WhatsApp Icon Missing on iPhone? 7 Fixes You Should Know! (2024)

"Help! My WhatsApp has disappeared from my device since I updated my iPhone to the latest version. I can't find it on my Home Screen now. What can I do to restore my missing WhatsApp icon?"

WhatsApp is a widely-used messaging tool all over the world. As it has many convenient and advanced features, many iPhone users use this app to send messages to their contacts. However, some users complained that they couldn't find the icon of WhatsApp after they updated to iOS 16. It's really an annoyance for users when they can't find a good solution to restore the WhatsApp icon. If you can't find your WhatsApp icon like them, you have come to the right place. In this post, we'll show you why your WhatsApp icon disappeared and how to find it back.

Part 1: Why Has My WhatsApp Disappeared from iPhone?

When you find WhatsApp missing on your iPhone, you may wonder: Why has my WhatsApp disappeared from iPhone? Actually, in most cases, the icon has not really gone but become invisible. Here we are going to list some possible reasons for the disappearance of WhatsApp icon.

1. You have moved the icon of WhatsApp to somewhere else or deleted WhatsApp accidentally.
2. There is something wrong with the WhatsApp app on your iPhone.
3. You are likely to meet iPhone system errors that lead to the invisibility of WhatsApp icon.

Part 2: The Most Efficient Way to Fix WhatsApp Icon Disappeared

After learning about the major causes of this issue, you are suggested to fix it by yourself first. When you meet such system issues on your iPhone, the most efficient way for you is to use TunesKit iOS System Recovery. It's a professional program designed to repair iPhone/iPad/iPod/Apple TV. This powerful software can not only fix WhatsApp icon disappeared from Home Screen, but also resolve many other system-related issues such as WhatsApp not opening, Settings icon missing on iPhone, iPhone won't turn on without data loss. One outstanding advantage of this software is that you can easily fix your disabled iOS devices without complicated steps. It's also a multifunctional tool, which can fully meet your needs of resetting device, entering/exiting Recovery mode, and upgrading/downgrading your iPhone.

Step 1Connect your iPhone to computer

The first thing you need to do is to finish the downloading and installment of this program. Then, run TunesKit iOS System Recovery on your PC, and then keep your iPhone connected to it using a suitable cable. Next, wait for your iPhone to be detected, and tap on the iOS System Repair button.

Step 2Choose Standard Repair

In this section, you will have two repair options to choose from. Generally, Standard Repair can help you fix your iPhone in most cases without deleting your data. Thus, you can try this repair option first.

Step 3Download firmware package

Now, it's time for you to get the firmware package downloaded. You need to check if the information displaying on the interface is right. Then, just hit on the Download button to go to the next step.

Step 4 Fix WhatsApp icon disappeared iPhone

Once you finish downloading the iOS firmware package, you can tap Repair to enable the program to start the repair process. After a while, you can restart your iPhone and check to see if the missing WhatsApp icon is back.

Part 3: Common Ways to Restore WhatsApp Icon Disappeared from Home Screen

Way 1: Find WhatsApp via the Search Bar

When you can't find WhatsApp on your Home Screen, the first thing you can do is to search for it via the search bar. You may move it somewhere accidentally. To find the missing WhatsApp, you can swipe down from the top of your Home Screen, and the Search Bar will show on your iPhone. You just need to input WhatsApp in it, and you can see the folder name of WhatsApp. Next, go to this folder and check if the disappeared icon is there.

Way 2: Disable Offload Unused Apps

iPhone 14 launched a new feature -- Offload Unused Apps -- to reduce background operations and save storage. If you have enabled this feature, your iPhone will automatically delete the applications that you haven't used for a while. Thus, you need to disable this feature if you don't want to use it.

Step 1: Open the Settings app, and then scroll down to choose App Store.

Step 2: You can see the Offload Unused Apps option. Click on the toggle next to it to disable this feature.

Way 3: Allow Apps in Screen Time

If you restrict WhatsApp app in Screen Time settings, you cannot find it on your Home Screen until you allow it again. To disable the Screen Time restrictions on WhatsApp, you can first go to Settings > Screen Time. Then, tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions followed by Allowed Apps. On the next page, navigate to WhatsApp and disable the restrictions.

Way 4: Reinstall WhatsApp

In some cases, you need to restore WhatsApp disappeared from iPhone by reinstalling it. You can go to the App store on your iPhone, and then search for WhatsApp in the search box. Then, hit on the Download icon to reinstall the WhatsApp on your iPhone.

Way 5: Restart Your iPhone

Restarting your iPhone is also an alternative for you to fix WhatsApp icon disappeared from Home Screen. You can use Settings to conduct a restart. On the Settings menu, choose General followed by Shut Down. Your iPhone will be turned off successfully. Next, you can turn your iPhone back on by long pressing the Side button of it. After a restart, you can go to the Home Screen and check if the missing icon can be found.

Way 6: Reset Home Screen Layout

Another useful way for you to restore the disappeared WhatsApp icon is to reset Home Screen layout. It will set the layout of your iPhone Home Screen to defaults. Navigate to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, and then select the Reset option. Then, choose Reset Home Screen Layout from the list. Once the reset completes, the layout of your Home Screen will go back to its original state. Thus, you can find the missing WhatsApp icon on your iPhone screen.

Part 4: The Closing Words

In conclusion, there are 7 effective and proven methods listed in this post. You can try to fix your issue by trying them step by step. What's more, we also recommend you to try TunesKit iOS Recovery first when you meet such system-related issue. It can not only help you fix your device successfully, but also prevent you from suffering data loss.