App Store missing from your iPhone, how to restore it

Sometimes you may not be able to find the App Store app icon on your iPhone. The App Store is probably the most essential app on the iPhone for you. It enables you to discover and download apps. Not only that, your third-party apps can only be updated through the App Store. If its icon has disappeared from your screen, you may wonder how you can get it back. By default, the App Store icon is located in the main home screen, regardless of the iPhone model. Do not worry; the fix for this is very simple. Just follow the steps we give in this article to learn how to get app store back on iPhone. (This works on iPad, too.)

How to restore App Store on iPhone & iPad

If you can’t find App Store on your iPhone or iPad, or the App Store disappeared from your iPhone, here’s how to get it back.

Use Search to find missing App Store icon

Even though you may not see the App Store icon in the main Home Screen, it is possible that the App Store app is still on one of your screens, but you may have accidentally moved it somewhere. You can use Search to locate it and then move it to your main Home Screen again. Here is how:

Swipe down from the middle of the Home screen. Or in iOS 16 and later, tap the Search field at the bottom of your Home Screen to start a search.
Type in App Store and see whether its icon appears in the results below.
If the App Store app icon appears, tap the icon to open it. You can also long-press the App Store app until there is a click and a small menu appears; keep holding and drag the icon. Your Home screen will reappear, and you can drag it anywhere on your iPhone screen.

Use Siri to find missing App Store app

You can use Siri to find missing App Store app. Just activate Siri and say something like “open App Store,” and Siri will launch App Store, and then you can download or update your apps.

If you can find App Store using Siri, then where is it? The app might be in your App Library, it could be on a hidden page, or it could be in the Hidden folder.

Check your App Library to bring back App Store

It is not possible to completely delete the App Store, unlike most of the other built-in apps. It is possible, however, to remove it from your Home Screen. When an app is removed from your Home Screen, you can still find it in your App Library. Thus, it is a good idea to check your App Library, find the App Store icon and then drag it to your Home Screen. Here is how:

Go to the Home Screen, then swipe left past all your Home Screen pages to get to App Library.
Tap the search field at the top of the screen, then enter App Store. Or scroll up and down to browse the alphabetical list.
Once you have found App Store, press and drag it to your Home Screen.

Check if App Store is on a hidden Home Screen page

When you hide or remove a page from your Home Screen, the apps on that page still appear in the App Library. You can use Search to find apps on a hidden Home Screen page.

To unhide Home Screen pages:

Long-press an empty area on your Home Screen.
Tap Edit, then tap Edit Pages. Or, tap the dots near the bottom of your screen.
Tap any unchecked circles to unhide a hidden page. Do you see App Storenow?

Check the Hidden folder in your App Library for App Store

You can hide apps on your iPhone. If App Store is hidden, it won’t appear on your Home Screen or App Library and it can’t be found with Search.

To check your Hidden folder for apps:
Swipe left past all your Home Screen pages to get to the App Library.
Scroll down to find the Hidden folder.
Tap the Hidden icon.
Use Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to unlock the Hidden folder.
If you see App Store, touch and hold it’s icon, then tap Don’t Require Face ID. App Store returns to your App Library.

To view a list of all your hidden apps, go to Settings > Apps > Hidden Apps, then use Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.

Reset your Home Screen layout

You can restore the default Home Screen layout to recover App Store on iPhone. Doing this will not erase your content or data. However, your app folders will be deleted (not their contents), and all pre-loaded iOS apps, including App Store, will be placed back in their original positions from when you first purchased the device. Also, the apps you installed will be placed in alphabetical order. You may want to take a Home Screen screenshot if you want before proceeding so you do not forget the arrangement of your apps and folders. If you wish to continue, follow these steps on your iPhone: