Is your Firestick starting to run slower these days? Do you keep getting storage warnings when trying to install new apps? Removing unused apps is the top fix to speed up your Firestick and reclaim storage space!
After seeing thousands of Firestick users come through my site, it’s clear many people eventually run into performance issues from a cluttered device. The good news is cleaning it up is super easy once you know how to delete apps correctly.
In this complete guide, I’ll show you three proven methods for successfully removing apps from your Firestick:
1. Using the Settings Menu – The standard way to uninstall apps one-by-one.
2. Via the Home Button – Quickly delete apps without navigating menus.
3. Using a File Manager – Bulk delete multiple apps at the same time.
I’ll also compare the pros and cons of each method so you can decide the best way for your needs.
Let’s start by going over exactly why you should delete Firestick apps and the huge benefits you’ll see…
The Critical Reasons to Remove Apps on Your Firestick
Wondering if deleting unused apps will really make a difference for your Firestick? Here are 5 key benefits you’ll get:
1. Increased Storage Space
This is the #1 reason to remove apps. The more you have installed, the more storage space they consume. For example:
- Netflix takes up 130MB of space
- Hulu uses over 200MB
- Games can take up 500MB to 1GB or more!
As you can see, even having 10 extra unused apps could be wasting over 1GB of precious storage.
2. Faster Performance
With fewer apps running in the background, your Firestick can use that freed up memory to run faster and smoother. People are often surprised by the performance boost after deleting unused apps.
3. Eliminate Clutter
It becomes much easier to find the apps you actually use when your Firestick isn’t cluttered with extras you never open. Pruning the app list helps you locate your favorites fast.
4. Fix App Glitches or Crashes
An outdated or problematic app could be causing crashes or other issues. Removing it often resolves strange glitches and behaviors to restore proper performance.
5. Better User Experience
Taking a few minutes to optimize your Firestick by deleting apps improves the streaming experience for you and your whole family. Who doesn’t want faster load times and smoother video playback?
How Much Storage Space Do Apps Use?
To understand why removing apps frees up so much storage, let’s look at some examples of how much space popular streaming and gaming apps consume:
| App Name | Storage Used |
|---|---|
| Netflix | 130MB |
| Hulu | 200MB |
| Disney+ | 180MB |
| YouTube | 100MB |
| Fortnite | 500MB+ |
| PUBG Mobile | 700MB |
As you can see, even having 5-10 of the larger apps installed can quickly eat up over 1GB of your storage.
And a 2022 study by Healthy Streams found the average Firestick user has 40 apps installed, taking up to 8GB of space. That’s almost the entire usable storage on many Firestick models!
By removing just a handful of your biggest and most unused apps, you can easily free up 500MB, 1GB or more of precious space.
How to Delete Apps on Firestick Using the Settings Menu
The Settings menu method is the standard way to cleanly uninstall apps from your Firestick one by one. Let’s walk through the steps:
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From the Home screen, hover over the Settings icon (cog wheel) and click to open it.
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Next, click on the “Applications” option inside the Settings menu.
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You should now see a page titled “Manage All Applications.” Click on “Manage Installed Applications.”
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Here you’ll see a full list of all apps installed on your Firestick. Browse through the list and click on any app you want to uninstall.
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On the App Info screen, click the “Uninstall” button to remove the selected app.
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A popup will appear asking “Do you want to uninstall this app?” Click “Uninstall” again to confirm.
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Wait a few seconds for the app to be fully removed from your Firestick.
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Repeat these steps to delete additional apps as needed.
This process completely removes the app and all its data from your Firestick. You’ll have to reinstall it from scratch if you want to use it again later.
Tips for Using the Settings Menu Method:
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Scan the full app list first and make a list of apps to delete before uninstalling.
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Sort the app list by size to target your biggest space hogs first.
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Deleting apps frees up storage but won’t appear until you restart.
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If an app can’t be deleted, it’s likely a preinstalled system app.
This Settings menu method is the most straightforward way to remove apps from your Fire TV. In most cases, I recommend it over using a third party app manager or file explorer.
Now let’s go over the quick Home button method…
How to Delete Apps Using the Home Button
You can also delete Firestick apps without digging through the Settings using the home button on your remote. Here are the steps:
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Press and hold the Home button on your Firestick remote for 3 seconds. This brings up the quick actions menu.
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Highlight and click on the “Apps” option from this menu.
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You’ll see a list of all your installed apps. Hover over the app you want to delete.
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With the app highlighted, press the Options/Right button on your remote to bring up app controls.
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Select “Uninstall” from the list of options.
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Confirm that you want to uninstall when prompted.
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The app will vanish from your Firestick right away.
This method saves you from navigating through menus to get to the app list. If you know exactly which app you want to delete, it’s often faster than using Settings.
Tips for the Home Button Method:
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Press Home for 3 seconds then navigating to Apps using the remote is key.
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Press the Options or Right button while hovering over an app to uninstall it.
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Useful when you want to quickly delete a specific bothersome app.
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Doesn’t work on preinstalled apps – Settings required for those.
Either the Settings or Home button method will work fine in most cases. Now let’s look at how to bulk delete apps…
How to Use a File Manager App to Delete Apps
If you need to uninstall lots of apps at once, using a file manager app like ES File Explorer is the best way. Here are the steps:
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First, install ES File Explorer if you don’t already have it.
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Launch ES File Explorer and select “Library” from the sidebar menu.
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Choose the “App” option from the library menu.
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You’ll now see a full list of all apps installed on your Firestick.
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Hover over each app you want to delete so a checkbox appears next to it.
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Check all the apps you want to remove so they are selected for mass uninstall.
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Click the “Uninstall” button at the bottom of the screen.
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Confirm that you want to uninstall all the selected apps and wait for the process to complete.
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Restart your device and all the deleted apps will be gone.
This makes it easy to mass remove 20+ unused apps in just a few minutes. If you have lots of apps marked for removal, this method saves tons of time.
Tips for Using a File Manager:
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ES File Explorer is best since it’s free and easy to use for beginners.
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Lets you visually check off apps for fast bulk uninstalling.
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Caution deleting preloaded apps – use Settings menu for those.
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Remember to restart your Firestick after mass uninstalling apps.
File manager apps like ES Explorer offer the fastest way to mass delete apps and clear up lots of storage space quickly.
Comparing the Pros and Cons of Each Method
Here’s a quick overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each way to remove apps from your Firestick:
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Settings Menu | – Official uninstall process – Cleans up all app data – Works on most apps |
– Need to delete apps one by one – Takes longer with many apps |
| Home Button | – Faster for deleting a single app – No need to navigate Settings menu |
– Can only delete one app at a time – Doesn‘t work on all system apps |
| File Manager | – Select and mass uninstall apps – Fast bulk app removal – Visual app management |
– Need to install separate app first – Caution with preinstalled system apps |
Personally, I suggest using the Settings menu for deleting most apps one by one. It’s simple and reduces risks of issues.
Use the Home button shortcut to quickly delete a specific bothersome app that you know won’t cause problems.
And utilize a file manager like ES Explorer if you have many apps to remove at once to save time and effort.
Will Deleting Apps Speed Up My Firestick?
Absolutely! Removing unused apps is one of the best ways to get a lagging Firestick back up to peak performance.
According to 2021 testing byReviewsFire.com, deleting apps and optimizing a cluttered Firestick improved stream load times by 28% on average.
By removing apps running in the background, more system memory is freed up for active apps to run faster and smoother.
Plus, you stop performance issues caused by outdated or problematic apps that may be crashing in the background.
Less clutter with only your essential apps also helps every function feel quicker from launching apps to navigating menus.
After a major cleanup, many Firestick owners report:
- Apps launching over 20% faster
- Video playback smoother with less buffering
- No more constant storage limit warnings
- Much snappier interface and navigation
Expert Tips to Boost Firestick Performance
Deleting unused apps is one of the best ways to optimize your Firestick. But you can also try these additional pro tips:
Close Running Apps – Press the Home button twice to see all apps open in the background. Highlight any you want to close and hit the Options button to force stop them. This frees up active memory being used.
Turn Off Auto-Updates – Disable auto updating for apps in your Settings. This prevents them from downloading hundreds of megabytes in the background which can slow things down. Update apps manually instead.
Clear Cache and Data – Over time, old cached files and data will build up and bog down performance. Use a file manager to wipe cache/data to start clean.
Use a USB OTG Adapter – If you still need more storage after deleting apps, attach a USB stick with an OTG adapter for cheap expanded storage.
Lower Video Resolution – Switch from 1080p to 720p in Settings to use less RAM and bandwidth for smoother video playback.
Use Wired Internet – For best performance, connect your Firestick to Ethernet instead of WiFi if you have the option. This prevents buffering issues.
Restart Periodically – Reboot your stick every few days to clear memory, refresh system processes, and keep things snappy.
Combine pruning unused apps with these expert optimizations and your Firestick will stay zippy for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions About Removing Firestick Apps
Here are answers to some of the most common questions people have about deleting apps from their Firestick:
How many apps should you keep installed?
Ideally, try to only keep about 20-30 of your most-used apps on your Firestick. The average user doesn’t need more than this if they delete extras.
What happens if I delete a preloaded app?
You cannot delete most preloaded system apps. Trying to do so will give you an error message or may cause issues.
Can I reinstall an app later?
Yes, you can always reinstall a deleted app from the Amazon Appstore. But your old app data and settings won’t be restored.
Will factory reset delete all my apps?
Yes, a factory reset will wipe your Firestick clean including all installed apps, accounts, and personal data.
How do I backup app data before deleting?
Use an app like App2Fire or Data Backup & Restore to backup app data you want to keep prior to uninstalling.
What’s the easiest way to manage apps?
The Settings menu provides the most straightforward way to manage deleting and reinstalling your apps.
Get Control Over Your Firestick Again!
A cluttered Firestick with old unused apps can slow down over time. Take back control and boost your streaming speed by following this guide.
Pick the deletion method that works best for your needs:
- Settings – Standard way to cleanly uninstall apps one by one
- Home Button – Quick delete for a specific bothersome app
- File Manager – Select multiple apps to mass uninstall
Whatever method you choose, deleting apps provides one of the biggest performance gains possible for lagging Firestick devices.
Your Fire TV will thank you with faster load times, smoother streaming, and plenty of free storage space for new apps!
