An iPhone 15 ships with more than 40 Apple apps preinstalled for calls, messages, photos, music, work, health, and more.
Unboxing a new iPhone 15 feels a bit like opening a toolbox that is already stocked. Before you even visit the App Store, the phone arrives with a full set of Apple apps for calls, messages, photos, music, notes, work, fitness, and payments. Knowing what comes built in helps you plan what to keep, what to hide, and what you still want to download.
This guide walks through every default app that comes with iPhone 15, groups them by what they do, and shows how to delete, restore, and organize them. All app names and categories here match Apple’s own iPhone 15 tech specs, with a few extra notes pulled from the iPhone User Guide and long-term iOS behavior.
What Apps Come With iPhone 15 Out Of The Box?
Apple lists a long set of built in apps for iPhone 15. They are installed on every new device that runs iOS 17 on this model. Region settings may hide a few apps, such as News in some countries, but the overall set stays consistent.
Here is a quick view of the types of apps you get on a fresh iPhone 15 and a few names in each group.
| Category | Examples On iPhone 15 |
|---|---|
| Calls And Messages | Phone, Messages, FaceTime, Contacts |
| Internet And Services | Safari, Mail, Maps, Wallet, App Store, Apple Store |
| Media And Creativity | Camera, Photos, Music, TV, Podcasts, GarageBand, iMovie, Clips, Books |
| Productivity And Notes | Calendar, Notes, Journal, Reminders, Files, Freeform, Pages, Numbers, Keynote |
| Health And Activity | Health, Fitness |
| Utilities And System | Clock, Weather, Calculator, Measure, Magnifier, Compass, Voice Memos, Find My, Home, Shortcuts, Siri, Translate, News, Stocks, Tips, Passwords, Settings, Watch |
In full, the built in apps Apple lists for iPhone 15 are:
- Apple Store — Shop for hardware, accessories, and check orders from Apple.
- App Store — Download third party apps and updates.
- Books — Read ebooks and listen to audiobooks purchased from Apple or loaded from files.
- Calculator — Handle quick math and scientific calculations.
- Calendar — Track events, sync calendars, and see alerts.
- Camera — Capture photos and video with all iPhone 15 shooting modes.
- Clips — Create short vertical videos with filters, text, and music.
- Clock — Set alarms, timers, and check world time zones.
- Compass — See direction, altitude, and location data.
- Contacts — Store phone numbers and other contact details for people and companies.
- FaceTime — Make audio and video calls over Wi-Fi or cellular to other Apple users.
- Files — Browse local files, iCloud Drive, and third party cloud storage.
- Find My — Locate Apple devices, AirTag items, and shared friends or family.
- Fitness — Track activity rings, workouts, and Apple Watch syncing.
- Freeform — Sketch, drop sticky notes, and plan on a shared infinite canvas.
- GarageBand — Record music, layer instruments, and build songs.
- Health — View health data, medication schedules, and activity trends.
- Home — Control HomeKit compatible lights, locks, cameras, and other accessories.
- iMovie — Edit videos, trim clips, add music, and export finished movies.
- iTunes Store — Buy or rent movies, and in some regions music and TV episodes.
- Journal — Write entries about your day with smart prompts based on photos, workouts, and other activity.
- Keynote — Build presentations with slides, animations, and collaboration tools.
- Magnifier — Use the camera as a digital magnifying glass with adjustable zoom and filters.
- Mail — Works with most email providers and handles multiple inboxes.
- Maps — Get turn by turn directions, transit info, and points of interest.
- Measure — Measure objects using the camera and augmented reality.
- Messages — Send texts, photos, stickers, and iMessages.
- Music — Play local songs, stream Apple Music, and control AirPlay output.
- News — Brings stories from major outlets and magazines in regions where the service is offered.
- Notes — Capture text notes, checklists, scans, and quick sketches.
- Numbers — Work with spreadsheets and tables.
- Pages — Create documents, letters, and reports.
- Passwords — Store logins, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and codes in one secure place.
- Phone — Make and receive calls, manage voicemail, and view call history.
- Photos — Browse, edit, and share your photo and video library.
- Podcasts — Listen to podcast shows and manage subscriptions.
- Reminders — Keep task lists with notifications and location based alerts.
- Safari — Browse the web with tab groups, privacy controls, and extensions.
- Settings — Control system preferences, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, notifications, and more.
- Shortcuts — Build automations that connect actions across apps.
- Siri — Use voice control for searches, smart home, calls, messages, and shortcuts.
- Stocks — Track stocks, indexes, and business headlines.
- Tips — Read short tutorials on features you may not have seen yet.
- Translate — Translate speech and text between many languages.
- TV — Watch Apple TV+, channels, and purchased content.
- Voice Memos — Record meetings, lectures, and quick notes.
- Wallet — Keep bank cards, transit cards, passes, keys, and event tickets.
- Watch — Pair and manage Apple Watch from your iPhone 15.
- Weather — See hourly and ten day forecasts, radar, and alerts.
Some of these apps, like News or Apple TV, may behave a little differently based on where you live, but the overall lineup is the same set Apple lists on its iPhone 15 specifications page and in the official iPhone User Guide.
Core System Apps You See On Day One
When people ask what apps come with iPhone 15, they usually care first about the tools that replace a basic phone. These are the apps you rely on for calls, messages, and staying online every day.
Calling And Texting Apps
These are the apps that turn an iPhone 15 from a handheld computer into a phone that fits into daily life.
- Phone — Handles regular calls, voicemail, call blocking, and favorites.
- Messages — Combines SMS with iMessage for photos, effects, and group chats.
- FaceTime — Lets you start video and audio calls with other Apple users.
- Contacts — Stores details for the people you call and message.
With these four apps you can call anyone, keep a tidy contact list, and stay in touch without downloading anything else.
Internet And Online Services
An iPhone 15 arrives ready for web browsing, email, maps, and payments. You can keep these built in apps or swap many of them for third party options later.
- Safari — Default browser with tab groups, reader view, and private windows.
- Mail — Works with most email providers and handles multiple inboxes.
- Maps — Offers driving, walking, cycling, and transit routes along with real time traffic.
- Wallet — Stores payment cards and transit passes for Apple Pay and other tap to pay uses.
- App Store — Main place to install new apps and updates.
- Apple Store — The shopping app for Apple hardware, accessories, and store visits.
Utilities You Use Constantly
Some iPhone 15 apps feel small at first and then become part of daily habits because they sit one tap away.
- Clock — Runs alarms, timers, and stopwatch functions.
- Weather — Shows live conditions, forecasts, and detailed maps.
- Calculator — Handles tips, currency conversions, and quick math.
- Measure — Uses the camera for quick measurements of furniture, rooms, and boxes.
- Magnifier — Helps read small print or labels by zooming in with the camera.
- Compass — Gives direction and basic location data for walks and hikes.
- Voice Memos — Captures audio notes, meetings, and ideas on the go.
Creativity, Media, And Entertainment Apps
Out of the box, iPhone 15 doubles as a camera, movie studio, music player, and reading device. Many buyers never bother installing separate apps for photos and basic media because the built in tools are already strong.
Photo And Video Apps
These apps handle shooting, editing, and sharing without extra downloads.
- Camera — Shoots photos, Portrait mode, slow motion, and more.
- Photos — Organizes your library, applies edits, and syncs with iCloud Photos.
- Clips — Makes short social friendly videos with posters and captions.
- iMovie — Lets you cut clips together and add titles, transitions, and soundtracks.
Music, Video, And Podcasts
If you like audio or video, the media apps that come with iPhone 15 give you a capable player for nearly everything.
- Music — Plays local libraries and Apple Music streams.
- TV — Central place for Apple TV+, purchased shows, and rentals.
- Podcasts — Manages podcast subscriptions, queues, and offline listening.
- Books — Handles ebooks and audiobooks from Apple or your own files.
- News — Brings stories from major outlets and magazines in regions where the service is offered.
Creative Studio Apps
Even with no extra downloads, iPhone 15 includes a capable mini studio for music and sketching.
- GarageBand — Records vocals and instruments, and uses virtual session players.
- Freeform — Works like a digital whiteboard where you drop text, shapes, photos, and drawings.
Productivity, Work, And Study Apps
Beyond calls and entertainment, the iPhone 15 app bundle also includes a full set of work tools that rival a light laptop setup. Many students and workers rely on these to stay on top of tasks and documents.
Document And Spreadsheet Apps
Apple’s iWork suite ships with every iPhone 15, so you can open and create files without paying for extra office software.
- Pages — Word processor for reports, letters, and formatted documents.
- Numbers — Spreadsheet app with tables, charts, and templates.
- Keynote — Presentation app for slide decks, speaker notes, and animations.
Notes, Tasks, And Files
These apps keep reminders, quick thoughts, and documents handy across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
- Notes — Stores checklists, long notes, scanned documents, and shared folders.
- Journal — Lets you log moments with text and photos and then look back on past days and weeks.
- Reminders — Keeps task lists with due dates, locations, and tags.
- Calendar — Puts meetings and personal events in one timeline.
- Files — Ties together local storage, iCloud Drive, and other cloud providers.
Health, Fitness, And Home
Even if you have not bought extra accessories yet, the health and home apps on iPhone 15 already gather useful data.
- Health — Shows step counts, heart data from paired devices, and medical details.
- Fitness — Tracks daily activity and Apple Fitness+ workouts.
- Home — Controls smart bulbs, plugs, locks, and cameras that work with Apple’s home platform.
- Watch — Manages Apple Watch pairing, faces, and settings.
Managing Default Apps On iPhone 15
Knowing what apps come with iPhone 15 is only half of the story. You also need to know which of those apps are stuck on the phone, which ones you can remove, and how to get them back.
Which Built In Apps You Can Remove
Apple now lets you delete many preinstalled apps, and that includes several on iPhone 15. Under the hood some pieces of each app may stay on the system, but icons and user data go away. Apple keeps an updated list and process on the page about deleting built in apps from iPhone and iPad.
- Check removable apps — Lightly touch and hold an app icon until the menu appears, then see whether the Delete App option is present.
- Remove from Home Screen — If you only see Remove From Home Screen, the app will move into App Library instead of leaving the device.
- Confirm deletion — If Delete App appears, tap it and confirm to remove the app and its data.
Apps like Books, Calendar, Calculator, Music, News, Podcasts, and many others can be deleted. System level apps such as Phone, Messages, Safari, and Settings stay on the phone, though you can move their icons to less visible pages or folders.
How To Restore A Removed Apple App
If you change your mind, you can reinstall most Apple apps from the App Store without losing purchases. App data stored in iCloud may even sync right back.
- Open App Store — Launch the App Store app and tap Search.
- Search exact app name — Type the full name of the Apple app, such as “Music” or “Books”.
- Redownload — Tap the cloud download button to install the app again.
This works for nearly every removable Apple app. The same process appears on Apple’s own instructions for deleting and restoring built in apps.
Using App Library To Hide Clutter
Sometimes you do not want to delete an app; you just want to stop seeing it every time you swipe across the Home Screen. App Library, which lives on the last page of your Home Screen, helps you tuck those apps away.
- Move an app — Touch and hold an app, tap Remove App, then choose Remove From Home Screen.
- Open App Library — Swipe left past your last Home Screen page to reach the App Library view.
- Search by name — Pull down to reveal the search bar and type the app name when you need it.
Tips To Organize iPhone 15 Built In Apps For Daily Use
A new iPhone 15 Home Screen can feel busy, especially if you restore from an older backup that already had dozens of extra apps. A few minutes of organization makes the default app set much easier to live with.
Build A Clean First Home Screen
The first screen should show the apps you tap many times per day. Everything else can live in folders, later pages, or App Library.
- Keep daily apps visible — Place Phone, Messages, Safari, Mail, Maps, and Camera where your thumb reaches easily.
- Pin widgets — Add small or medium widgets for Weather, Calendar, or Fitness above your main row of icons.
- Move seldom used apps — Drag apps you rarely open, like Clips or Freeform, onto the second or third page.
Group Built In Apps By Task
Folders make it easier to live with the big bundle of apps that comes with iPhone 15. Grouping by task makes those apps easier to find later.
- Create task folders — Make folders such as “Photos”, “Work”, “Money”, and “Travel” and drop matching apps into each one.
- Separate media apps — Keep Music, TV, Podcasts, and Books in a single “Media” folder or row.
- Collect utilities — Place Calculator, Measure, Magnifier, Compass, and Voice Memos together in a “Tools” folder.
Use Shortcuts And Siri With Default Apps
One overlooked advantage of default apps on iPhone 15 is how tightly they work with automation and voice control. Shortcuts and Siri can tie many of them together so tasks finish with fewer taps.
- Build simple shortcuts — Create shortcuts that open Maps with a saved route or send a Messages template to family.
- Ask Siri — Use spoken commands to set timers, add reminders, start music, or log workouts.
- Trigger automations — Set time or location based automations that run in the background using Shortcuts.
Once you know what apps come with iPhone 15, it becomes easier to decide what stays on the Home Screen, what moves to folders, and what you replace with other options.