It’s a good idea to go through your phone periodically and cull any unused apps. Not only will this make it easier to find the apps you use regularly, but it will help your phone perform better by clearing up memory that can be used for other functions.
However, you might not know that deleting unused apps is also an important security measure that you should take in order to protect your personal data.
But before you hit “delete,” here are a few steps you need to take.
Basics of Data Mining
The apps we use on a regular basis are part of an intricate web (pun intended) of interconnected tools, products and sites that track and share your information; that’s what makes them so helpful. (It’s no coincidence that your social media feeds are littered with targeted ads, designed specifically for you by leveraging data from cookies, your search history, location information and your app usage, according to Forbes.)
But the convenience many of these apps offer comes at a price, as if your iPhone were some kind of digital Rumpelstiltskin. Every time you whip out your device to send a message or doomscroll on social media, these apps collect data: your geographic location, browsing habits, personal contacts, shopping history and more.
Some apps are worse than others in this regard. Particular offenders are social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), search engines (Google), and e-tailers like Amazon. But surely your Candy Crush habit isn’t that devious, is it?
Actually, many popular free game apps are designed with the ability to identify your device, collect location data, track your behavior and build unique profiles in order to serve up those targeted in-app advertisements. And even if you never make a purchase from those ads, your data is being collected and shared with third-party ad networks. (Within some operating systems you might be able to limit or disable ad tracking in settings, but for the most part it’s very difficult to opt out.) And, if you’ve allowed a game to access your phone’s contacts list — ostensibly to help find people to play with — you’ve exposed them, too.
Security Issues
Many people operate under the assumption that these apps are designed with critical protections in place for their users, but that’s not always the case. Many mobile apps leave user data exposed due to poor coding, insecure data storage and aggressive tracking practices, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a national nonprofit that provides identity crime advice and victim assistance.
Some have already suffered the consequences. In 2019, Zynga (the parent company that owns Words with Friends and other popular game apps) disclosed a data breach that included email addresses, usernames, login IDs and passwords of more than 200 million players.
In fact, those old, lingering apps that haven’t been updated likely harbor serious security flaws, making “out of sight, out of mind” behavior even more dangerous.
How to Properly Remove Apps from Your Phone
Before you scramble to get rid of every suspicious app on your phone, know that you can’t just hit “delete” and consider the job done.
As Reader’s Digest reports, your data doesn’t magically disappear when you delete an app from your home screen. While the app might be dead to you, deleting it doesn’t mean that it’s uninstalled. Its remnants could still be lurking in the background — leaving your device vulnerable.
“The biggest misconception is that once an app is deleted, the relationship with the app and the company that owns it is severed. That could not be further from the truth,” Jean Vixamar, associate director of security risk management at Verizon, told Reader’s Digest. “Those terms and conditions you casually checked off matter. In most cases, you’ve given them unfettered permission to use your data in whatever ways they see fit, within the interpretation of applicable laws, of course.”
Thankfully, the ITRC has instructions for deleting apps and keeping your personal information from lingering “in unwanted corners of the internet.”
How to Delete Apps and Their Data Access:
- Delete App Data first.
Before uninstalling, wipe all your personal information from the app. Look for options related to privacy or account settings within the app (such as “delete account,” or “clear data”). If you can’t find this function — the apps make it difficult to do so — search in the help pages or contact customer service and demand, in writing, that they delete all your data.
- Check for Linked Accounts
Many apps use social media accounts or other integrations for functionality. To mitigate risks, the ITRC recommends logging into your accounts using a desktop browser. (This might reveal additional settings that are not visible on mobile versions.) Unlink apps from your accounts to cut off data sharing.
Examples:
- Facebook: Go to profile settings, find “Apps and Websites” and remove any associated apps.
- Google: Go to account settings and revoke access to third-party servers.
- Uninstall the App
Once you’ve removed any data and linked accounts, now you can delete the app. The process will vary depending on your device:
- iPhone users: Touch and hold the app icon until a menu appears. Select “Remove App” and “Delete App” to uninstall it.
- Android OS users: Open the Google Play store, tap your profile icon, select “Manage Apps and Devices,” and then “Manage.” Choose the app you want to delete and select “Uninstall.”
If You Panicked and Deleted an App Before Deleting the Data:
(I’m totally guilty of doing this.)
WikiHow offers several methods for deleting app data in iOS:
- To delete residual data from uninstalled iPhone apps, you can delete them via Settings > General > iPhone Storage, which clears associated documents.
- To delete application data from iCloud, go to Settings > your name > iCloud > Manage Account Storage, select an app, and tap the “Delete” option.
The tech security company Tarian also offers a detailed explainer of steps you can take to get rid of any lingering data from your iPhone, as well as a collection of tips for deleting apps on both Android and iOS platforms.
