Uninstall Apps You Don't Use

With the growth in smartphone use, many companies are launching apps to attract customers and make it easier to access their products and services. However, some of these apps end up being rarely used and are soon forgotten on users’ phones.

Even when apps are carefully developed and tested before their release, they may still contain flaws that can affect their usability (bugs) and create security issues (vulnerabilities).

Remember: no app is 100% secure.

The more apps you have installed on your mobile devices, the greater the chance that one of them—or a component used in its development—contains a vulnerability. In addition, depending on their permissions, some apps can collect and send user and device information even when they are not in use. They might also be discontinued and no longer receive updates to fix existing flaws, something that might be exploited by attackers.

For these reasons, in addition to keeping your apps up to date, it's important to check all the apps you have on your phone and delete those you no longer use or have been discontinued.

On Android, there are several ways to uninstall an app: Open the Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, go to Manage apps and devices " Manage. Select the app you wish to delete and tap the “Uninstall” option.

You can also hold the app icon and either drag it to the “Delete” area or choose and then confirm the “Uninstall” option.
Additionally, on certain versions of Android, you can also check which apps are rarely used. To do so, go to Settings " Applications (or Apps depending on the version) " Unused apps.

On iOS, press and hold the app icon. A menu will appear with the “Remove App” option. Tap this option and then confirm. Another possibility is to go to: Settings " General " iPhone Storage " [App] " Delete App.

iOS also includes a feature that automatically removes unused apps. To check whether this feature is enabled, go to Settings " iTunes and App Store and see if the “Offload Unused Apps” option is selected.
Be careful with your apps and keep only the ones you really use.

Description

In the first scene, a girl holds a cell phone on which an app is open. Suddenly, an attacker jumps out from the phone screen. At the top of the video, a phrase appears: “Apps can have bugs or vulnerabilities that facilitate attacks”.

In the next frame, the phrase changes to “The more apps you have, the greater the risks.” A phone screen appears, showing the icons of the apps that are installed on the device. Several attackers appear around the device, representing threats.

In the third scene, the phrase changes to “Uninstall unused or discontinued apps”. The girl taps and holds an icon, and the option “Remove app” appears on the device's screen. A confirmation screen pops up and she confirms the action. A message confirms that the app has been removed.

At the end of the video, the phrase changes to “Keep only the apps that are essential to you!”. The phone screen now shows a smaller number of apps. The girl claps in approval.