How to view open windows on Android: from multitasking to hidden tools

A dozen applications can run simultaneously on Android smartphones - from instant messengers in the background to games with active windows. But how can you quickly find out which apps are open right now, especially if they are minimized or running in hidden mode? This task seems simple until you encounter the limitations of manufacturers: Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei actively modify the standard interface multitasking, and some system windows (for example, from Google Play Services) are not displayed at all in the list of running applications.

In this article we will look at all available ways to view open windows on Android from basic gestures to commands for developers, including methods for devices with root access and without it. We will pay special attention to hidden system processes that are not visible in the standard menu, but consume smartphone resources. If you need not just to close the application, but to understand which windows are currently active (for example, for debugging or performance optimization), you will find here current solutions for Android 10–14.

1. Standard multitasking: gestures and buttons

The most obvious way is to use the built-in menu recent apps. However, its capabilities are highly dependent on the version of Android and the manufacturer's shell. Here's how it works on different devices:

• 📱 Stock Android (Pixel, Motorola, Nokia): Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and hold for 0.5 seconds. A list of cards with open windows will open. Android 12+ here also displays pop-up windows (for example, chats in Telegram or WhatsApp).
• 🤖 Samsung One UI: click on the button Multitasking (three vertical lines to the left of the "Home" button) or swipe up with a delay. One UI 5.0+ there is a separate tab for pop-up windows (click on the three dots in the upper right corner).
• ⚡ Xiaomi MIUI/HyperOS: swipe up with a delay or double-click on the button Menu (if it is activated). There is no division into windows and applications - everything is displayed in one. list. MIUI 14 there is no division into windows and applications - everything is displayed in one list.
• 🍎 Huawei EMUI: swipe left or right on the bottom navigation bar (if you use gestures) or click on the square button. EMUI 13 are also shown here floating windows (for example, from Petal Maps).

Restrictions method:

• ❌ Does not show system processes (for example, windows from Google Play Services or Android System WebView).
• ❌ Does not display hidden windows some applications (for example Facebook can mask active sessions).
• ❌ On some devices (for example Oppo ColorOS) the list is cleared automatically when the screen is locked.

⚠️ Attention: On Android 14 smartphones with gesture controls (without hardware buttons) may not show the multitasking menu when swiping if the mode is activated in the settings Full screen gestures. To return to standard behavior, go to Settings → System → Gestures → System navigation and select 2-button navigation.

2. System monitor: hidden Android tools

Android has built-in tools for displaying active processes, but they are hidden in the menu for developersTo activate them:

1. Go to Settings → About phone.
2. Find the item Build number and click on it 7 times until a notification appears You have become developer!.
3. Go back to the main settings and open a new section For developers.
4. Find options:
   • Do not turn off the screen while charging (for ease of monitoring).
   • USB debugging (needed for the next section).
   • Show CPU load —enable to see load from active windows.

Now you can use:

• 📊 Process Monitor: in the menu For Developers find Services or Processes. Here are displayed all active windows, including system ones (for example, com.android.systemui —Android interface).
• 🔍 Error log: in the same menu select Error logs —here you can see which windows were causing crashes (useful for debugging).

Activate developer mode (7 clicks on "Build number")

Enable "USB Debugging" in the developer settings

Enable CPU usage display (optional)

Reboot the device to apply the changes-->

Example of what the list of processes in the menu looks like For developers:

⚠️ Attention: Some manufacturers (for example, Xiaomi and Huawei) restrict access to menu For developers on your devices. If after 7 clicks on Build number nothing happens, try:

1. Connect the device to the PC and use the command adb shell settings put global development_settings_enabled 1.
2. Install a third-party application like QuickShortcutMaker and manually launch the activity com.android.settings.DevelopmentSettings.

3. ADB commands: advanced window monitoring

If you need to see all open windows, including those that are not displayed in multitasking, use Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method works without root access, but requires connection to a PC.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your computer (download Platform Tools from Google).
2. Connect your smartphone via USB and activate USB Debugging in the settings for developers.
3. Open a command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and enter:

adb devices

(Your device should appear in the list.)

adb shell dumpsys window windows | grep -E 'mCurrentFocus|mFocusedApp'

This command will show current active window and the application that opened it. For example:

mCurrentFocus=Window{1a3d4e5 u0 com.whatsapp/com.whatsapp.HomeActivity}
mFocusedApp=AppWindowToken{2b5c6d7 token=HistoryRecord{1a3d4e5 com.whatsapp/com.whatsapp.HomeActivity}}

To see all open windows, including background ones, use:

adb shell dumpsys window | grep "Window #"

Result will look like this:

Window #0 Window{1a3d4e5 u0 com.whatsapp/com.whatsapp.HomeActivity}
Window #1 Window{2b5c6d7 u0 com.android.systemui.ImageWallpaper}
Window #2 Window{3c7d8e9 u0 com.google.android.gms/.persistent.PersistentActivity}

Field decoding:

• u0 — user ID (usually 0 for the main user).
• com.whatsapp/com.whatsapp.HomeActivity — name of the package and activity (window).
• Window #1 — window sequence number on the stack.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (for example, banking or DRM-protected) may block the output of information through ADB. In this case, you will see the line instead of the package name [hidden].

4. Third-party window monitoring apps

If you don't feel like using ADB or digging through the developer settings, install one of these apps:

• 🔍 Simple Task Manager (free, no root):
  • Shows all running processesincluding system.
  • Can force close applications (Force Stop).
  • Displays CPU and RAM consumption.
• 📊 OS Monitor (requires root for full functionality):
  • Monitor active windows in real time.
  • Shows network activity for each process.
  • Can record system event logs.
• 🛠️ Developer Assistant (for debugging):
  • Provides access to hidden Android settings.
  • Shows window hierarchy (useful for developers).
  • Can emulate clicks and gestures.

<TaskerData sr="" dvi="1" tv="6.0.11-Beta">
<Task sr="task1">
<cdate>1700000000000</cdate>
<edate>1700000000001</edate>
<Action sr="act0" ve="7">
<code>541</code>
<Str sr="arg0" ve="3">.*</Str>
<Int sr="arg1" val="0"/>
<Int sr="arg2" val="0"/>
<Int sr="arg3" val="0"/>
<Int sr="arg4" val="0"/>
<Int sr="arg5" val="0"/>
</Action>
</Task>
</TaskerData>

import os
import time

Connecting to the device
os.system("adb devices")

Creating a log file
with open("windows_log.txt", "w") as f:
while True:
# Get a list of windows
result = os.popen("adb shell dumpsys window windows | grep -E 'mCurrentFocus|Window #'").read()
f.write(f"--- {time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')} ---\n{result}\n")
f.flush()
time.sleep(5) # Check every 5 seconds