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Lost Mail icon on iPhone. How do I restore it?

Lost Mail icon or App on my iPhone. How do I restore it?

iPhone 4, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Sep 10, 2012 10:37 AM

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Posted on Nov 9, 2016 10:30 AM

I'm in the same boat. I was deleting a bunch of unused apps last night and accidentally deleted the "mail" app that was a factory setting. I can't figure out how to get it back. I've looked in Settings and also searched for "mail, contacts and calendars".... can't find it anywhere. I've also "restored to factory settings" and "restored the home screen". Nothing.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 9, 2016 10:30 AM in response to Miney Mouse

I'm in the same boat. I was deleting a bunch of unused apps last night and accidentally deleted the "mail" app that was a factory setting. I can't figure out how to get it back. I've looked in Settings and also searched for "mail, contacts and calendars".... can't find it anywhere. I've also "restored to factory settings" and "restored the home screen". Nothing.

Feb 5, 2017 2:21 PM in response to shemoser

I lost today my mail icon. After trying shutting the phone off I could not get it. In the settings it was also missing. Next I tried the App Store and I "downloaded" it. Then I got a welcome screen. Tried to sign into a gmail account and got a message telling me it was already there. I was also missing my company email file. Tried resetting the home screen as someone suggested and did not do much. Finally I went to settings, found the mail settings restored and went into accounts. All my mail accounts were there but they had been turned off. I turned them back on and I seem to be back to normal.

Sep 10, 2012 10:57 AM in response to shemoser

It's a pre-installed app and therefore cannot be deleted so you may have inadvertently moved it onto another screen or into a folder, check the Utilities folder if you have one. Check all screens and folders and do a search in Spotlight, it will tell you if the app is still on your iPhone but unfortunately not where it is. If you find it on one or your screens or in a folder, press the icon until it wiggles and then drag it back to where you want it. Alternatively you can reset your home screen in Settings>General>Reset>Reset Home Screen Layout.

Sep 10, 2012 11:00 AM in response to shemoser

It's a native app unless you happen to JB it and delete iPhone icons that are core embedded.

  1. Scroll your finger to the right until you get the search box
  2. Type Mail
  3. If Mail Exists, then it's just hidden from your view for some odd reason
  4. Settings - General - Reset - Reset Home Screen Layout as Huntress stated
  5. If it no longer exists, you can restore it by restoring your iPhone

Sep 26, 2017 6:01 PM in response to shemoser

This is what I found & it worked for me.


Anup a year ago
My mail icon and appl had got deleted. i went to manage storage. it showed emails were still the biggest storage item. I clicked on it. It said that your Mail Application is no longer on the phone, will you like to install it via AppStore and gave a link. I clicked on it and the application was downloaded. Before that I tried restoring home page, tried looking for application on App Store or via Spotlight search etc. but that did not work.


Jun 29, 2017 3:51 PM in response to The Huntress

This comment is dangerous and irresponsible without a warning of what will happen should you choose the 'Reset Home Screen Layout' option.


I went to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout and I didn't realise it would completely mess up all my app folders. And no I don't have a backup on iTunes. I went from a minor problem to a major headache.


Thanks for ruining my day 😠😠

Sep 13, 2017 8:24 AM in response to shemoser

It is so easy to delete something you really want. My grandkids deleted the apps on me too. The easiest way to restore an iPhone or iPad app is to go into the App Store, do a search for Apple and then all of the Apple apps will appear for you to restore whatever you need. And no, . But there's always a back up plan. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

Jan 5, 2018 6:30 PM in response to shemoser

I have been struggling with this for the past few days, with a missing Apple App Store icon, following all the reset advice and retrting off my phone. No dice.


What FINALLY worked was to go into Settings/General/Restrictions and make sure Restrictions are OFF .


I had recently turned on various restrictions when my photo cache maxed out my memory (long story/whole other problem but solved now too).


***Look into RESTRICTIONS! you may have accidentally turned it off there

Lost Mail icon on iPhone. How do I restore it?

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