Help, the app is gone! If your old apps are fading from the iPhone, follow the text to understand why this is happening and how to reverse the process that deletes apps without having to confirm the operation on your phone.
If either app is missing from your iPhone, it may be that the feature that automatically removes unused apps but keeps your documents and data (history, edited photos, or messages exchanged, for example) is enabled to gain storage space on your device. This means that if the same application is reinstalled, the data will be restored and everything will be as it was.
However, there is always a catch, this will only happen if the app is still available on the App Store. If the developer removed the software from the store, you lose access to the application once and for all. There are only files and folders generated by it.
Ok, how to disable it?
How to prevent iPhone from deleting unused apps
You will need to change something very simple in your settings:
- Access the Settings;
- Tap on “iTunes and App Store”;
- Uncheck “Uninstall Unused Apps.”
After that, download your app again and restore the data that was used in it. If you don’t remember exactly which apps are missing, you can check your purchase history (with some patience) and check which apps you have already downloaded.
Viewing App Store Purchase History
- Access Settings;
- Tap on “iTunes and App Store”;
- Tap on “Apple ID” and “View Apple ID”;
- Swipe until you find “Purchase History” and touch it.
Note that if you use Home Sharing, you will see in this purchase history what you bought with your Apple ID, but not what other family members bought. To see what other family members and children have purchased, use their Apple ID.