If you don’t remember reinstalling that app, you’re not alone.
Credit: DenPhotos / Shutterstock.com
It’s not difficult to delete an app off your iPhone. In fact, it only takes a few taps at most. If you’re so inclined, you can even remove purchases from your Apple Account entirely. So it might come as a bit of a surprise if you see that app randomly reappear. As it happens, some users are seeing just that.
MacRumors spotted multiple threads across both Reddit and Apple’s Community Support site, all featuring the same complaint: users noticing apps they did not choose to download appearing on their iPhones. Some of these affected users had previously deleted these apps months or years ago, and didn’t understand why they were back. Others, however, had no memory of ever downloading the app in question in the first place.
The account Someandroiduser started a Community Support thread, claiming a previously deleted app “Last War Survival” ended up on their iPhone again. Redditor dURDENN7 posted the same, without naming the app in question. It’s worth noting some of the commenters on that thread said their iPhones had downloaded “Last War Survival” as well, including one who said they had never downloaded the app before.
Reddit user illyyas posted that they had discovered the game “Ingress” installed on their iPhone, despite the fact they don’t play games at all on their phone. Another commenter said their iPhone downloaded “Cooking Mama” to their Home screen, even though the App Store still showed the option to “Get” the app—implying the user had never actually installed the app before. Another user shared a similar story with the game “Bit City.”
Is iOS 18.4 responsible?
While it isn’t totally clear what is behind these app downloads, one through line does appear to be iOS 18.4. The update officially dropped on Monday, adding new features and security patches for compatible iPhones. Unfortunately, Apple might’ve missed a bug in beta testing, since many of these user complaints note these apps mysteriously appeared after installing the latest iOS update.
To Apple’s credit, this hasn’t been my experience with the newest update. I installed iOS 18.4 on my iPhone, and, as far as I can tell, no new or previously downloaded apps found their way into my App Library. However, it is a problem: You shouldn’t expect to see apps you previously deleted reappear on your device, and you definitely shouldn’t see apps you never downloaded to begin with.
Apple has not made a public statement about this issue, nor is there really much you can do to prevent it. If you happen to notice an app you previously deleted—or never actually downloaded in the first place—your best bet is to simple delete it, and hope it doesn’t show up again.
Jake Peterson
Senior Technology Editor
Jake Peterson is Lifehacker’s Senior Technology Editor. He has a BFA in Film & TV from NYU, where he specialized in writing. Jake has been helping people with their technology professionally since 2016, beginning as a technical specialist at New York’s 5th Avenue Apple Store, then as a writer for the website Gadget Hacks. In that time, he wrote and edited thousands of news and how-to articles about iPhones and Androids, including reporting on live demos from product launches from Samsung and Google. In 2021, he moved to Lifehacker and covers everything from the best uses of AI in your daily life to which MacBook to buy. His team covers all things tech, including smartphones, computers, game consoles, and subscriptions. He lives in Connecticut.
Lifehacker has been a go-to source of tech help and life advice since 2005. Our mission is to offer reliable tech help and credible, practical, science-based life advice to help you live better.
© 2001-2025 Ziff Davis, LLC., A ZIFF DAVIS COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Lifehacker is a federally registered trademark of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate
any affiliation or the
endorsement of Lifehacker. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.
