How to Get Safari Back on iPhone

What to Know

  • Typically, if Safari has disappeared, it most likely was just removed from the Home Screen.
  • Some users are reporting that there is a glitch that appears to delete the Safari app from your iPhone altogether.
  • To get it back, you must re-download the Safari app from the App Store.

Has your Safari app suddenly vanished into thin air? The good news is that you don't have the option to delete the native Safari app on your iPhone, so it has likely just been accidentally removed from your Home Screen. For this situation, we'll show you how to find the hidden app and move it back to your Home Screen. In rare cases, a software glitch can delete the app from your iPhone, so it will need to be re-installed. For either situation, let's cover how to get Safari back on your Home Screen.

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Safari Disappeared from iPhone? Here’s How to Find It

For most people, the missing Safari app has not been deleted, just removed from the Home Screen. Below, we'll show you how to find the app and move it back to your Home Screen by searching the App Library or by using Siri Search. Both methods will work if Safari has simply been removed from your Home Screen, so you can simply choose the option you prefer. 

How to Put App Back on Home Screen Using the App Library

Here's how to add Safari to your Home Screen by searching the App Library: 

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  1. Swipe left through your Home Screens until you open the App Library.

    From your Home Screen swipe left until you open the App Library.
  2. If you see the Safari icon, press and hold the app until the Quick Action menu appears. Tap Add to Home Screen.

    Tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. If you don’t see Safari, tap the search bar and type the name of the app.

    If you don’t see Safari, try tapping the Search Bar and searching for it.
  4. If you see the Safari icon, press and hold the app and drag it to the left edge of your screen. 

  5. This should bring you to the Home Screen. Release the app and it will be added to your Home Screen.

    This should bring it over to your Home Screen where you can now release it and the app will automatically be added.
  6. If you want to add the app to your Dock, press and hold the Safari icon and drag it to the bottom of your screen. 

    For quicker and easier access, try adding Safari to the app dock at the bottom of your Home Screen.
  7. The Dock can display up to four apps, and will appear at the bottom of every Home Screen so you can conveniently access Safari whenever needed. 

    The dock can display up to four apps, and stays at the bottom of your screen, no matter how many Home Screens you might have.

Your Safari app should now be added back to your Home Screen! If you're not familiar with the App Library, I recommend checking out this article on how to use the App Library. It's a great way to help you stay organized. For more nifty organization hacks and ways to use your iPhone's features, sign up for our free Tip of the Day Newsletter. 

How to Add Safari to Home Screen Using Siri Search

If you prefer to avoid searching your App Library, you can also find the hidden app by using Siri Search. Here's how to add Safari to your iPhone Home Screen:

  1. From your Home Screen, swipe down from the center of your screen or tap Search at the bottom of your screen to access the Siri Search feature.

    Open Spotlight Search
  2. Type Safari and it should come up right away.

    Type Safari and it should come up right away.
  3. Press and hold the Safari icon, then drag it towards the bottom of the screen.

    Tap and hold the app, and then drag it downward.
  4. This should bring you to the Home Screen. Release the app and it will be added to your Home Screen.

    This should bring it over to your Home Screen where you can now release it and the app will automatically be added.
  5. If you want to add the app to your Dock, press and hold the Safari app and drag it to the bottom of your screen. 

    For quicker and easier access, try adding Safari to the app dock at the bottom of your Home Screen.

Adding the Safari app to your dock is optional, but it does make it more convenient to access Safari. Your dock displays up to four apps at any given time, and will appear at the bottom of each Home Screen. 

Safari Deleted? Re-install Safari on iPhone

If you were not able to find Safari using the solutions above, the app has likely been removed from your iPhone. Below, we'll show you how to re-download Safari from the App Store. If that fails, you may need to reset your Home Screen layout to get Safari back on your device. 

Download Safari from the App Store

Here's how to re-install the Safari app on your iPhone so you can get it back on your Home Screen: 

  1. Open the App Store app.

    Open the App Store.
  2. Tap Search.

    Tap Search.
  3. Type Safari in the search bar, and press Search.

    Type Safari in the search bar, and press Search.
  4. Select the Safari app.

    Tap the Safari app.
  5. If the app is no longer on your device, you will see a cloud icon, which you can tap to download Safari. If you see the Open icon instead of the cloud icon, Safari is still on your device, and you need to try the solutions above move it back to your Home Screen.  

    If the app is on your device, simply tap Open.

Reset Your Home Screen to Re-install Safari

If you were not able to find or re-install Safari using the steps above, this method will reset your iPhone’s Home Screen back to the factory version, which is how the Home Screen looks when setting your device up as new. Since Safari is one of the apps featured on the default Home Screen, this method will allow you to add Safari to your Home Screen.

  1. Open the Settings app.

    Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.

    Tap General.
  3. Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.

    Scroll all the way down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  4. Tap Reset.

    Tap Reset.
  5. Tap Reset Home Screen Layout.

    Tap Reset Home Screen Layout.
  6. Tap Reset Home Screen to confirm that you want to reset your home screen layout to factory settings.

    Confirm that you want to reset your home screen layout to factory settings.
  7. Swipe up to return to your Home Screen and Safari should be in the dock at the bottom of your screen.

    Swipe up to return to your Home Screen and Safari should be in the dock at the bottom of your screen.

Hopefully, the solutions above worked, and you found adding Safari to your Home Screen to be a breeze! However, if the above solutions haven't worked, there might be a deeper issue with your device. In this case, I recommend contacting Apple Support or visiting the nearest Apple store for further assistance. If you're interested, I also recommend learning how to find your lost iPhone, even if the battery has died. 

FAQ:

  • How do I get the Safari icon back on my iPhone? If your Safari app was accidentally erased, you can get the app icon back on your iPhone by redownloading the Safari app from the app store. If your Safari app was simply removed from the Home Screen but not your device, you can just add the Safari icon back to your Home Screen by using the App Library.
  • Why did my Safari app disappear on my iPhone?  At the moment, it is unclear why this glitch is happening to some iPhone users. However, for the most part, if your Safari icon has disappeared, you can either redownload the app from the App Store or add it to your Home Screen again via the App Library.
  • Why can't I get Safari on my iPhone? Sometimes people are unable to download apps and run into many other glitches and issues if their iOS is old or out of date. It's important for security reasons and for the overall smooth running of your device to keep it as up-to-date as possible. Check to see if your iPhone needs to be updated, and if so, check out this article on how to do it
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Author Details

Rhett Intriago's picture

Author Details

Rhett Intriago

Rhett Intriago is a Feature Writer at iPhone Life, offering his expertise in all things iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. He enjoys writing on topics related to maintaining privacy in a digital world, as well as iPhone security. He’s been a tech enthusiast all his life, with experiences ranging from jailbreaking his iPhone to building his own gaming PC.

Despite his disdain for the beach, Rhett is based in Florida. In his free time, he enjoys playing the latest games, spoiling his cats, or discovering new places with his wife, Kyla.