If you have installed the new iOS 10 update you may be glad to hear that Apple has implemented a long-requested feature. You can now delete most of the built-in apps in iOS including:
- Calculator
- Calendar
- Compass
- Contacts
- FaceTime
- Find Friends
- Home
- iBooks
- iCloud Drive
- iTunes Store
- Maps
- Music
- News
- Notes
- Podcasts
- Reminders
- Stocks
- Tips
- Videos
- Voice Memos
- Watch
- Weather
To delete the apps you just do it like you would delete any other app:
- Tap and hold on any icon until the icons start to jiggle (on an iPhone with 3D Touch it may take a little extra effort to not press down on the icon, just gently hold it)
- Tap the X in the corner of any apps you want to remove
- Confirm
- Press the home button when you have finished removing apps to stop the jiggling
This doesn’t save any significant space, as the app code is actually baked into the system software (and the apps really don’t consume much space to begin with), but it does allow you to reduce some icon clutter. It also removes any associated settings so removing and adding an app could be a good diagnostic procedure if one of these apps are misbehaving.
If you try to access a feature that one of the apps provides you will be offered the opportunity to re-install the app. So unfortunately this isn’t a way to change your default mapping app to Google Maps. If you tap an address you’ll be offered to install the Apple Maps app.
To restore an app just visit the App Store and search for it. Tap the cloud download icon to restore it.
For details on things such as the implications for removing certain apps visit Apple Support’s document.