App Store is the gateway to install apps on iPhones and iPad. Imagine if all of a sudden, the App Store disappears from iPhone or iPad. Well, this has been happening with many iPhone users. If App Store is missing from your iPhone or iPad, this post shall help in getting the App Store back on your phone. Let’s get started.
Note: The App Store cannot be uninstalled from iPhone. It can only be hidden or disabled.
Table of Contents
1. Restart iPhone
Before you try the actual fixes for restoring the missing App Store on your iPhone, you must restart your phone. That’s because often due to minor bugs, app icons go missing. A simple restart should bring back the missing app icon.
2. Find the App Store Using Spotlight Search
One of the best ways to find the missing App Store on iPhone and iPad is by using the search feature.
1. Swipe down on the home screen to open the search.
2. Type App Store in the search bar.
3. The App Store icon will show up in the search results. Press and hold it and select Add to Home screen.
4. If you don’t see this option, that means the App Store is already present on your home screen. But don’t worry, you can add it again. Simply drag the App Store icon upwards so that the home screen shows up. Lift your finger to leave the App Store icon on the home screen.
3. Find App Store in App Library
Another way to locate the App Store that has gone missing on iPhone or iPad is to look in the App Library. The App Library which was introduced in iOS 14 automatically organizes your apps into different categories like Utilities, Social, Entertainment, etc. If you deleted the App Store from the home screen, it must be in the App Library.
To find App Store in App Library, follow these steps:
1. On your home screen, swipe left multiple times until you reach the App Library screen. It will look like this:
2. Tap on the search bar at the top of the App Library and look for App Store. Press and hold the App Store icon and move it to the home screen.
3. Alternatively, tap on the four-app icon of the Utilities folder to expand the folder. Here you will find the App Store icon. Touch and hold the App Store icon and drag it toward the home screen. Leave the icon on the home screen.
4. Look Inside Folders
Typically, the above methods should help you in adding the missing App Store back to the home screen but you can also look inside the folders on the home screen. You might have accidentally moved the App Store to a folder. So go through all the folders on the home screen and see if you can spot App Store. Then, simply drag the App Store to the home screen.
Tip: When you search for App Store using the Spotlight search, you might see the folder name next to the app icon.
5. Look Inside Hidden Pages
Did App Store go missing along with other apps or an entire home screen page on your iPhone? Basically, iOS 14+ allows users to hide entire home screen pages to declutter the home screen. You might have accidentally hidden the home page and that’s why your App Store must have disappeared from your iPhone’s home screen.
Note: You should be able to find App Store using Spotlight search and App Library even if the home page having the App Store is hidden.
To unhide a page and find App Store, follow these steps:
1. Long press anywhere on the home screen until the icons start shaking.
2. Tap on the page dots at the bottom.
3. All the home screen pages show up. Make sure all the pages are selected. If you don’t see a checkmark icon under a page, tap on the selection circle to enable it. That’s it. The page should show up on the home screen.
6. Turn off Restrictions
If you can’t find the App Store on your iPhone using the above methods, then it might be disabled in Screen Time settings.
To enable App Store and add it back, follow these steps:
1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Go to Screen Time followed by Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3. Tap on iTunes & App Store Purchases.
4. Tap Installing Apps and make sure Allow is selected.
That’s it. Use any of the above methods to find App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
Note: On iOS 11 and lower, go to Settings > General > Restrictions > iTunes Store. Select On.
7. Update iPhone Software
There is a probability that a bug in the iOS version installed on your iPhone is causing App Store to disappear. You must update your iPhone’s operating system to the latest version.
Go to Settings > General > Software update. Install the update if available.
8. Reset Home Screen Layout
If nothing helps in fixing the App Store missing from your iPhone or iPad issue, then you must reset the home screen layout of your iPhone. Doing so will remove all the customizations that you have made to the home screen like apps added to home screen, hidden pages, etc. And your home screen will look similar to the one available on a new iPhone where the pre-installed Apple apps including App Store are present on the main screen.
Note: Resetting the home screen will not uninstall any app from your iPhone.
To reset the home screen layout, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset home screen layout.
9. Reset Settings
Lastly, you must try resetting the settings on your iPhone. Doing so will restore all the settings to their default values, thus adding the App Store back to the home screen in case any setting was responsible. Resetting settings will not uninstall any app or delete data from your iPhone.
To reset all settings on your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset all settings.
Tips to Use App Store
After you find the missing App Store on your iPhone or iPad, you can use it to download apps. Know how to stop App Store from asking password every time you download something. Also, know how to get a refund for App Store purchases.
