iOS 18.2 Lets EU Users Delete App Store, Safari, Messages, Camera and Photos

With iOS 18.2, iPhone users in the European Union can fully delete a number of core apps, including the App Store, Safari, Messages, Camera, and Photos.

ios 18 2 delete apps eu
Apple said in August that it planned to make additional changes to its Digital Markets Act compliance in the European Union, and one update included the option for EU users to remove system apps. Almost all apps can now be deleted in the EU, with the exception of the Phone app and the Settings app.

Apps that are removed, such as the ‌App Store‌, can be re-downloaded using an "App Installation" section in the Settings app.

In the U.S. and other countries, core apps like ‌Photos‌ and the ‌App Store‌ can be hidden but not entirely removed from the ‌iPhone‌ and replaced with third-party apps.

Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...

Top Rated Comments

breenmask Avatar
27 weeks ago
all 10 people are clapping at this.
Score: 56 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
27 weeks ago
Unfortunately, deleting the camera doesn’t remove the bump.
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
27 weeks ago
Can't believe the number of commenters here who are triggered by this. It's pretty sad.

Meanwhile, people are generally positive about the ability change the default apps.

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/23/ios-18-2-default-apps-section/

If people are going to set default apps to something that's not from Apple, then why shouldn't users also be able to remove those unused Apple apps?
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fwmireault Avatar
27 weeks ago
They don't have Apple Intelligence, but hey at least they can delete the camera app. Lucky them.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProbablyDylan Avatar
27 weeks ago
I really can't wait for good photos app to get made for iOS.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bartmoss Avatar
27 weeks ago
This sums up the heights of European software innovation perfectly. ?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)