Be careful: you should not delete this app from your iPhone

With iOS 18.2, Apple allows you to remove many of your default apps from your iPhone, but it is best not to remove this app. You need to know this.

Changes in iOS 18.2

With iOS 18.2, Apple brings a number of new features to your iPhone. For example, your AirTag gets a useful feature in the Find My app and Siri has a new shortcut in the Control Panel. Users in the European Union will also have even more freedom when setting up their iPhone. Starting from iOS 18.2, you can adjust the default apps of your iPhone and also delete these apps for the first time.

From December you can adjust not only the default browser, but also the standard apps for your camera, photo library and online stores. This means that you no longer have to use Apple’s Camera app or Photo Library by default, but you can also choose third-party apps. The same applies to the App Store, which allows you to remove Apple’s online store from your iPhone for the first time since iOS 18.2. However, it is better not to do that (for the time being).

Remove App Store from iPhone

Currently, default apps like the App Store and the Camera app can only be removed from your iPhone’s home screen. They will still be on your iPhone, but will no longer be visible on the home screen. This will change with iOS 18.2, because you can then delete these apps from your iPhone. This is especially risky with the App Store, because it is not yet clear how you can put the app back on your iPhone.

Apps are installed via the App Store. Apple recently also allowed third-party online stores, but you cannot download Apple’s App Store through those digital stores. If you choose to remove the official App Store from your iPhone, there is currently no way to put the app back on the device. Do you want to use the App Store again? In that case, you probably need to reset the device to factory settings.

Apple comes up with a solution

The App Store is on your iPhone by default, so the app will automatically reappear after you reset the device to factory settings. However, this has a major disadvantage, because a lot of other data is lost. Haven’t backed up your iPhone yet after deleting the App Store? Then you can choose to restore it, but then you will probably lose data.

There are plenty of alternatives for apps such as the Camera app and Photo Library to be installed via alternative web stores, but this is a lot more difficult with the App Store. Therefore, be careful if you update to iOS 18.2 in December, because removing the App Store may cause problems with your iPhone. It is expected that Apple will come up with a solution, allowing you to reinstall the App Store via a link or in some other way. For now, that option isn’t there, so make sure you don’t (accidentally) delete the App Store.