The app icons on my iPad's home screen forget their location in landscape mode. This normally happens after a restart or when I haven't used the device in a few days (passcode unlock). This has been an issue for me since iPadOS 18 and is still an issue on iPadOS 26.4. My device is an M1 11" Pro.
iPad Pro, iPadOS 26
System Software Updates can, on occasion, result in unexpected rearrangement of your Home Screen icons.
Be aware that the icon/widget layout for Landscape and Portrait screen orientation are effectively independent of each-other. As such, in rotating the iPad between orientations, you may observe unexpected movement in relative icon and widget location.
With this in mind, you would be well advised to arrange the icons to your preferred layout of your Home Screens for both Landscape and Portrait screen orientation. Once arranged, the icons should retain the set locations until you add or delete an App icon or widget to the relevant page - noting that download of an App from the App Store may automatically install a corresponding icon to one of the Home Screens.
Your preference as to layout may be entirely different for Landscape and Portrait presentation.
System Software Updates can, on occasion, result in unexpected rearrangement of your Home Screen icons.
Be aware that the icon/widget layout for Landscape and Portrait screen orientation are effectively independent of each-other. As such, in rotating the iPad between orientations, you may observe unexpected movement in relative icon and widget location.
With this in mind, you would be well advised to arrange the icons to your preferred layout of your Home Screens for both Landscape and Portrait screen orientation. Once arranged, the icons should retain the set locations until you add or delete an App icon or widget to the relevant page - noting that download of an App from the App Store may automatically install a corresponding icon to one of the Home Screens.
Your preference as to layout may be entirely different for Landscape and Portrait presentation.
I have already customized my icon layouts in both orientations and they keep shifting. The app icons always move their locations after a system restart, mostly in landscape. Even after I put them back to their intended positions, their locations don't save after my device is shut down.
iPad app icons forget home screen location in landscape mode