How to Get an App Back on the Home Screen of iPhone and iPad 

Have you unintentionally lost or deleted an app on the home screen of your iPhone or iPad? Don’t worry! You can use several techniques to restore and add the app to your device’s home screen. Here are various options to help you find the missing app, regardless of whether it has been deleted, relocated to a folder, hidden on a separate screen, or impacted by specific settings. So, let’s get started.

Solution 1: Look for the App Inside Folders

Have you checked your app folders? Yes, those seemingly innocent little folders on your phone’s home screen might be the hiding spot for your missing app!

You see, it’s pretty easy to accidentally move an app into a folder while swiping through your home screen. So, take a moment to search. Tap on each folder and look for the missing app.

And here’s a bonus tip: folders can have multiple screens! So, don’t forget to swipe left or right within a folder to unveil all the apps it contains.

Once you’ve located the app, long-press the app icon and drag the app out of the folder and back onto your home screen.

Solution 2: Add the App from the App Library

The missing app must be in the library if you can’t find it in the home screen folders. The App Library is a separate screen that houses all your installed apps, neatly organized for easy access. To recover a lost app, follow these steps:

• Swipe to the left multiple times until you reach the last page of your home screen. This will take you to the App Library, where all your apps are stored. On an iPad, tap on the App Library icon present at the right-most corner of the dock.

• Tap on the search bar at the top and type the name of the missing app.
• Once the app is found, long-press on it and select the “Add to Home” option.
• If this option isn’t available, continue to long-press and drag the app back to the home screen.

Solution 3: Unhide a Page

You may have accidentally hidden a home screen page on iPhone and iPad, which would also hide the apps on that page. But don’t worry; you can easily unhide the home screen page. To unhide a hidden page, follow these steps:

1. Touch and hold any vacant area on your iPhone/iPad home screen until the icons start to jiggle.
2. At the bottom of the screen, tap on the page dots that represent your home screen pages.
3. Tap on the selection box below the desired page that you wish to unhide and bring back onto your home screen.
4. With a simple tap, the page will be back to your home screen along with all the apps on that page.

Solution 4: Turn off Content Restrictions

If you still cannot locate the app icon on either the App drawer or the home screen of your iPhone/iPad, content restrictions will likely be enabled for that particular app. These restrictions, when activated, hide the app icon, making it disappear from the home screen. To restore the app’s visibility, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone/iPad.
2. Inside the Settings menu, tap on “Screen Time.”
3. Now, tap on “Content & Privacy Restrictions.” It is here that you can find your hidden apps.
4. Tap on the “Allowed Apps” option.
5. Look for the app that is missing on your home screen. When found, make sure that the toggle next to it is disabled.
6. If the toggle is enabled, the app will be hidden from your home screen.

Solution 5: Unlink your Home Screen from Focus Profiles

If your entire home screen apps have disappeared from your iPhone/iPad, your home screens have likely been linked to specific Focus profiles. This feature allows you to customize your home screen pages, deciding which ones appear or disappear when you activate a particular Focus profile. To prevent your home screen apps from disappearing, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone/iPad.
2. Inside the Settings menu, tap on “Focus.”
3. Tap on a Focus profile.
4. Tap Edit in the CUSTOMIZE SCREENS section.
5. Select the home screen page you want to remove from the Focus profile.
6. Uncheck the selection box for that page.
7. Tap Done.
8. Repeat these steps for all the existing Focus profiles, ensuring each profile is disassociated from home screen alterations.

After completing these steps, your home screen will remain the same no matter which Focus profile you activate.

Solution 6: Reset your Home Screen Layout

If you cannot locate and add the missing app, you might need to reset the home screen layout on your iPhone/iPad. Resetting your home screen layout will return all the default apps to their original positions and remove any custom folders you have created. So, be sure to proceed with this in mind. Here are the steps to reset your home screen layout:

1. Navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone/iPad.
2. Inside the Settings menu, tap on “General.”
3. Look for the “Transfer or Reset” option and tap on it.
4. Select the “Reset” option within the Transfer or Reset menu.
5. Finally, tap on the “Reset Home Screen Layout” option.

Solution 7: Reinstall the App and Add it Back to the Home Screen

If all the methods above don’t work, the ultimate solution is to reinstall the app and add it back to your home screen. Follow these steps to reinstall the app and bring it back to your home screen:

1. Begin by uninstalling the app from your device. Locate the app icon in the App Library, press, and hold it until a delete option appears. Tap on it to remove the app from your device.
2. Once the app is uninstalled, visit the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
3.  Type the app name you wish to reinstall in the search bar.
4. Tap on the app from the search results.
5. Then, tap on Get to install the app on your device.
6. Wait patiently as the app is downloaded and installed on your device.
7. After the app has been successfully reinstalled, it’s time to add it back to your home screen. Locate the app in your device’s App Library and drag and drop it onto your home screen.

Final Words

You can quickly and easily access your iPhone/iPad apps from the home screen. However, mishaps or software flaws could occasionally cause the app to disappear from the home screen. We hope this guide has helped you get the app back on your home screen. Make sure to attempt every solution; if none works, contact Apple Support. If you have further questions, let us know through the comments section below.