While Apple can now allow changing the default browser on iPhone, many users still contain Safari. Two significant reasons for the same are its streamlined functionality and the ease of sync across all Apple devices.
There’s no second thought about which browser they should settle for users already part of this Apple ecosystem. However, as of late, there have been a few queries from the users that they cannot find their browser on the home screen.
First, there’s nothing to worry about, as Safari is still installed on your device with all the data intact. It has just been removed from your Home Screen due to one of the many plausible reasons we will discuss in this guide.
Moreover, we will also show you how to put the Safari browser back on your iPhone’s Home Screen. So without any further ado, let’s get started —
Via the Spotlight Search
Apple’s Spotlight Search feature allows you to find your preferred apps and files stored on your device. This is the most straightforward approach and should be your go-to when looking for a particular app.
Here are the steps to add the Safari app on the home screen from spotlight search:
- Swipe down on your Home screen to invoke the Spotlight search.
- Type in Safari and select the Safari browser from the search result.
It shall take you to that app’s location, folder or page. - Drag and drop that Safari app to the Home Screen, and the task stands complete.
Check your iPhone or iPad; the Safari app will appear on the home screen again.
From the App Library
One of the most talked-about features in iOS 14 was the introduction of the App Library, which organized all your apps into differently categorized folders.
And in one of those folders would be the Safari browser. So if the browser is missing from your Home Screen, it might still be in the App Library, and you could add it back there.
Here are steps to add Safari back to the home screen from App Library:
- Open the App Library page (last page in right swipe)
- Open the Utility folder and look up the Safari browser.
- Drag the Safari app from that App Library folder and place it on your Home screen.
You may perform a manual search if you can’t find it there. Perform a swipe-down gesture on the App Library page and then type in Safari in the Search box. It will now show the folder name where Safari is present. Simple drag and drop on the home screen will add the Safari App.
From Hidden Home Screen Pages
The iPhone allows you to hide apps from the home screen by creating hidden home pages and placing the apps there.
If you unintentionally hide Safari via this option, it wouldn’t appear on the Spotlight or the App Library. The only way out is to head over to the hidden page and take the app out from there.
Here are steps to unhide the Safari app from the Home screen pages:
- Long press in an empty location on your Home page.
It shall bring up the Edit Pages screen. - Tap on the Menu
present at the bottom of your screen. - Browse through Hidden pages and check if Safari is placed.
- If the page with Safari is hidden, then enable the checkmark to unhide.
- Hit the Done command present in the top right.
That’s it, Safari will now be visible, and you can put it back on your iPhone’s home screen from that page.
Add Safari to Privacy Restriction’s Whitelist
The tech giants have incorporated the Parental Control feature that allows adults to disable certain apps from being accessed by children.
If an app is hidden via this restrictive measure, then you wouldn’t be able to access it by any of the methods above. The only way out is to remove the app from this list.
Here are the steps to allow Safari from privacy restrictions:
- Head over to the Settings > Screen Time section on your device.
- Open Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter your device’s passcode.
- Navigate to Allowed Apps and enable the toggle button next to the Safari app.
You have added Safari to the exclusion list, which will now be visible on your device.
Reset Home Screen
If none of the above methods spelled out success, you should consider performing a home screen reset. Doing so shall revert the layout exactly as it came out of the box, with Apple Safari occupying an abode on your Home Screen.
Here are the steps to reset the home screen on iPhone or iPad:
- Launch Settings app > General page on your device.
- Navigate to the Reset menu, and tap on Reset Home Screen Layout.
- Confirm the Reset Home Screen option.
It will reset the layout, and you shall see the Safari app on your Home Screen.
It will remove all the widgets and customizations you would have made by resetting the home screen. But it is worth an attempt if it can bring the browser back to its desired location.
Bottom Line: Put Safari back on the Home screen
With this, we round off the guide on putting Safari back on your iPhone’s home screen. We have shared five different methods for the same.
In my case, the app was present inside the App’s Library Utility folder. Hence the second method worked out quite well.
However, you can try out any method that works to put the Safari browser back on your home screen and even on the dock bar.
Please let us know in the comments section which did the job for you. Also, please share if anything else has worked out for you.