How can i regain functionality with automatic downloads? they no longer work in either direction

I cannot get applications I download on my iphone to appear on my ipad. Nor vice versa. I did not have this problem with my old devices so I know it worked at one time.

Is this feature restricted to "new" purchases? AKA if i'm trying to re-download something I already purchased in the past, it wont auto download to other devices?

I have ensured everything is signed in on the same appleid and both devices have auto downloads and auto updates on. I have tried toggling it off and on. Both are connected to the same wifi network. Both have been restarted and are on the newest version of ios.

Solution 1:

New purchases download to all iOS devices, if configured so. But an existing purchase does not download to iOS device #2 just because iOS device #1 installs it again after it has been removed.

It has always been so.