iPhone Mail Icon Missing? How to restore iPhone mail app

By default, your iPhone arrives with the Mail app. If the Mail app is missing on your iPhone, here’s how to get it back. (This works on iPad, too.)

How to Restore Mail App on iPhone & iPad

If your email app is not showing on your iPhone or iPad, the iPhone mail icon disappeared, or you’ve accidentally deleted the Mail app on your iPhone, here’s how to reinstall it and restore your missing emails.

Use Search to find missing Mail icon

First, before you try to reinstall missing Mail app, make sure that it’s not simply hiding on your iPhone. Here’s how:

1. 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.
2. Type in Mail and see whether its icon appears in the results below.
3. If the Mail app icon appears, tap the icon to open it.

If you see Mail in the results, then the app is installed. But where is it? The app might still be in your App Library, it could be on a hidden page, or it could be in the Hidden folder.

Find Mail in App Library

1. Go to the Home Screen, then swipe left past all your Home Screen pages to get to App Library.
2. Tap the search field at the top of the screen, then enter Mail. Or scroll up and down to browse the alphabetical list.
3. To open Mail, tap it.

Check if Mail 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:

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

Check the Hidden folder in your App Library for Mail

You can hide apps on your iPhone in iOS 18. If Mail is hidden, it won’t appear on your Home Screen or App Library and it can’t be found with Search.

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

Reinstall Mail from the App Store

If you don’t see Mail after trying all the above methods, then Mail isn’t on your iPhone. Luckily, Mail is available for free download again from the App Store. Here’s how to get it back.

1. Open the App Store.
2. Type Mail in the search bar and tap "Search."
   While looking through the results, make sure you choose Mail. Other apps such as Email, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, and more may show up in the results.
   Mail is free to download—you’ll see Apple’s iCloud download icon in the listing instead of a "Get" or "Buy" button.
3. Tap the cloud download button and Mail will be downloaded to your iPhone.

And that’s how to reinstall the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad. iPhone Mail app missing still? Read on.

After you reinstall the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad, it will appear on one of your Home Screens, but perhaps not the Home Screen or location you want. You can easily move your Mail app to a different Home Screen or to the Dock at the bottom of the screen. To move your Mail app, follow the steps below.

1. Go to the Home Screen, then swipe left or right to navigate to the page containing the newly downloaded Mail app.
2. Touch and hold the Home Screen background until the items begin to jiggle.
3. Drag Mail to one of the following locations:
   • Another location on the same page—including the top, bottom, or side of the screen
   • The first Home Screen page
     Drag the Mail app to the left edge of the screen. You might need to wait a moment for the new page to appear. The dots above the Dock show how many pages you have and which one you’re viewing.
4. When you’re finished, press the Home button (on an iPhone with a Home button) or tap the Home Screen background (on other iPhone models).

Next, add your email account to Mail. If you use an email provider like iCloud, Google, Microsoft Exchange, or Yahoo, Mail can automatically set up your email account with just your email address and password. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap Mail, then tap Mail Accounts.
4. Tap Add Account, then enter your email address. Choose your email provider from the list if necessary.
5. Follow the prompts and enter your email address and password.
6. If you see Next, tap Next and wait for Mail to verify your account.
7. If you see Save, tap Save.

See also: How to Set Up Your Mail Accounts on iPhone