# Activating Apps

You can sideload as many apps as you want with AltStore, but due to Apple's restrictions **only 3 sideloaded apps can be active at a time**. If you try to activate more than 3 apps, you will be prompted to "deactivate" a sideloaded app first. Deactivating an app will make AltStore back up all its data before removing it from your iPhone or iPad, freeing up a slot for you to then sideload another app. Alternatively, you can manually deactivate an app at any time by long-pressing it in the My Apps tab and pressing "Deactivate".

Deactivated apps will appear in a separate "Inactive" section on the My Apps tab. Once deactivated, an app can later be "activated" by pressing `ACTIVATE`, which will cause AltStore to re-install the app and restore all its data.

                                               ![](https://2606795771-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAfe8qEztjcTjsjjaMBY2%2Fuploads%2F9uKm05UHQkoofuYXfEXl%2FIMG_3844.PNG?alt=media\&token=817479d4-e208-430d-baca-289761ca90cd)