Reinstalling an App on Android or iOS: What You Need to Know
Reinstalling an app can be a handy troubleshooting technique when you encounter issues on your Android or iOS device. But what exactly happens when you reinstall an app? Will you lose your data? Will your account be deleted? In this article, we'll explore the answers to these questions and more.
What is Meant by Reinstalling an App
Reinstalling an app simply means uninstalling the app from your phone and then installing it again. When you uninstall an app, it is completely removed from your phone. If you want to use the app again, you'll need to install it once more. When you reinstall the app, it will behave and look like it did when you first installed it, which means you'll have to set it up again.
On iPhone, you also have the option to offload an app instead of completely uninstalling it. Offloading an app deletes the storage used by the app but keeps the app data. This means you can still access the app data when you reinstall the app after offloading it. Think of offloading as a slightly modified version of uninstalling an app.
Now that we understand what reinstalling an app means, let's delve into what actually happens when you reinstall an app.
What Happens by Reinstalling an App
App Data
One of the main concerns when reinstalling an app is whether you'll lose your data. The outcome regarding app data can vary depending on the app itself. For some Android apps, the data is completely removed from your phone. However, with other apps, you may still be able to access and reuse the data when you reinstall the app. On the other hand, reinstalling an app on an iPhone will not allow you to reuse the data.
It's important to note that app data refers to the data stored locally on your phone, such as preferences and settings. It does not include your social media profiles, posts, or messages, as these are stored on the service provider's servers. Any data synced to an online account will not be affected by reinstalling the app.
App Settings
When you reinstall an app, the app settings are reset and restored to their default values. This means you'll need to set up the app settings again after reinstalling it.
Login Details
Reinstalling an app will log you out of your account. To continue using the app, you'll need to sign in again with your account username and password.
Paid Apps
If you reinstall a paid app, you won't have to pay for it again. This means you can use apps that you previously purchased on the Play Store or App Store without any additional cost. Just make sure you're using the same account to download and log in to the paid app that you used before.
For one-time purchases, you own the app forever. If the app has a subscription model, you can use the app until your subscription expires.
Storage
Uninstalling an app removes its data, cache, and user data, freeing up storage space on your phone. So, yes, reinstalling the app will help you reclaim some valuable storage space.
Examples of Reinstalling Apps
Let's take a look at some specific examples of what happens when you reinstall certain apps:
Gallery App
If you have a third-party gallery app installed on your phone, reinstalling it will not delete any of your photos or videos. However, pre-installed gallery apps like Google Photos or Apple Photos cannot be reinstalled.
Facebook and Facebook Messenger
When you reinstall the Facebook or Messenger app, you'll need to log in again to your Facebook account. Your profile, posts, messages, and other information will remain unaffected. However, any changes made to the app settings, such as notifications and permissions, will need to be set up again.
Similar to Facebook, reinstalling the Instagram app will require you to log in again to your Instagram account. Your profile, followers, following list, messages, and downloaded photos or videos will not be deleted.
On Android, if you reinstall WhatsApp and have a local backup or a backup saved on Google Drive, you can restore your chats. On iOS, you'll be able to restore chats after reinstalling WhatsApp only if you saved the backup to iCloud. Reinstalling WhatsApp will not delete your WhatsApp groups.
Games
Just like apps, reinstalling games will not cause you to lose your data or progress if you were signed into Game Center or any other account linked to the game.
How to Reinstall Apps on Android and iPhone
Here's how you can reinstall apps on Android and iPhone:
Android
- Open Settings on your phone.
- Go to Apps and select the app you want to uninstall.
- Tap Uninstall. If you have Stock Android, you may be asked if you want to keep the app data. Check the box if you want to keep the app data, otherwise tap OK.
- After uninstalling the app, open the Play Store and find the app you just uninstalled. Tap Install to reinstall the deleted apps on Android.
iPhone
- Open the App Library on your iPhone.
- Touch and hold the app icon you want to uninstall, then tap Delete App. Confirm the deletion.
- To reinstall the app, open the App Store and search for the app. Tap the Download icon next to it.
How to Find Deleted Apps and Reinstall Them
If you've accidentally deleted apps and want to reinstall them, follow these steps:
Android
- Open the Play Store on your phone.
- Tap the profile picture icon at the top and go to Manage apps & devices.
- Select the Manage tab, then tap Installed and choose Not installed.
- You'll see a list of deleted apps. Tap the app you want to install and hit Install.
iPhone
- Open the App Store on your iPhone.
- Tap the account icon at the top and select Purchased.
- Tap Not on this iPhone to view the deleted apps. Then, tap the Download icon next to the app you want to reinstall.
Keep Your Apps Updated
Reinstalling an app is just one way to fix issues. To prevent problems, it's also important to keep your apps updated. Learn how to update apps on Android like a pro to ensure you have the latest features and bug fixes.
By understanding what happens when you reinstall an app on your Android or iOS device, you can troubleshoot issues effectively and make informed decisions about managing your apps.
Jim's passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
Jim continues to share his expertise and passion for tablets, helping his audience as much as he can with his motto “One Swipe at a Time!”