What to Know

To find a missing downloaded app, search your App Library or Spotlight search, then long-press the app to add it back to your Home Screen.
If multiple apps are missing, check for hidden Home Screens.
If you can't find an app, it might have been deleted. You can reinstall it from the App Store.

Are you finding that newly downloaded apps are no longer appearing on your Home Screen? Your App Library settings may have been changed accidentally, or with an update. If your recently downloaded apps are not showing up, we’ll explain why and how to fix it for good.

new app downloads from being readily visible on your Home screen. locate the app you're looking for and place it exactly where you want it.

Can’t Find an App on iPhone or iPad? Use the App Library!

If newly downloaded apps are not showing on the Home Screen on an iPhone or iPad, they are only hidden from view. You can use the App Library to find the app and add it back to your Home Screen. Read on to learn how to see hidden apps on iPhone. Here's how to add apps to Home Screen from the App Library:

Go to the App Library by swiping left on your Home Screen until you've gone one screen past your last Home Screen page.
Tap the search bar and type in the name of the app you're looking for.
Once you find the app you're looking for, tap and hold the app icon, then drag it in any direction, and it will be added to the last page of your Home Screen.
Tap any blank space on your Home Screen or Done to exit jiggle mode.

Now you should be able to access the app on your Home Screen whenever you want.

Use Spotlight to Search for & Open a Missing App

If you rarely use a certain app, you may not even want to add it to your Home Screen. In this case, follow the steps below to quickly find and open any downloaded app.

Swipe down from the center of your Home Screen to find the Search bar.
You can also open the Search screen by tapping the small Search button that appears in the bottom center, just above the dock.
Enter the name of the missing app in the search field, or tap the microphone icon to dictate your search term. Your missing app should be among the top results. Tap to open it.

How to Show Installed Apps on Home Screen

While all apps appear in the App Library without fail, for some people, a setting may be preventing recently downloaded apps from appearing on the Home Screen. Here’s how to fix that going forward.

Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap Home Screen.
Select Add to Home Screen, and a blue checkmark will appear next to it. From now on, newly installed apps will show up on your Home Screen.
Any apps that were auto-hidden before you changed this setting will still be hidden. To unhide them, you can move them back from App Library individually.

Restore Hidden Home Screen Pages to Find Missing Apps

It’s possible that an app disappeared from your iPhone because you accidentally hid the page of your Home Screen where it appeared. But don’t worry, the process to bring back hidden Home Screen pages is quite simple. For more tips on finding hidden or missing apps, read this.

It can feel frustrating when you don’t see an app that you’ve just downloaded or that has always been located in one place on your Home screen. You can always try re-installing the app through the App Store. find the apps on your iPhone.

For more tips on managing your iPhone and iPad, make sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day.

FAQ

Why do my downloaded apps keep disappearing? If apps are disappearing from your iPhone or iPad Home screen, you may have Offload Unused Apps enabled. Open the Settings app, tap App Store, and toggle off Offload Unused Apps to turn off this feature.
What if I've lost the App Store on my iPhone or iPad? We have a guide for what to do if the App Store is missing on your iPhone. You can use the Search function to find it, check your Screen Time restrictions, and more.
What if the App Store is disabled or doesn't work? We can also help with that! We can show you how to fix the App Store not working, including clearing storage, checking your network and data settings, and more.

Top image credit: Farknot Architect / Shutterstock.com