How can I change the gray icons on my iPad?

These would appear to be shortcut icons - derived from your saved Safari favourites.

Begin by deleting your cached Safari website data:

Settings > Safari > Clear History & Website Data

Next, perform a forced restart of your iPad:

Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
3. Press and hold the top button.
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.

Force restart iPad (models with the Home button)

Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.

After restarting your iPad, you may need to recreate the Home Screen shortcuts.

Perhaps you can post a screenshot of what you can see - as this will assist with understanding the issue.

Take a screenshot on your iPad - Apple Support

You can post your screenshot using the image button:

Is the screen remaining gray when you go inside the app? Or does color return?

if color remains gone, please direct your attention to the screenshots,

triple click your power button to see if the gray goes away the screenshots are if you are trying to disable it.

It’s possible that it is a glitch but if Apple was fully aware of it they would have fixed it in the new iPadOS 16.5 update, it is also possible that my past answer is correct because if you go to websites with a cover image and save them to your Home Screen you get this result :

I notice that one of the apps on the screen is called Grayicons-Apple this says either that that is an app specifically meant to change the color of the apps or these are all web shortcuts and from testing this by putting this on my Home Screen I get the same result of a gray icon. But that means these are not actual apps and are websites, if you want to get rid of them hold down on the app and click delete bookmark

12__34 wrote:

Really sorry I do not know what you mean?

thanks

When you tap the “+” icon at top-right of your Safari window, you will open the Safari Start Page. Here you will see icons for each of your saved web-pages (Bookmarks/Favourites).

If you want to keep them on your Home Screen if you drag one of them over a native app not from safari it will create a folder you can then, drag the rest of the safari shortcuts over to the folder and then when they are all in there remove the native app from the folder and then they are less of an eyesore on the home screen

Kastaspella, thank you for your reply but this is absolutely NOT the reason as you have stated. Several of the sites that I had successfully added web link icons to the home page two weeks ago will no longer produce their colorful logo if I try to do it now. As well, the ones on my iphone that return a nice logo will only produce the gray box on the ipad. It’s either a Safari issue or an update issue that APPLE needs to address. They are fully aware of this glitch yet nothing is done to address it. If you have the latest update, try it yourself.

Apple has been known to drag its feet on issues in the past! There is no doubt that some sites return a nice icon but there is also no doubt that sites that have also done so previously, now return the pathetic gray box. If you have the latest update, see what you get for this one:

https://spaceweather.com/

It has always produced a colourful w showing its home page. Something has recently changed.

Yes but is it possible that Apple made a developer setting allowing people to put a photo for their website when someone goes to and saves a webpage? And that certain websites didn’t opt to put a logo in?

Yes, it used to be a portion of the home page but it’s possible that Apple decided to stop taking a bit of the home page. If so that’s something with ios which can’t be fixed on this website as it is a user to user interface and you cannot contact Apple from here. If you have a problem with iOS you will have to contact Apple support.

Don’t worry. I talked to them for over an hour last week and they were baffled as well. Said it looked like an update created problem as this all started after the last update. Person I talked with created the same gray junk on her iphone when trying to drop a link on her homescreen !