Users report long-deleted apps reappearing on iPhones after updating to iOS 18.4.
The issue is not linked to Automatic Downloads or third-party app stores.
Apple has yet to acknowledge the bug, but a fix is expected soon.
Apple’s latest iOS 18.4 update appears to be causing issues for some users due to an unusual bug. Several users are complaining that previously deleted apps and games have mysteriously reappeared on their iPhones after updating to iOS 18.4. Multiple reports on Reddit and Apple Community Support forums indicate that the problem appeared shortly after updating to iOS 18.4, which was released on Monday.
SurveyThis comes after many users reported that applications they deleted months or even years ago had unexpectedly reinstalled themselves and are present on the Home Screen. According to MacRumors, the bug does not appear to be related to Apple’s Automatic Downloads feature, which allows apps purchased on other Apple devices to be installed automatically. Several affected users report only having one Apple device, ruling out syncing issues as well.
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Interestingly, this glitch affects iPhones that have never been jailbroken or used third-party app stores, raising more questions and deepening the mystery surrounding the sudden application reappearances.
“After upgrading to iOS 18.4, my iPhone randomly installed ‘Last War Survival’. This app was previously installed on my iPhone a few months ago but uninstalled after a few hours. Now it appeared back on my Home Screen. A lot of users are reporting the same with different apps,” a user wrote on Apple Community.
While Apple has not confirmed the problem or the solution at this time, reports are on the rise. However, the problems appear to be limited to specific iPhone models or regional settings, the report added.
So the question arises, how to fix this issue? Currently, the only solution for the problem is to manually delete the applications again. Till then we expect that Apple will provide an explanation or a security patch update to fix the issue.
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
