Just like you can disable apps or keep them out of sight for more privacy , manufacturers can hide apps too. How can you find those hidden apps on your Android device? Keep in mind that Android phones are not the same, so in some cases you will have to perform a few different steps, but you will arrive at the same place: discover all the applications installed on your Android phone.
From settings
Even if you don’t see their icon on the different desktop screens of your phone, a simple and effective way to find them can be to go to the specific application menu of your phone’s settings. So, go to Settings > Applications to see the list.
On some phones it is possible to find an additional filter that filters you by installed/deactivated/all or simply shows their status. We are interested in seeing all of them.
with special access
You do not have to exit the previous screen. Within Settings> Applications you will see three dots in the upper right corner. Press it and you will find an option called ” Special access “.
With this option the applications are broken down according to the privileges they have on your phone . Thus, if you click on “Access to all files”, all the applications that can use your digital files will appear. However, you can also filter based on whether they have access to images, control Wi-Fi, notifications… this is a most effective way of narrowing down what you want to make your search more productive.
From the app drawer
Perhaps the files you are looking for are closer than you think and you can find them even on your desktop, specifically from the application drawer , that is, the scrollable screen that appears when you swipe up the home screen of your phone. Pay special attention to the folders, because due to their design it is easy for the content to escape us.
When you are on that screen, click on the three points in the upper right corner. From there it is possible to access both “Sort” (useful to see what you have) and “Settings”. Enter this last option, since it will allow you to access a section called ” Hide applications on the Home and Applications screens “, where you can see what you have hidden.
With a file explorer
The normal thing is that Android devices have a file manager that allows you to improve control over what you have installed on your phone, in my case it is called “My files”. However, if you don’t like the one that comes by default, you can always install other file explorers.
Once inside you will be able to access a list of categories and tools, as well as other information about your phone. In this sense, you will find programs installed on your devices, either from the Google Play Store or with APKs. The good thing is that if there is something you are not interested in, you can uninstall it from here .
Of course, the file manager does not always show the system applications that are part of the basic functions of the device, that is, it will be used to find apps that have been installed by users or the manufacturer.
