As a busy entrepreneur, having quick access to your most-used apps from the home screen is a must. But we‘ve all experienced the frustration of not being able to find an app that seemingly vanished. Don‘t stress – it‘s usually an easy fix.
In this article, we‘ll walk through the steps to get a missing app back on your home screen on both iPhone and Android. We‘ll also cover troubleshooting tips and how to better organize your apps for efficiency.
A Quick Fix for iPhone Users
According to Apple, the average iPhone user has over 100 apps installed but regularly uses less than 30. That‘s why the home screen is key real estate for your most-used apps.
If you can‘t find an app on your iPhone home screen, here are a few quick fixes:
- Check the App Library (iOS 14+): The App Library contains all your apps in one scrollable list. To access it, swipe left on the last home screen page. You can search for the app or scroll to find it. Long press the icon, then tap "Add to Home Screen."
- Look in home screen folders: Apps sometimes get unintentionally buried in folders. Thoroughly check each folder. If found, long press and drag out to home screen.
- Check App Restrictions: If you have Screen Time enabled, double check it didn‘t get restricted. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Reset home screen: As a last resort, resetting will remove customizations and restore your original layout. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout.
Troubleshooting Tips
- If you still can‘t find the app in your App Library, search Spotlight by swiping down on home screen. If found, add back to home screen.
- Make sure the app isn‘t just on another home screen page. Slowly swipe left/right to check each page.
- The app may be in your App Library folder suggestions. Check the folders at the top of your App Library.
- If you recently deleted the app, you can try to restore it from Recently Deleted in the App Library.
Organizing Your Home Screen
As a fellow entrepreneur, I advise dedicating your first home screen page to essential business/productivity apps. Keep it to one page for quick access. Use subsequent pages for secondary apps.
Make use of App Library folders to reduce scrolling. And take advantage of Siri and Spotlight to instantly launch apps via voice and search.
Restoring Apps on Android
The process is very similar for Android users. With over 3 million apps on Google Play, home screen organization is vital.
If an app disappeared from your home screen, here‘s how to get it back:
- Check app drawer: Swipe up from home screen to view all your apps. Search or scroll through the list, then long press and drag the app to re-add it.
- Look on all home screens: Slowly swipe through each home screen page to check if it‘s still there. Long press and drag it to move it back to page 1.
- Check folders: It may have been unintentionally added to a home screen folder. Thoroughly look through each folder.
- Restore default layout: As a last resort, go to Settings > Home screen > Restore default layout to revert back to the original organization.
Troubleshooting Tips
- If not in drawer, check Play Store > My Apps & Games to reinstall.
- Make sure app didn‘t get added to Exclude list under Settings > Apps.
- Look in Recently Opened under Settings > Accounts for quick app access.
- Use Google search bar on home screen to quickly find and launch apps.
Organizing Your Android Home Screen
I recommend keeping your most-used apps on your main home screen. Use the top shelf for today view widgets.
Use home screen folders to reduce scrolling and keep secondary apps organized by category. Take advantage of the Google Assistant to quickly launch apps with your voice.
Conclusion
With just a few simple steps, you can easily get a missing app back on your iPhone or Android home screen. Check your app library/drawer, folders, and home screen pages thoroughly. If all else fails, resetting your home screen layout will restore all apps to their original locations.
And be sure to thoughtfully organize your apps for maximum efficiency. Your home screen is prime real estate for your most-used business tools. With these app management best practices, you‘ll save time and frustration in the long run.
