How to Find Hidden Apps on Android (2024)

Smartphones can keep many apps out of the limelight. If you're wondering how to find hidden apps on Android, whether it's your phone or someone else's, there are several ways you can go about it.

The Settings menu in Android is complex enough that you often need tools like the Google Settings app to access hidden features. So, that's the first place to look for answers to the question, "How do I find hidden apps on my phone?"

Since every device features a full list of its apps, get to know the basic steps to display it. First, tap the Settings icon on your Home screen or app drawer and choose Apps from the menu. If things look different on your device, just go for the tab that deals with your phone's apps.

From there, you should have access to a See all apps option. Tap it to see all the apps on your device. Just scroll through them to explore the device's contents.

If you or another user did disable and hide apps, you should also find the option to only see these programs. Look for the All apps button. Tapping it opens a dropdown menu that can show you Disabled apps.

Find Hidden Apps With Special Access

In your Apps menu, you'll find an option titled Special app access. Here, your apps are broken down by the privileges they have on your phone.

For example, if you go into All files access, it will show you every single app that can use your digital files. You can filter through apps with access to pictures, notifications, VR helper services, Wi-Fi control, and more.

This is a great way to narrow down the kinds of programs you're looking for, putting a more productive spin on how to find hidden apps on Android.

As Android devices evolve, they offer better ways to manage your content. Different manufacturers and launchers offer different solutions for hiding apps on Android, but they all have something in common: the app drawer. It's the scrollable display of apps that you get when you swipe up on your phone's Home screen.

From here, you can hide and unhide apps on some Android systems via the drawer's menu button—it usually looks like three dots or a gear icon. Other devices have alternative features, such as folders. To use these, open the menu, select Create folder, type in a title, and choose apps to group together.

When looking for hidden apps, make sure you check for folders, as they can obscure the applications they contain. So, finding hidden apps on an Android device can be as simple as looking more closely.

Find Hidden Apps Through Your File Manager

Another way to sift through the apps on your phone is by using the file manager. All Android devices should come with this feature in one form or another, usually labeled Files.

Tap the file manager icon to open a list of categories and tools. Go into Apps to see all the programs installed on your device along with any APK (Android Package) files. Besides showing hidden and forgotten apps, you can manage each item from here, too, from sharing to uninstalling it.

However, the file manager doesn't always display system apps that are part of the device's basic functions. In other words, turn to your file manager only if you want to find hidden apps you previously downloaded.

Another feature to keep in mind is the Safe folder option in many file managers. This is a secure place to store files and needs a PIN or pattern to unlock. It doesn't deal with apps so much, but it's a good place to look for hidden data while also exploring the nooks and crannies available on Android devices.

If the file manager you already have doesn't suit your needs, you can always download a better one. Try out apps like Cx File Explorer to enjoy a cleaner interface, smoother organization of your files, and a lot more detail regarding your phone's active and hidden apps.

If you don't like the layout of your current Android system, you can install another launcher that fits your workflow. While there are safety concerns about third-party Android launchers, apps like Microsoft Launcher and Nova Launcher are among the best on the Play Store.

Take Microsoft's software, for example. It adds a Hidden apps tab to your app drawer, displays the device's most recent apps, and lets you adjust their layout from a vertical or horizontal grid to an alphabetical list.

From your Hidden apps settings, you can even choose a password, set up quick access to the apps via the dock, and make them visible in search results. In other words, you can keep hidden files secure and avoid losing track of them.

Take a look at the best Android launchers for any device and check which ones are the most efficient in spotting hidden apps and files.

Find Hidden Apps Inside Trick Applications

Android users can hide more than apps on their phones, so it's important to know the many different ways someone can keep materials secret. Trick apps are a popular method for hiding private photos on Android or documents with personal information.

A great example is Calculator Photo Vault, which does everything a calculator should do while hiding a very handy stash along with several security tools. For example, you can protect your hidden pictures, videos, and files behind a disguised icon, password, and intruder selfie.

Trick software affects your search for hidden apps. Even if you use all the methods above, you could completely overlook the innocent calculator icon.

Tackling this problem is a matter of knowledge. Stay up to date on the range of mobile apps around and make a note of specific programs that double as secret vaults.

Now that you know how to find hidden apps on Android devices in the most productive ways, it's important to understand why people would hide data in the first place. A parent would want to stop their child from using risky programs, while a lawyer—or spy—would hide sensitive information.

You can use these Android tricks to unearth your old apps and files, too. So, getting into your own mindset helps just as much in remembering when and why you put them there, as well as in deciding whether or not to keep them.