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iPhone & iPad: YouTube Icon is Missing

Mitch BartlettOctober 3, 2018 Comments (17)
Apple logo

If your YouTube icon is missing from sight on your Apple iPhone or iPad, here are a few things to check.

Note: Since iOS6, YouTube is no longer included as a default app on iOS devices. You will now need to download it from the App Store.

Contents

  • 1 Fix 1 – Check Everywhere
  • 2 Fix 2 – Check App Restrictions
  • 3 Fix 3 – YouTube Restriction is Enabled (iOS5 and lower)
  • 4 Fix 4 -Reset Home Screen
  • 5 Fix 5 – Restore

Fix 1 – Check Everywhere

Ensure the icon didn’t end up on another screen. Swipe back and forth between the different parts of the Home screen and make sure it’s not hidden or in a folder.


Fix 2 – Check App Restrictions

  1. Open “Settings“.
  2. In iOS12 choose”Screen Time” > “Content Privacy & Restrictions” > “Content Privacy“. In iOS 11 and lower, choose “General” > “Restrictions“.
  3. Select “Apps“.
  4. Make sure “Allow All Apps” is checked.

Fix 3 – YouTube Restriction is Enabled (iOS5 and lower)

Someone or something may have disabled YouTube. Enable it again with these steps:

  1. Open “Settings“.
  2. Tap “General“.
  3. Tap “Restrictions“.
  4. Make sure “YouTube” is set to “On“.

Fix 4 -Reset Home Screen

  1. Open “Settings“.
  2. Select “General“.
  3. Choose “Reset“.
  4. Select “Reset Home Screen Layout“.

Fix 5 – Restore

If none of the above works. It’s time to try a Restore.

  1. Connect your device to your computer and launch iTunes.
  2. Select your device under “Devices“.
  3. Select “Summary” > “Restore“.
Categories: iPhone

Author Mitch Bartlett

Through my career that spans over 20 years I have become an expert in Microsoft Systems Administration, Android, and macOS. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful knowledgebase for everyone.

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Comments

  1. Shams says:
    January 21, 2021 at 10:06 am

    YouTube is not set on my phone, when I try to set it reserved a massage under name of please change your country ? But my country is fine

  2. Anna says:
    April 5, 2020 at 10:44 am

    I own a iPhone 10, suggestion no. 4 worked for me. Thanks!

  3. CAMILLE COSTELLI says:
    March 29, 2020 at 9:47 am

    Hi,
    i have an iphone 4s and somehow every google i do to get youtube icon on my iphone icon page it isn’t there in setting at all. where could it be?

  4. Jazzy Cassa says:
    January 27, 2018 at 10:56 am

    My mother has my iPad connected to her phone, with a restrictions passcode so this did not work.

  5. Christine says:
    November 2, 2017 at 11:56 am

    Can someone help me, please? I want the Restrictions enabled on my son’s ipod, but when I put the Restrictions on, it removes the YouTube icon entirely from his home page. I am ok with him having access to YouTube, but not the 17+ content. Its seems to be all or nothing, or am I missing something? Do I need to turn Restrictions off every time he wants to watch YouTube? Thanks!

  6. Idk says:
    August 25, 2017 at 7:43 am

    4 worked for me!!!

  7. Hark Johnny says:
    January 14, 2017 at 9:48 am

    HUGE help in getting YouTube on a iPod that had age restrictions set.

  8. Marty says:
    December 17, 2016 at 6:10 am

    Thank you, it took doing everything right up to the restore fix you advised.
    I got my I Tunes back complete with the 600 saved videos I thought I had lost.
    Very much appreciate your advice.

  9. Kim says:
    December 9, 2016 at 1:33 pm

    Thank you!!! So much!! Worked like a charm!!

  10. Allan says:
    October 15, 2016 at 4:08 am

    Fix #4 worked for mine. Thank you!

  11. Frans Bouman says:
    August 12, 2016 at 6:56 pm

    Used this to recover my MSNBC icon. Great help!

  12. Ciaran says:
    December 22, 2015 at 5:19 am

    What if it isn’t even in restriction like at all its just not there

  13. Raj says:
    November 17, 2015 at 5:03 am

    Thank you so much, I went through several forums but could not find a solution for my missing icons including youtube. After visiting your site Removed the restrictions and voila!! Got everything back.

  14. Shelli says:
    November 16, 2015 at 7:49 am

    Thank you!!!! Fix #2 did it! I had looked lots of places on the web to get help finding my lost icon and you were the only one with the answer! (Apple help page was useless)

  15. Claytton says:
    November 9, 2015 at 1:42 am

    I had never connected the dots: since I set some restrictions youtube icon had vanished. It is working now. Thanks!

  16. Kristin says:
    November 7, 2015 at 6:23 pm

    Thank you, thank you! The YouTube app on my iPad disappeared and has been stuck in a state of “pending update”. I tried everything. This is the only tech help page I found that mentioned the restrictions. Changing the restrictions setting worked! Thank you so much!

  17. Christine says:
    October 20, 2015 at 4:06 pm

    Thank you so much! My Google & YouTube app had been missing for weeks ever since I updated my iPad. I was just about to do the Restore as my last resort…until I found this helpful bit of info. It was indeed the restrictions setting! Hooray!!!! Thank you!!!!

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My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

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Last Updated on October 3, 2018 by Mitch Bartlett