If you’ve used the Reading List feature in Safari on your iPhone to save articles and webpages for later viewing, you might want to clean up or remove old items that you no longer need. This guide will show you how to delete individual items or clear your entire Reading List on your iPhone.
Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting a Reading List on iPhone
Open Safari on Your iPhone
To start, open the Safari app on your iPhone. This is where your Reading List is stored.
Access Your Reading List
Once you’re in Safari:
- Tap the Bookmarks icon at the bottom of the screen. It looks like an open book.
- In the menu that appears, tap on the Reading List at the top of the screen. This will show you all the articles and web pages you’ve saved to your Reading List.
Delete Individual Items from Your Reading List
To delete individual items from your Reading List:
- Scroll through the list to find the webpage or article you want to remove.
- Swipe left on the item you want to delete.
- Tap the Delete button that appears. The item will be removed from your Reading List.
Delete All Items from Your Reading List
If you want to clear your entire Reading List:
- Go to the Reading List section as described above.
- Tap Edit in the bottom-right corner of the Reading List screen.
- Tap Clear in the bottom-left corner.
- Confirm by tapping Clear All to delete all saved articles and webpages.
Alternatively, if you want to delete multiple items without clearing the entire list, tap Edit, select the items you want to remove, and tap Delete.
Verify the Deletion
After you’ve deleted an item or cleared your entire list, check your Reading List to ensure the items have been removed. If you chose to delete all, your Reading List should be empty.
Turn Off iCloud Sync for Reading List (Optional)
If you want to prevent Safari from syncing your Reading List across all devices connected to your iCloud account:
- Go to Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap [Your Name] at the top, then select iCloud.
- Scroll down to Safari and toggle off the Reading List option. This will stop syncing the Reading List between your devices.
Additional Considerations
Does Deleting a Reading List Item Delete the Webpage?
No, deleting an item from your Reading List in Safari doesn’t delete the webpage itself; it only removes the saved link from your list. The webpage remains available on the web, and you can revisit it at any time.
Can I Recover Deleted Items from My Reading List?
Once you delete an item from your Reading List, it is permanently removed and cannot be recovered unless you have a backup or saved the link elsewhere.
How Do I Add New Items to My Reading List?
To add a new item to your Reading List in Safari:
- Open the webpage you want to save.
- Tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen.
- In the sharing options, tap Add to Reading List. The webpage will be saved for offline viewing in your Reading List.
Can I Delete a Reading List from All Devices?
Yes, if you use iCloud to sync your Reading List across all devices, deleting items on one device will remove them from others. You can also disable iCloud syncing for Safari, as mentioned in Step 6, to stop syncing the Reading List across devices.
FAQs About Deleting Reading List on iPhone
How do I delete multiple items from my Reading List at once?
To delete multiple items, tap Edit in the Reading List, select the items you want to remove, and then tap Delete.
How do I delete an item from my Reading List if it’s not showing up in Safari?
If an item is not showing up in your Reading List, make sure iCloud Safari syncing is turned on under your iCloud settings. Try refreshing Safari or checking if the item is saved under the Offline Reading List section.
How do I delete an item from my Reading List in iOS 15 or earlier?
The steps to delete an item in iOS 15 or earlier are the same. Open Safari, tap on Bookmarks, then go to the Reading List. Swipe left on the item you want to delete and tap Delete.
Can I delete my entire Reading List from the iCloud website?
No, you cannot delete items from your Reading List via the iCloud website. You must do it through Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
How do I access my Reading List from other devices?
Your Reading List is synced across all devices connected to iCloud with Safari enabled. You can access it from Safari on your iPad, Mac, or another iPhone by following the same steps outlined above.
Deleting items from your Reading List on your iPhone is a simple and straightforward process. Whether you want to remove a single article or clear your entire list, these easy steps will help you keep your Safari app organized. Remember, items removed from the Reading List are permanently deleted, so be sure you no longer need them before removing them.