Have you ever wondered how many applications are actually installed on your Android smartphone? Even if you haven't installed anything beyond the standard set, the system may be hiding dozens of utilities that take up memory and run in the background. And if the phone was bought second-hand or was given as a gift, who knows what is hidden from view?

In this article we will analyze all possible ways to view apps on Android - from obvious to hidden. You will learn how to find not only user applications, but also system services that are not displayed in the standard menu. We will look at methods for different versions of Android (from Android 8 Oreo to Android 15), including the use of ADB, a file manager and third-party utilities. We will pay special attention to hidden applications that can monitor your activity or consume traffic without your knowledge.

1. Standard method: “All applications” menu in settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in Android tools. It is suitable for most devices, but does not show everything.

To open the full list of installed apps:

  • 📱 Open Settings → Applications (or Applications and notifications on some firmware).
  • 🔍 Select item All applications (sometimes called List of applications or Manage applications).
  • 📋 Scroll down the list - all user apps, as well as some system ones, will be displayed here.

Please note: this menu often lacks deactivated applications some system services (for example, Google Play Services may be displayed as one application, although in fact it consists of dozens of modules. APK files installed manuallyif they were not launched at least once.

📊 How often do you check the list of installed applications?
Once a month
Only when something slows down
Never checked
After buying the phone
⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (for example, MIUI from Xiaomi or ColorOS from Oppo) the “All applications” section may be hidden behind additional tabs. If you don’t find it, use the search in the settings (magnifying glass icon at the top of the screen).

2. View through the “Application Manager” (for Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi)

Smartphone manufacturers often add their own tools for managing software. They can show more information than the standard Android menu.

Brand Path to the manager Features
Samsung Settings → Device care → Memory → Applications Shows the cache size, the ability to deep clean, sort by size
Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco Settings → Applications → Manage applications There is a "System applications" tab, shows hidden APKs
Huawei/Honor Settings → Applications → Applications ("All" tab) Displays “Protected applications” (those that cannot be deleted)
Realme/Oppo Settings → Application management → All applications There is a filter for “System” and “Third-Party” apps

On devices Samsung the section Device care is especially useful - it not only shows all apps, but also sorts them by energy consumption, which helps to find “gluttonous” applications. On Xiaomi in the control menu you can even see those APKs that were disabled through adb.

💡

If you see an application with name in Chinese or a set of random letters (for example, com.sec.android.app.launcher) is a system component. It is not recommended to remove it, but you can disable it via ADBif it interferes with the phone's operation.

3. Search for hidden and system apps through the file system

Android stores all installed applications as .apkfiles in certain folders. To see them, you will need a file manager with root access (for example, Solid Explorer, FX File Explorer or Root Browser).

Where to look:

  • 📁 /data/app/ — custom applications (here are the APKs of all the apps that you installed).
  • 📁 /system/app/ — system applications (standard apps from the manufacturer).
  • 📁 /system/priv-app/ — privileged system applications (have extended rights).
  • 📁 /data/app-private/ — hidden or protected applications (for example, DRM components).

If you do not have root access, some folders will not be accessible. In this case, you can use ADB (we'll talk about it later) or special utilities like App Inspectorthat show a list of all packages without the need for rooting.

⚠️ Attention: Deleting or changing files in /system/ without knowing the consequences can lead to k phone malfunction. Even if you see a suspicious APK, first check its name on Google - it could be a critical system component.
What to do if there are thousands of files in the /data/app/ folder?

This is normal - Android splits each application into several APKs (main code, resources, cache). To find a specific app, sort files by modification date or search by package name (for example, com.whatsapp for WhatsApp).

4. Using ADB to view all packages (including hidden ones)

ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is a debugging tool that allows you to get a complete list of all installed packages, including those that are not visible in the interface. The method works on any Android device with USB debugging enabled USB debugging.

Instructions:

  1. Download Platform Tools from the official Android website.
  2. Connect the phone to the PC and turn on USB debugging (Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times) → For developers → USB debugging).
  3. Open command line (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux) in the folder with adb.
  4. Enter the command: 
    adb shell pm list packages -f

    To display only user applications:

    adb shell pm list packages -3

The result will look like this:

package:/data/app/com.whatsapp-1/base.apk=com.whatsapp

package:/system/priv-app/Settings/Settings.apk=com.android.settings

To save the list to a file, use:

adb shell pm list packages > packages.txt

USB debugging is enabled|Drivers for your phone are installed|Platform Tools are downloaded|The phone is connected in file transfer mode (MTP)-->

5. Third-party applications for analyzing installed software

If working with ADB it is difficult, you can use specialized utilities. They will not only show all apps, but also provide additional information: permissions, resource consumption, communication with servers.

The best applications for this task:

  • 🔍 App Inspector - shows all packages, including system ones, with the ability to search by name.
  • 📊 SD Maid - analyzes applications, finds “junk” files and duplicates APK.
  • 🛡️ VirusTotal — scans installed apps for viruses (useful for checking suspicious APKs).
  • 📦 Package Name Viewer —a simplified tool for viewing package names.

Example of working with App Inspector:

  1. Install the application from Google Play.
  2. Open it and provide access to information about applications.
  3. Go to the tab All Apps —here will be displayed all packages, including those that are hidden from the user.
  4. Click on any application to see it UID, permissions and the path to the APK.
⚠️ Attention: Some antiviruses (for example, Avast or Kaspersky) can block access to system packages, considering this to be suspicious activity. If App Inspector does not show the complete list, temporarily disable protection.
💡

Third-party utilities are convenient, but do not replace ADB: they may not see deeply integrated system services (for example, NFC module drivers or encryption components).

6. How to find deleted but not uninstalled applications

Android sometimes leaves “garbage” after deleting apps: cache, settings, or even APK files themselves. This takes up space and can slow down the system. To find such “remains”:

Method 1: Through Settings → Storage

  • 📉 Open Settings → Memory (or Storage).
  • 🗑️ Click on Others applications or System data.
  • 🔎 Look for folders with the names of uninstalled apps (for example, com.facebook.katana for Facebook).

Method 2: Using Files by Google

  1. Install the application Files by Google from the Play Market.
  2. Go to the tab Cleaning → Deleted applications.
  3. The utility will show residual files and offer to delete them.

Method 3: Manual search via ADB

adb shell ls /data/app/ | grep -i "application_name"

If you find residual files, but cannot delete them through the file manager, use:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 package name

7. Checking for viruses and suspicious apps

Hidden applications can be not only system ones, but also malicious. data-i="186">Signs of suspicious software:

Signs of suspicious software:

  • 🚨 Unknown package names (for example, com.system.update.xyz).
  • 📴 Applications without an icon in the menu, but present in the list of processes.
  • 🔋 Unexplained battery or traffic consumption.
  • 📥 Advertising appears in unexpected places (for example, in settings).

How to check:

  1. Download Malwarebytes or Bitdefender from the official store.
  2. Run deep scanning.
  3. Pay attention to applications with rights ADMIN or ACCESSIBILITY —they are often used by viruses.
  4. Check the list of running processes via ADB: 
    adb shell ps -A | grep -i "package_name"
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 package_name

This will stop it from working, even if uninstallation is blocked.-->

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about viewing apps on Android

Is it possible to see applications installed by the previous owner of the phone?

Yes, but they may be hidden. Use ADB with the command pm list packages -u (shows packages of all users) or check the folder /data/app/ through a file manager with root. If the phone was reset to factory settings, these applications should disappear, but some manufacturers (for example Xiaomi) leave some of the system apps even after the reset.

Why are some apps that I installed not in the list of applications?

Probable reasons:

  • App installed, but never launched (Android does not display it in the menu).
  • This APK installed as system (for example, through ADB with the flag --user 0).
  • The firmware hides some packages (relevant for Huawei or custom firmware).

To find such an application, use ADB or a file manager.

How to distinguish a system application from a virus?

Compare the name of the package with the official lists:

  • 🔹 System packages usually start with com.android., com.google.android., com.qualcomm. etc.
  • 🔹 Viruses are often disguised for updates (for example, com.system.update) or have random letters in the name.
  • 🔹 Check the package on VirusTotal.

If in doubt, do not delete, but disable via ADB and watch the phone work.

Is it possible to restore a deleted application if it is not in the Play Market?

Yes, if you still have its APKfile. Check:

  • 📁 Folder Download on your phone.
  • 📁 Backups in Google Drive (if backup is enabled).
  • 🔍 Download history in the browser (if you downloaded it from the site).

If the APK is lost, try to find it on APKPure or APKMirror (check file hashes for viruses!).

Why are some applications not removed?

Are these system or privileged apps that:

  • 🔒 Built into the firmware by the manufacturer.
  • 🛡️ Have status protected (for example, Google Play Services).
  • 📱 Installed in the section /system/, which is protected from changes.

Solutions:

  • Disable via Settings → Applications → Disable.
  • Use ADB: 
    adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 package name
  • Uninstall via Magisk (root required).