Apple is now allowing you to delete pre-installed apps directly from the Apple Watch. The Cupertino giant has rolled out this change as a part of watchOS 9.4.
This comes a few years after the company added this capability on iPhones following iOS 14’s release.
Delete unwanted apps directly from your Apple Watch
While removing unwanted system apps on the Apple Watch was already possible, it required deleting the app from your iPhone first. This is no longer the case following watchOS 9.4. Apple has updated its support document to reflect that several built-in Apple Watch apps can be removed directly from the wearable itself. The full list of apps is as follows:
- Activity
- Depth
- Emergency Siren
- Find My
- Heart Rate
- Maps
- Wallet
- Workout
- World Clock
Removing any of the above apps from your Apple Watch won’t affect the functionality of the iPhone version. What’s notable is that Apple is allowing you to uninstall many apps central to Apple Watch’s functionality. However, removing non-core apps like Audiobooks, Music, Podcasts, and Photos from the wearable is still not possible.
Be mindful of the system apps you delete
Do note that deleting system apps can affect the watch’s core functionality. For example, you cannot track your workouts if the Workout app is uninstalled. Similarly, Apple warns that removing the Heart Rate app will prevent the watch from providing you with low/high heart rate, irregular rhythm, and cardio fitness notifications.
You can always re-install deleted apps from the App Store to restore the said functionality.
Deleting pre-installed Apple Watch apps will only help remove clutter from the apps grid. Unlike on Android, deleting iPhone and Apple Watch system apps does not free up a lot of space, negating one of its major benefits.
