Widgets won’t stay on home screen...disappear when I navigate away

[Android Central Question]

Galaxy j7 neo
Android v7.0
Home screen widgets randomly disappear. Have tried placing them back in place, but they look strange, there is no icon, just a border with text inside, the name of the widget and a size such as 3x1

Navigating away from the home screen causes some of them to disappear when I go back.

Is there a way to set up a home screen with frequently used icons that will stay in place?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! When you first place them, do they look normal? If all you're seeing is a border with text, that doesn't sound like a proper widget. It sounds more like a placeholder. Which widgets are you trying to use? Are the corresponding apps still installed on the phone?