Despite offering telephone and tablet with ever - more onboard storage , Apple knows that the great unwashed can still easily outpace useable room as they download ever more apps and digital content for those apps . In iOS 11 , Apple added an option tooffloadapps rather than just delete them as a via media between apps you utilise and storage consumed .
An offloaded app sport a cloud download icon .
When youdelete an app from your iOS equipment , its image disappear , the programme bundle is removed , and any associated datum gets deleted . But if you opt instead to offload an app , the icon stay in space and any app - related datum is retained as well . Next to the app ikon , you will see a particular cloud download image .
An offloaded app sports a cloud download icon.
Apple offer two ways to offload apps :
Automatically . VisitSettings > General > iTunes & App Stores . Offload Unused Apps is enabled by nonpayment , although you could turn it off if you find this demeanor perplexing or inconvenient . iOS does n’t warn you when it offloads apps to increase storage , so you may endeavor to use an app you have n’t tinct in a while , only to find that it ’s been unload . This may be a job if you do n’t have affordable or sufficient bandwidth to download it on the spot .
Manually . OpenSettings > General > iPhone / iPad Storage , and then swipe down to find apps you want to offload . Tap the app and then tap Offload App . iOS explains what that means , and you have to tap Offload App again in a come out - up menu .
The next time you desire to use an app that ’s been offloaded , you could just tap it and it will be downloaded and reconnected to its cache data .
iOS monish you about the need to re - download the offloaded app .
If you employ Spotlight to find an app , iOS does n’t show the cloud download icon in its app result list . Tap the icon to plunge the app , and iOS alerts you that you ’re trying to launch an app that has to download first . Unfortunately , iOS does n’t tell you when the download is done . You either have to pilot to the app ’s location on a home screen and wait for the visual indicator that show it ’s in full loaded , or you’re able to keep tap it at intervals in Spotlight until Io stop recount you it ’s still lade and really launches the app .
This Mac 911 clause is in answer to a question submitted by Macworld reader Lynn .
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