The issue was this: 

In iOS 18 the Homescreen layout configuration was applied to a couple of different iPhone deployments and there were apps listed in the config that didn’t exist on the current Config I was working with.  So iOS 26 was leaving these “Ghost App” spaces in been the deployed apps. So to resolve I build a brand new Homescreen layout that only had apps deployed to the Nurse Configuration and the spaces are gone in iOS26 now. 

Thanks for the update ​@JustinFincher. I was going to test upgrading one of our iPads that we are applying a Home Screen layout to, but now I can hold off on that. 

We are seeing the same behavior.  It’s a little annoying, especially if you deploying the the Home Screen layout profile and devices are only assigned certain apps within that profile.  I don’t know that I would want to go back and create new Home Screen layout profiles to fix it.  Seems like a lot of work that I don’t have time for.  Hoping for a future iOS fix.

Hey all,

I fixed this on my Home Screen Layout by realizing the empty spaces were the same amount of spaces from apps that I’ve hidden in another profile.

So you have to go to your Home Screen Layout config and add those other hidden apps to the backend of a folder, or the tail end of a page layout. I did this and things resolve across my fleet.

That will get things appearing as they were. Odd that the Home Screen Layout ignores hidden apps, but hey that seems like what is going on in iOS 26 here.

Be well everyone!

Thank you!!!