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A_Shid
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

New app that showed up after iOS update keeps reappearing after I delete it.

My iPhone 17 updated to iOS 27.0.1 last night and downloaded an app called “Playground”. It’s an app I have zero interest in using and do not want on my phone so I deleted it. It reappeared so I deleted it again. I have deleted it at least 6 times now (about 16 hours after the phone updated) and it keeps reappearing. Is this a glitch? How can I get it to stay OFF my phone?

Posted on Oct 22, 2026 11:16 AM

7 replies

lobsterghost1
User level: Level 10 (233,174 points)

Oct 22, 2026 11:30 AM in response to A_Shid

I've read that if you have Apple Intelligence on your iPhone the Payground app can and often does reappear. If you don't want to use the App, hide it, though it is harmless (and honestly kind of fun) but we all have some builtin apps on our phones we can't delete but that doesn't mean you have to use them. The app itself is taking mere megabytes of data, so worrying about how much space it uses shouldn't be a concern.


Hide the app if it somehow bothers you --> Lock or hide an app on iPhone - Apple Support


IdrisSeabright
User level: Level 10 (201,695 points)

Oct 23, 2026 8:53 AM in response to A_Shid

A_Shid wrote:
I have Apple Intelligence disabled. Basically anything that uses AI, I disable and prefer not to use. Since I posted this question, I’ve had to delete that app 4 more times.

I guess it's time to hide it then.

Jeff Donald
User level: Level 9 (64,078 points)

Oct 28, 2026 1:02 AM in response to UncleChuckleton

Hi, this is not Apple Support. Apple and Apple Support do not participate in the communities here. They only moderate our posts to insure all user guidelines are followed in regard to content and user behavior. Your comments will not be reviewed by Apple. Apple may make changes based partially on the feedback they receive through their official channel, linked below .


Product Feedback - Apple


Apple typically does not formally reply to feature requests such as yours.

LD150
User level: Level 10 (107,674 points)

Oct 23, 2026 9:09 AM in response to A_Shid

A_Shid wrote:
I have Apple Intelligence disabled. Basically anything that uses AI, I disable and prefer not to use.


AI cannot be disabled since ios27. You can disable Siri though.


Since I posted this question, I’ve had to delete that app 4 more times.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"

Not Einstein BTW



IdrisSeabright
User level: Level 10 (201,695 points)

Oct 28, 2026 6:54 AM in response to UncleChuckleton

UncleChuckleton wrote:
I’ve got the same problem. Want nothing to do with AI and keep deleting the app, but it keeps coming back. Hiding it isn’t a valid response or option.

It is, however, the only one that we, your fellow users, have to offer.

A_Shid Author
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Oct 23, 2026 3:20 AM in response to lobsterghost1

I have Apple Intelligence disabled. Basically anything that uses AI, I disable and prefer not to use. Since I posted this question, I’ve had to delete that app 4 more times.

UncleChuckleton
User level: Level 1 (8 points)

Oct 27, 2026 7:36 PM in response to A_Shid

I’ve got the same problem. Want nothing to do with AI and keep deleting the app, but it keeps coming back. Hiding it isn’t a valid response or option.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256381023