Deleting an app from your iPhone is a simple process, but what if it suddenly reappeared? Several iPhone users are reporting a strange issue where previously deleted apps are mysteriously reinstalling on their devices after updating to iOS 18.4.
Users Report Apps Reappearing on Their iPhones
According to reports from Reddit and Apple’s Community Support forums, iPhone users are noticing apps they had previously deleted—sometimes years ago—suddenly appearing back on their devices. In some cases, users claim they have never even downloaded the app before.
Some of the most commonly mentioned apps include:
- Last War Survival
- Ingress
- Cooking Mama
- Bit City
One Reddit user, illyyas, claimed they discovered Ingress installed on their iPhone despite never playing games on their device. Another user reported finding Cooking Mama on their home screen, even though the App Store still showed the option to “Get” the app—suggesting it had never been downloaded before.
Is iOS 18.4 to Blame?
The common factor among these reports appears to be Apple’s latest iOS 18.4 update, which rolled out earlier this week. While the update introduced new features and security enhancements, it may have also introduced a bug that reinstalls previously deleted apps.
Potential causes of the issue:
- Automatic Downloads: Apple allows apps downloaded on one device to sync across others, but affected users report only using a single iPhone, ruling out this possibility.
- App Store Glitch: A possible bug in iOS 18.4 may be misidentifying deleted apps as still being part of a user’s library.
- Software Update Bug: The update itself might have mistakenly triggered reinstallation of old apps from a user’s iCloud history.
Apple Remains Silent on the Issue
As of now, Apple has not issued any official statement addressing these complaints. The company has not acknowledged the issue publicly, nor has it provided any fix.
What Can You Do?
If you notice unwanted apps appearing on your iPhone after updating to iOS 18.4, here’s what you can do:
- Delete the app manually: Press and hold the app icon, then tap “Remove App.”
- Disable Automatic Downloads: Go to Settings > App Store > Automatic Downloads and turn off the feature.
- Check your iCloud settings: Navigate to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Manage Storage, and remove unwanted app data.
- Monitor your device: If the issue persists, report it to Apple via Apple Support.
While not all iPhone users are experiencing this issue, the increasing number of complaints suggests a software bug in iOS 18.4 may be responsible for reinstating deleted apps. Until Apple provides an official fix, users will need to manually remove any unwanted apps and monitor their devices for further anomalies.
