The ability to track the history of installed games on Android is a useful skill for every user. You might have deleted a game by mistake, forgotten the name of a project you liked, or simply wanted to remember what you played a year ago. Fortunately, Android and Google Play retain traces of almost all installed applications, even after they are uninstalled.

But how exactly do you get this list? There are several methods - from official tools Google to analysis of system files. In this article we will analyze 5 proven methodsincluding little-known tricks for advanced users. You will learn how to restore history through an account, file system, third-party services, and even without access to the device.

It is important to understand that the completeness of the data depends on several factors: whether one account was used Google, whether synchronization is enabled, whether the settings were reset. If you regularly change profiles or clear your cache Play Market, some of your history may be lost. But in most cases, it is possible to restore up to 80% of installed games over the last 2-3 years.

Method 1: History of installations on Google Play

The simplest and most reliable method is to use the built-in function Google Play. The service keeps a log of all applications ever installed, including games linked to your account. This method works even if the game was deleted years earlier.

To get the list:

  1. Open Google Play Store on the device.
  2. Tap on your profile avatar in the upper right corner.
  3. Select Manage applications and device → Management.
  4. Go to the tab Installed, then tap on the filter and select Not installed.

A complete list of removed applications will be displayed here, sorted by last installation date. For convenience, you can search by name or filter by the "Games" category. Please note that some system applications or games installed through APK without Play Marketmay not be displayed.

📊 How often do you delete games from your smartphone?
More than once every month
Once every 2-3 months
Only if really necessary
Never delete

Method 2: File system analysis (for experienced users)

If you don’t want to rely on Google Play or you suspect that the history has been cleared, you can try to find traces of games in the Android file system. This method requires superuser rights (root) or connecting to the PC via ADB.

Where to look for residual files:

  • 📁 /data/app/ - folders with APK application data are stored here. Even after deleting a game, temporary files with the name of the package may remain (for example, com.epicgames.fortnite).
  • 🗃️ /data/data/ - contains user game data. Sometimes saves or cache remain here.
  • 🔍 /sdcard/Android/obb/ — folder with additional game files (graphics, levels). Files .obb often remain after uninstallation.

To view these folders without rootrights, you can use ADB: 

adb shell ls /data/app | grep -i"game"
This method will show only those games whose files were not completely deleted by the system. For complete cleaning, Android uses the command pm uninstall -k, which leaves part of the data.
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If you find a folder with the name of the game, but do not know what kind of project it is, use the service APKMirror or Android Authorityby entering the name of the package (for example, com.mojang.minecraftpe) in search.

Method 3: Using Google Activity (Activity Log)

Google keeps a detailed log of all actions related to your account, including installing and deleting applications. This service is called Google Activity (or "My Activity") and is accessible through a browser.

How to find your installation history:

  1. Go to the website myactivity.google.com (log in with the same account as on your phone).
  2. In the search bar enter installed the application or install app.
  3. Use filters by date to narrow the search (for example, last year).

The results will display entries like:

"Installed Among Us from Google Play to App Name on Samsung Galaxy S21".

This method allows you to see not only the list of games, but also the exact dates of their installation/deletion. However, there is a nuance:

Journal Activity Limitations

The service stores data only for the last ~3 years (the exact period depends on account settings). If you have previously cleared history or disabled its recording, some of the data may be missing.

Method 4: Third-party services for analyzing history

If standard methods do not produce results, you can use specialized services. They analyze account data Google or scan the device for traces of games.

Popular tools:

  • 🔍 AppBrain - service for managing applications, shows installation history and offers backups APK.
  • 📊 My App List - exports a list of all ever installed applications to CSV or Excel.
  • 🛠️ SD Maid (requires root) - searches for residual game files and allows you to restore them.

Example of working with AppBrain:

  1. Install the application AppBrain App Manager from Play Market.
  2. Log in through Googleaccount.
  3. Go to the section History → Uninstalled Apps.
  4. Filter the list by category "Games".
⚠️ Attention: Third-Party services require access to your account data. Before using, check the reviews and reputation of the application on 4PDA or Redditto avoid leakage of personal information.

Method 5: Restoring through backups

If you have ever created backup copies of the device (via Google Drive, Samsung Cloud or Titanium Backup), they could save data about installed games. This method is suitable for users who regularly backup the system.

How to check backups:

Service Where to look What it contains
Google Drive Settings → Google → Backup List of applications (without APK, only metadata)
Samsung Cloud Settings → Accounts and archiving → Samsung Cloud Full list of installed games with dates
Titanium Backup Folder /TitaniumBackup/ on device APK and game data (requires root)

To restore from Google Drive:

  1. Reset the device to factory settings (or use an emulator).
  2. When setting up for the first time, select restoring from a backup.
  3. After the process is complete, check the "Applications" section in Play Market —there will be a list of previously installed games.
⚠️ Attention: Restoring from a backup will overwrite the current data on the device. Before the procedure, save important files (photos, contacts) to an external drive.

What to do if none of the methods worked?

If all of the above methods did not work, there are still a few options left:

1. Checking mail: Google Play sends notifications about the installation of paid games or in-app purchases. Look in your mail for letters with the subject “Your purchase on Google Play.” or "Confirm installation."

2. Traffic analysis: Some providers or traffic monitoring applications (for example, GlassWire) save logs of visited domains. Games often connect to servers like game.com or api.unity3d.com.

3. Contacting Google support: As a last resort, you can write to support Google Play with a request to provide installation history. This will require confirmation of account ownership.

If you used the device at work or at school, check that Is there a centralized log of installations through MDMsystems (for example, MobileIron or VMware Workspace ONE). Such systems often log all actions on corporate phones.

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Even if the game was deleted years earlier, its traces often remain in the cache. Google Play Services or system logs. A combination of several methods (for example, Google Activity + file system analysis) increases the chances of success to 90%.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about restoring game history

Is it possible to see games installed before resetting the phone to factory settings?

Yes, but only if:

  • You used the same account Google before and after reset.
  • Synchronization Play Market was enabled (Settings → Accounts → Google → Synchronization).
  • You are not cleared the history in Google Activity.

In this case, the data will be saved in the cloud and will be available through Google Play or My Activity.

Are games installed via APK (not from the Play Store) shown in the history?

No, Google Play and Google Activity only monitor applications installed through the official store. For APKfiles you will have to analyze:

  • Folder /sdcard/Download/ (where downloaded ones are usually stored APK).
  • File manager logs (for example, Solid Explorer keeps the history of operations).
  • Logs Package Installer via ADB:
adb logcat | grep"PackageInstalled"
How to find out what games a child played on my phone?

If a child used your account Google, check:

  1. Google Family Link (if parental controls are configured) - shows activity.
  2. Notification log: some games leave notifications even after deletion. Check through Settings → Applications → Notifications → History.
  3. Screenshots: Android automatically saves screenshots to /Pictures/Screenshots/. Perhaps there is evidence there.

For deeper use analysis Digital Wellbeing (Settings → Well-being, which displays the time of use of applications in recent days.

Is it possible to restore a deleted game along with its progress?

It depends on the type of game:

  • 🎮 Online games (for example, Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars): progress is synchronized with the developer's servers. Just reinstall the game and log in with the same account.
  • 📱 Offline games (for example, Monument Valley): progress is stored locally. If you did not make a backup via Titanium Backup or Helium, it is impossible to restore your saves.
  • 🖥️ Games with cloud saves (for example, via Google Play Games): check the section Saved Games in Google Play Games.
Why are all deleted games not displayed in Google Play history?

Possible reasons:

  • The game was installed on another device under the same account, but synchronization is disabled.
  • You deleted the game manually via ADB command pm uninstall without flag -k (complete deletion).
  • Google cleared old records (data is stored for a limited time).
  • The game was pre-installed manufacturer (for example Asphalt 9 on some Samsung) and is not considered "installed" by the user.

Try combining methods: for example, check Google Activity and simultaneously scan the file system for residual files.