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Ever since I got my Nexus 5, I've notice that apps sometimes disappear from the launcher for no reason. This seems to correspond to that app being updated, although it doesn't always happen to every app on every update. I've seem some questions about icons disappearing due to moving them onto an SD card, but I don't have one of those so that's not it.

The apps are still installed and show up in Settings > Apps or in the alphabetized pages one gets by pressing the ::: icon. Some of the apps this has happened to include Facebook, Android IRC, TransitTimes+, QuickPic, and Minecraft — but it's not just limited to those, and it doesn't seem to happen to those with every update.

I'm not using any special launcher or anything — just the stock one that comes with KitKat 4.4 on the Nexus 5. (Updated to 4.4.2)

What's going on and how can I fix it?

mattdm
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  • I'm curious as to which apps are disappearing. Also, when an icon has disappeared, does it still show up in Settings > Apps? – dotVezz Dec 18 '13 at 21:08
  • @dotVezz They disappear from home screen and the screens of icons I've arranged to the right of that, and sometimes from the quick launch today below, but they are still installed — they are in Settings > Apps and in the alphabetical pages brought up by the rows-of-dots icon in the launch bar. – mattdm Dec 18 '13 at 23:04
  • Maybe a bug in the launcher you're using; which one is it (so maybe somebody else can confirm)? – Izzy Dec 19 '13 at 01:00
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    Name a couple of specific apps that disappered? – wuodland Dec 19 '13 at 06:35
  • I am having this exact problem. First the screen to the right of the main launcher screen disappeared. It contained all of the default Google media widgets. Then, when I placed some folders and apps on that screen, they disappeared again a few days later. The entire screen, not just some icons. This is really annoying. The apps are still installed, they just are gone from the home screen launcher pages, and I have to go to all apps to add them back. For reference, I am using the default launcher. – Sky Kelsey Dec 19 '13 at 07:29
  • This has happened to me on several occasions with 4.4 and 4.4.1 using the stock launcher on a Nexus 4. Since enabling the Google Now launcher and updating to 4.4.2 it seems to have gone away. But that won't help you as the Nexus 5 uses the Google Now launcher by default. – Shevek Dec 19 '13 at 13:18
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    I've seen this on all my Nexus devices: 4, 5, and 10. Seems to randomly hit. – derobert Dec 19 '13 at 20:10
  • I've noticed this issue on my nexus 7 running KitKat and the GEL. if an app that's in a group gets updated the entire group disappears from my home screen. I don't think the GEL is available for the nexus 7 officially though, so it's an understandable bug. – Luke Channings Jan 11 '14 at 11:13
  • Happen to me too, on our app we sometimes hear about users that update and the app disappear from the screen. The strange thing that it happens for some users and for others not (the very same version from the play) so I really think it's a bug or something with google launcher. – shem Oct 06 '14 at 07:57
  • I have the same problem on my Galaxy S7 with Android 8.0.0 Is there a solution in the meantime? – monok Sep 21 '20 at 08:55

1 Answers1

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This is not a bug with the Nexus 5. It seems like the Google Experience Launcher (aka Google Now Launcher) seems to handle app shortcuts a little differently than other launchers do. The cause of this has to do with the way the developer is updating their app. I have seen this problems specifically with Franco Kernel Updater on my Nexus 5 with GEL/GNL, almost every update that comes out I have to add the icon back onto my launcher home screen.

I think I read somewhere that it is when the manifest file is changed... but don't quote me on that yet.

Mr. Monkey
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