How To Delete Apps From iCloud & Purchase History

There are many instances in which we’d want some purchases or downloads to remain private. This is especially true when it comes to certain apps, whether they’re duplicate apps or other ones you’d wish to keep under wraps. You have options to do just that by hiding or completely removing them in your iCloud or purchase history.

This guide provides detailed instructions on how you can succeed in these actions on your own. Remember, by fooling around a bit with your Apple account, you can create a more customized and private user experience.

Table of Contents

    Understanding the Reasonings Behind Deleting Apps from iCloud & Purchase History

    iCloud offers a unique blend of security and convenience. It stores your digital valuables, including your pictures and critical files on its servers, allowing you to have access anywhere, anytime.

    Consequently, those software additions you gather overtime are automatically backed up in iCloud. If you’re feeling a need for a clean-up, especially when utilizing family sharing, you have the liberty to exclude or hide such apps from your purchase history.

    It can sometimes appear as if the purchases are taking up crucial space on your iCloud account. However, these applications don’t actually inhabit iCloud, but Apple’s servers. The data these apps generate is what fills up the available space.

    You should also bear in mind that iCloud doesn’t offer a direct feature for deleting apps. However, you can manage what is seen by hiding certain apps and managing your iCloud account and storage more efficiently. As a result, hidden apps will not be visible to those sharing your account’s purchases.

    In-depth Guide on How to Hide or Remove Apps from iCloud & Purchase History

    In order to navigate through the process of hiding or deleting apps from iCloud and your purchase history, the instructions have been broken down into manageable steps for ease of use.

    Using iTunes

    Follow these steps to guide you through using iTunes to conceal or delete apps from iCloud and your purchase history:

  • Open iTunes and click on Store.
  • Click Purchased on the right pane.
  • Then click Apps, following which you click All to view all your apps. You can switch between iPhone and iPad which have different app lists.
  • Hover over the icon for the app you’d like to hide. You will notice an X appear at the upper left corner, signifying that the app is hidden. It will no longer be listed among your device’s purchase history, and you can’t re-download it from iCloud.
  • Conceal the app from your device by heading to the App Store and tapping Updates > Purchased (for iOS 10), or tap on your profile icon in the Updates screen to open your Account page and then tap Purchased (iOS 11).
  • Tap All to view all the apps on your device’s purchase history. You can hide the app by swiping your finger to the right over the app you’d like to conceal. 
  • A red Hide button will show up indicating that the app is hidden and won’t show up in iCloud.
  • Using iOS Devices, Mac Or Windows

    Let’s first look at how to delete apps from iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

  • Go to Settings, select your name at the top, and tap iCloud.
  • Then tap on Manage Storage.
  • Next, tap on the Backups in the iCloud storage settings.
  • A list of all devices linked to your iCloud account will appear in the Backups section. Choose the device with the apps you wish to delete.
  • Go to the Choose Data to Back Up section and tap Show All Apps.
  • Locate the app you wish to delete from iCloud and tap the on-off switch next to it. You’ll come across a pop-up message inquiring whether you want to turn off the app’s backups and delete any related data from iCloud. Tap Turn Off & Delete to finalize the process.
  • Next, let’s learn how to delete apps from iCloud on your Mac.

  • Click the menu and select System Preferences.
  • In the System Preferences dialog, click iCloud.
  • Enter your Apple ID and password when asked, along with a verification code if any was sent to your iPhone or iPad. Click on Manage in the main iCloud interface.
  • From the Manage Storage screen, find the app you wish to remove from the left pane and select it. Then click on Delete Documents and Data. This will discard of all the files linked with the particular app from iCloud Backup.
  • Click Delete on the warning message that shows up to finalize the process.
  • Lastly, let’s go over how to delete apps from iCloud on your Windows PC.

  • Open iCloud on your computer and enter your Apple ID and password. Also remember to enter the verification code if any was sent to your other devices. Select Storage on the main iCloud interface.
  • In the Manage Storage screen, find the app you wish to delete from the left pane, select it and then select Delete Documents and Data. This will discard of all the files associated with the app from your iCloud Backup. Select Delete to finalize the process.
  • Comprehensive Steps to Hide or Delete Apps from Purchase History

    Typically, your purchase history shows an array of elements such as apps, films, songs, television programs, and books that you’ve purchased with your Apple ID. Additionally, you can request refunds, view the date an order was billed or purchased, and identify the payment method charged for a particular item. Furthermore, it also allows you to resend a receipt of the transaction to your own email address.

  • In order to view your purchase history on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, head over to Settings, click your name, and then click iTunes & App Store. Tap your Apple ID > View Apple ID and sign in.
  • Then scroll to Purchase History and tap on it to review your purchase history.
  • If you’re on a Mac or Windows PC, launch iTunes or the Music App and opt for Account >View My Account.
  • View My Account in iTunes\" >

  • On the Account Information page, Scroll down to Purchase History and click See All next to the Most Recent Purchase.
  • To remove apps from purchase history, head over to App Store, tap on your profile picture at the top right side of the screen and select Purchased. Afterwards, go to the app you want to hide and swipe your finger from right to left. A red Hide button will pop up – tap on it to hide the app.

    Note: You can’t unhide apps on your iOS devices, but you can re-download the app without being charged a second time by going to the App Store, tapping Today, and then selecting your photo or the account button on the upper side of the screen.

    Afterwards, tap your Apple ID, sign in if asked to, and tap Hidden Purchases at the bottom.

    Finally, go to the app you want to re-download and hit the download button.

    On your Mac, sign in and launch the App Store, and click on your name at the bottom. Your purchased apps will appear.

    Hold your mouse pointer over the app, click the More Options button, and then select Hide Purchase.

    Click Hide Purchase again to confirm.

    Please note that unlike iOS devices, you can unhide apps on your Mac.

  • Launch the App Store, click your name, and then click View Information. Proceed to the Hidden Items section and click on Manage.
  • Proceed to the app you want to unhide, click Unhide and then click Done. You’ll see the app reappear in your Purchased list.
  • How To View Hidden Purchases

    You can view the apps you’ve hidden from your Purchase history list since they’re not completely excised from the list.

  • Launch App Store, tap your profile photo, tap on your account and then scroll down and tap Hidden Purchases.
  • On the subsequent screen, you’ll see a list of everything you’ve ever hidden. Keep tapping on the Cloud icon to re-install the apps you want. If you don’t see the apps you want, tap iPhone Apps and iPad Apps to find them.
  • This guide should help you understand how to hide or delete apps from iCloud and purchase history on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, or Windows PC. Please feel free to leave any comments you may have in the section below.