Running out of storage space on your iPhone or iPad can be frustrating, especially when you have important apps that you need to use. However, there is a solution – offloading apps. Offloading an app removes the app from your device but keeps its data intact, freeing up space for other apps and content. In this article, we’ll discuss how to offload apps on your iPhone or iPad, including how to turn off offload unused apps, how to manually offload apps, and how to automatically offload apps.
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What is Offload App on iPhone and iPad?
Offload app is a feature available on iPhones and iPads running iOS 11 and above that allows you to free up storage space on your device without deleting important data. When you offload an app, its data and documents are saved, but the app itself is removed from your device. This means that if you reinstall the app later, all your settings, preferences, and data will be restored.
Offloading apps is particularly useful if you have many apps on your device that you rarely use or if you need to free up space temporarily for a large file or update. It’s also a great way to declutter your device without having to manually delete individual apps and their data.
When you offload an app, iOS automatically detects when you haven’t used an app in a while, and prompts you to offload it to free up space. By default, iOS also automatically offloads unused apps when you’re running low on storage space. However, you can customize these settings to better suit your needs.
Note that offloading an app is different from deleting an app. When you delete an app, all its data and documents are also removed from your device. This means that if you reinstall the app later, you will lose all your settings and data.
How to turn off offload unused apps
By default, iOS is set to offload unused apps automatically when your device is running low on storage space. However, you may prefer to manually offload apps or turn off the feature altogether. Here’s how to turn off offload unused apps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Scroll down and tap on “iTunes & App Store.”
- Toggle off “Offload Unused Apps.”
Once you turn off this feature, iOS will no longer offload unused apps automatically. Instead, you’ll need to manually offload apps that you no longer use or need.
It’s worth noting that turning off this feature can impact your device’s storage space, especially if you have many apps that you rarely use. If you’re concerned about storage space, consider manually offloading apps that you no longer need or regularly use instead.