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 Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

breenmask Avatar
17 months ago
all 10 people are clapping at this.
Score: 56 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
17 months ago
Unfortunately, deleting the camera doesn’t remove the bump.
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
17 months 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.geekwebguides.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
17 months 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
17 months ago
I really can't wait for good photos app to get made for iOS.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bartmoss Avatar
17 months ago
This sums up the heights of European software innovation perfectly. ?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)