What Does Offload App Mean [All You Need To Know]

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Simona Yaramova
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Updated · Aug 04, 2023

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Your storage is running low, and you wonder how to free up some space on your iPhone

or iPad?

Worry not! You're in the right place.

What does "offload app" mean, and how can it solve your storage problems? 

This article will reveal this mystery and show you how to take advantage of this feature.

Let's jump right in!

What Does "Offload App" Mean?

Usually, an app development company involves multiple features in the app that may take up a lot of space in your storage system. As a result, you are always short on saving your data on your phone.

So, offloading an app can be a helpful way to free up space on your device without losing any important data, unlike a typical delete.

This way, if you ever decide to download the application again, you won't have to start making your account from scratch.

For example, you have a game with levels, high scores, and custom settings. If you delete it, you’ll lose all that progress. However, if you offload it instead, you could return to the game later and pick up right where you left off.

How to Offload an App?

The process is easy and won't take much of your time. 

There are two ways to offload an app. You can do it manually or enable the automatic option and let your device take care of it. 

All the steps work for both iPhones and iPads. 

Now that you know the importance of learning how to offload an app and its meaning, let's get to the gist.

Manually

1. Go to "Settings"

2. Scroll down

3. Click on "General"

General option selected from Settings

4. Press on "iPhone Storage"

iPhone Storage option selected

5. Scroll down

6. Open the desired application you wish to offload by selecting it

Selecting an app to offload

7. Tap on "Offload App"

Selecting Offload App option

8. Confirm by selecting "Offload App" once again from the pop-up window.

And that's it! Pretty simple, right?

But what about the other method?

Automatically

If you enable this option, iOS will automatically offload unused apps when your device starts to fill up.

Follow these steps:

1. Open Settings

2. Scroll down

3. Go to the App Store option and open it

App Store function in the Settings app

4. Swipe down

5. Toggle the switch next to “Offload Unused Apps” and turn it on

Switching the Offload Unused Apps option on  

And you're done!

How to Delete Offloaded Apps?

You can delete offloaded apps by following these steps:

  1. Open the settings and click on "General"
  2. Select "iPhone Storage"
  3. Find the desired app and tap on it
  4. Press "Delete App and Confirm"

Alternatively, there's also an option to delete an application directly from your home screen

Just long press on the app icon and then click on “Remove App”. Then, tap "Delete App," and you're ready.

Remove App option selected Delete app option selected

How to Stop Offloading Apps?

One of the most frustrating things about iOS is that it automatically offloads apps without any input from the user.

While this can be helpful in terms of saving space, it can also be incredibly annoying when you suddenly find out that an app you need is no longer available.

Fortunately, there is a way to disable this process. Here's how:

  1. Open your iPhone or iPad's Settings
  2. Scroll down
  3. Go to App Store
  4. Swipe down
  5. Toggle the switch next to “Offload Unused Apps”

Now, the setting to automatically offload unused apps is turned off. Keep in mind that this won't prevent you from manually offloading apps. 

So when you need more space, follow the instructions above.

How to Reinstall Offloaded Apps?

It's also essential to know how to undo offloading apps.

Fortunately, it's a straightforward process.

Take a look:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down.
  3. Tap on "General".
  4. Press on "iPhone Storage".
  5. Tap on the desired app.
  6. Select "Reinstall app".
  7. Confirm by tapping on "Install".

Reinstall app option selected

So, how to stop offloading apps and reinstalling them more easily? 

Go to your Home screen and find the desired application. Your device will immediately start downloading the app when you click on it.

downloading desired offloaded app

Wrap Up

Overall, knowing how to offload an app and its meaning is important. It can be a great way to save storage space on your device. But it's essential to know how to do it correctly, so you don't accidentally delete any data.

There are two methods for performing this action — manually and automatically.

Don't worry about losing anything important. When you perform this process, all of the app's data remains on your phone.

If you need additional space, don't waste any time. Follow our guides and free up some storage to enjoy new applications.

FAQ.


What does offloading an app do?

When you offload an app, you remove it from your iPhone or iPad while retaining its data.

What happens when you offload an app?

When you offload your apps, you free up space on your device by removing them.

However, your iCloud account still stores the apps' data. That means you can still access it, but it won't take up space on your device.

If I offload TikTok, what happens?

When you offload TikTok, the app deletes all of your local data. That includes your photos, videos, and saved drafts. 

However, TikTok's servers store your account information and preferences. 

So, if you decide to reinstall the application later, your account will be exactly as you left it.

How to get more storage on an iPad without deleting apps?

Your solution is offloading apps. But what does "offload app" mean

When you perform this action, you're deleting apps that you don't use very often. 

However, their data is still saved on your phone, so you can download them again and pick up right where you left off.

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