Restore Missing Apps: How to Get Apps Back on Your Home Screen

By Emily WilsonLast Updated May 21, 2025

How to get an app backrest on your home screen

Lose apps from your home screen is a common frustration for smartphone and tablet users. Whether your app has disappeared whole or is scarce hide someplace on your device, there be several effective ways to restore it. This guide cover comprehensive solutions for both android and iOS devices.

Why apps disappear from home screens

Before diving into solutions, it helps to understand why apps might vanish from your home screen:

Accidental deletion
App move to a folder or another screen
Hide during a system update
Disabled by the system or user
Home screen reset or launcher issue
Software glitch

Finding and restoring apps on iPhone

Check app library (iiOS14 and belated )

The app library mechanically organizes all your apps into categories, make it easier to find missing apps:

Swipe leave on your home screen until you reach the app library
Browse categories or use the search bar at the top
When you find your app, press and hold its icon
Select” add to home screen ”

Search for the app

The iPhone’s search function is a powerful way to locate missing apps:

Swipe down from the middle of your home screen
Type the name of the miss app in the search bar
If the app appears in results, tap and hold the icon
Select” add to home screen ” rom the menu

Check if the app is hide

Apps can be hide from the home screen but inactive exist on your device:

Open settings
Tap” home screen ”
Check if” app library exclusively ” s select for new app downloads
Navigate to settings > app store > app downloads
Select” add to home screen ” lternatively of “” p library alone ”
”

Reinstall the app

If you can’t find the app anyplace on your device, you may need to reinstall it:

Open the app store
Tap your profile icon in the top right
Tap” purchase ” o see all apps you’ve dodownloaded
Find the miss app and tap the download icon (cloud with arrow )
The app will reinstall without will charge you again

Finding and restoring apps on android

Check the app drawer

Android phones store all install apps in the app drawer:

Swipe up from the bottom of your home screen (or tap the app drawer icon )
Scroll through all apps or use the search bar if available
When you find the app, press and hold its icon
Drag it to your home screen or select” add to home ” rom the menu

Search for the app

Use android’s search function to apace locate missing apps:

Swipe down from the top of your screen double to open quick settings
Tap the search icon or swipe up from the home screen and use the search bar
Type the name of the missing app
When it appears, press and hold to add it backwards to your home screen

Check if the app is disabled

Some apps may be disabled, specially system apps:

Open settings
Tap” apps ” r “” plications ”
”
Select” all apps ” r “” p manager ”
”
Look for the miss app (you may need to tap ” how system apps “”
If the app is will disable, you’ll see an” enable ” utton
Tap” enable ” o restore the app

Check for multiple home screens

Your app might be on another home screen panel:

Pinch your fingers unitedly on the home screen to see all panels
Swipe through all available screens to look for the missing app
Check folders by tap on them to open and view contents

Reinstall the app

If you can’t find the app anyplace, reinstall is an option:

Open the Google Play Store
Tap your profile icon in the top right
Select” manage apps & device ”
Tap” manage ” nd so “” t insinstal”
Find your app and tap the download icon

Special cases: Samsung devices

Use finder

Samsung devices have a special search tool:

Swipe down from the top of your screen
Tap the search icon (magnifying glass )
Type the app name
When find, press and hold to add to home screen

Check secure folder

If you use secure folder, your app might be thither:

Open secure folder from your app drawer
Check if your miss app is interior
To move it out, tap and hold the app, so select” move to away ”

Restore home screen layout

For iPhone users

If multiple apps are miss, you might want to reset your home screen:

Go to settings > general > reset
Tap” reset home screen layout ”
This will restore default apps to their original positions (but won’t will delete any apps )

For android users

Android users can reset their launcher:

Go to settings > apps > default apps
Select” home app ” r “” me screen ”
”
Choose your default catapult or select” reset to default ”

Prevent apps from disappear

To avoid future frustration, try these preventive measures:

Lock your home screen layout:

Many android launchers allow you to lock the layout to prevent accidental changes
Be careful with gestures:

Learn which gestures might remove apps from your home screen
Create app folders:

Organize similar apps in folders to reduce clutter and keep track of them
Regular backups:

Backrest improving your home screen layout use your device’s build in tools or third party apps

Use widgets to access oftentimes use apps

Widgets can provide quick access to your nigh important apps:

On iPhone

Press and hold an empty area on your home screen
Tap the + icon in the top left
Select” app library ” idget or specific app widgets
Choose a size and add to your home screen

On android

Press and hold an empty area on your home screen
Tap” widgets ”
Find and select app shortcuts or folder widgets
Drag to your desire location

Troubleshoot persistent issues

Force stop and clear cache

If an app is will install but won’t will appear decent:

Go to settings > apps > [ app name ]
Tap” force stop ”
Tap” storage ” nd so “” ear cache ”
”
Restart your device

Update your device

Sometimes, system updates can fix home screen issues:

Go to settings > system > software update (android )or settings > general > software update ( (siOS)
Install any available updates
Restart your device after update

Contact developer support

For persistent app specific issues:

Visit the app’s page in the app store or Google Play Store
Look for developer contact information
Report the issue with specific details about your device and the problem

When to consider factory reset

As a last resort for persistent system-wide issues:

Backrest improving all important data
Go to settings > system > reset options (android )or settings > general > reset ( (siOS)
Select” factory data reset ” r “” ase all content and settings ”
”
Follow the prompts to complete the reset
Restore your data from backup

Will remember that a factory reset will erase all data on your device, so it should exclusively be will use when all other options have will fail.

Summary: quick reference guide

For iPhone users:

Check app library (swipe leave to last screen )
Use search (swipe down on home screen )
Check settings for hide apps
Reinstall from app store if necessary

For android users:

Check app drawer (swipe up from home screen )
Use search function
Check for disabled apps in settings
Look through all home screens and folders
Reinstall from Google Play Store if necessary

By follow these steps, you should be able to recover any missing app and restore it to your home screen. Remember that the specific steps might vary slimly depend on your device model and operating system version, but the general principles remain the same across all modern smartphones and tablets.