives. They can bog down your phone in ways you may not even realize — so some apps, you should get rid of immediately.

Why Delete Apps?
Four reasons:

  • Apps take up space on your phone, which may not seem like a big deal if you have a ton of storage, but they can add up and may even put a drain on your phone's speed.

  • Hanging onto apps you don't use make your phone disorganized, and it will be harder to find the app you're looking for.

  • If you're not using an app because it crashes or is buggy, by all means get rid of it. Poorly written apps can suck system resources and bog down your phone.

  • If you're not using a particular app, why give it all those permissions to access your data?

Plus, deleting an app off your phone doesn't mean you'd have to buy it again if you change your mind. iTunes and the Google Play store remember what you've purchased and won't charge you to reinstall.

How To Delete An App On Your Phone

  • On iPhones, hold your finger on the icon until it jiggles, then hit the X appears on the icon's corner to remove it.

  • On Android phones, hit the Menu button, then the Edit or Manage Apps button, then select the program you want to delete.

Apps to Delete

There's a rule that if you don't wear something for a year, it's time to give it to Goodwill. Same rule applies for apps: If you haven't used it for a year… ditch it. So while your closet may look nothing like mine, my delete list might just give you some ideas as to where to start:

  • First, the Borders app. The company is out of business, and while you may still read ebooks through their KOBO service, KOBO has its own stand-alone app that's updated and has more features.

  • Urban Spoon. It seemed so quaint when it first came out. It used your location, you dialed in some parameters — Italian, not too expensive — and then it seemed to spit out a random selection. But I don't trust it for recommendations. Instead, I use the Yelp app, with its real reviews from real people.

  • Socialcam. Not only do the videos on Socialcam seem to lack any professional standards, users are often unaware that their potentially embarrassing views are being shared with their friends and work colleagues.

  • QR code reader. I've had a reader on my phone for 3 years and I have yet to scan a QR code for any real purpose.

  • MySpace. I seriously can't remember the last time anyone I know posted on this.

  • Kids' games. These apps are usually age specific, so when your youngest grows out of an app, delete it. Chances are, he's not going to want to play Tozzle or Dinosaur Train when he's 9. And if he does, you can always reinstall.

What Apps top your delete list? Let us know in the comments below or our Facebook Page.

Related: Why (and How) to Turn Off Socialcam on Facebook

Related: The Dumbest App Ever