Removing an application from your iPhone is generally straightforward. It requires just a couple of taps, and should you wish, there are methods to even erase purchases from your Apple Account. Thus, the recent reports of apps spontaneously reappearing can be rather surprising. Users are indeed encountering this issue.

MacRumors has highlighted several discussions on Reddit and Apple’s Community Support boards addressing a common grievance: the unexpected installation of apps that were not intentionally downloaded. Some individuals have noted that these applications, which they had uninstalled months or even years prior, have re-emerged. Others are baffled, stating they have never had any recollection of ever downloading such apps.

A user identified as Someandroiduser initiated a topic in the Community Support forums, mentioning that the app “Last War Survival,” which they had deleted, reappeared on their device. Similarly, a Reddit user named dURDENN7 made a comparable observation, though they refrained from specifying the app name. Notably, other commenters in the discussion also reported their devices installing “Last War Survival,” with some claiming they had never downloaded it before.

Another Reddit contributor, illyyas, shared their experience of discovering the game “Ingress” on their device, despite having no interest in gaming. Similarly, another user reported that “Cooking Mama” appeared on their Home screen without any record of having installed it, indicating that it remained available to download on the App Store. Another user noted a similar occurrence with the game “Bit City.”

Could iOS 18.4 Be the Culprit?

While the exact cause of these unexpected downloads remains uncertain, a notable connection appears to be the release of iOS 18.4. This update was made available on Monday, introducing new features and important security fixes for compatible devices. It seems possible that a bug slipped through during beta testing, since many complaints mention the installation of these apps followed the iOS update.

According to MacRumors, the Automatic Downloads feature—which typically reinstalls apps that have been downloaded on other Apple devices—doesn’t appear to be responsible for this anomaly, especially since many affected individuals exclusively use iPhones. Moreover, the publication confirmed that the devices involved were not jailbroken and did not utilize a third-party app store.

Interestingly, not every user has reported this issue with the recent update. After upgrading to iOS 18.4, no additional or previously uninstalled apps were found on one user’s App Library. However, it’s concerning that users might unexpectedly see previously deleted apps return or encounter apps they have never downloaded.

As of now, Apple has not issued any official comments on this matter, and there are limited options available to mitigate it. Should an app reappear—whether it’s one you’ve already deleted or one you never installed—the recommended course of action is simply to delete it again and hope it does not return.