This creates an icon on your home screen that functions similarly to an app but runs through your browser, saving significant battery and storage.
"Please," she said, placing the phone on the counter. "My mother gave this to me before she passed. It has her last messages to me on it. But I accidentally deleted the app, and now I can't get it back."
The primary reason is a simple system requirement conflict. The current version of Facebook, as found in the App Store, requires . Your iPhone, limited to iOS 12.5.7, cannot meet this requirement because Apple no longer provides major iOS updates for these older devices. This is not a bug or an error on your part, but a deliberate decision by Meta (Facebook's parent company) to focus on newer operating systems. Download Facebook Ios 12-5-7
Now, tap the button (which may appear as a cloud icon with a downward arrow).
(running iOS 15+) or a Mac/PC with an older version of iTunes that supports apps. This creates an icon on your home screen
The App Store's "last compatible version" feature is your most reliable bet. If that fails, the web-based method is a fantastic, lightweight alternative that will keep you connected without any hassle.
If you have never downloaded Facebook before on your Apple ID, you may need a second, newer device to "purchase" the app first so it appears in your account history. It has her last messages to me on it
If you've never owned the app on your account, iOS 12 won't let you "get" it for the first time. To fix this: Sign in with your Apple ID on a newer device
Go to the "Purchased" tab (usually by clicking your profile icon > Purchased).