Uncovering the Mystery: How to Find Hidden Apps on Android Phones (+6 Proven Methods)

To protect your kids, it is necessary to know the ways to find hidden apps on Android. Millions of Android users are keen on finding hidden apps to monitor the activities of their kids who might be using hidden apps on their phones secretly. Nowadays, it is a typical route for teenagers to exchange inappropriate content on the internet; therefore, they look for a way to hide these activities from their parents. On the other hand, many users like to hide those apps that they do not use or do not want others to see them. These hidden applications may cause dangerous effects like sexual aggression and bullying on kids.

Sometimes there are some spy applications out of Google Play that you may download unknowingly. These applications send the data to unofficial organizations. If you do not have an antivirus application, you should remove the applications to keep your device safe. Although it is easy to hide applications, it might be hard to find them. You need to find hidden spy applications to remove them. Before going to tell you the ways to find hidden applications, we provide the names of some of the most widespread secret applications for Android devices.

How to Find Hidden Apps on Android Phones?

Vault

This application is one of the top applications for Android smartphones for hiding phones and videos. You can hide messages, files, call logs, and contacts. You can also put codes for a Facebook private chat. Also, you can lock applications behind your password to make sure you are the only person to access them.

CoverMe

This application allows you to text and calls anyone secretly. Moreover, it can keep texts, calls, contacts, photos, videos, and files safe by making a vault. Also, it has additional features like vanishing messages. You will understand when the receiver reads your message, and then you can immediately remove your message.

Spyware

Parents or families can install spy applications on their children’s or partners’ smartphones to seek their activities. This application remains undetectable and hidden from the smartphone owner. Therefore, the installed can observe the texts, emails, and web browsing history and also listen to phone calls. But if the owner of the phone knows how to install spy applications; therefore, they know how to find them.

How to Find Hidden Apps/Applications on Android devices

If you want to find a hidden application or a spy application, use the simple and comfortable guide below:

Method 1: Viewing hidden applications by App Drawer

1. Choose the ‘App Drawer icon on the bottom-center or bottom-right of the home screen. Or you may find them as two rows of three-dots or squares on the home screen. 
2. Select the menu. It may look different base on the version of your Android, but mostly you can see it as three dots, three bars, or setting ‘gear’ at the top of the applications list. 
3. Choose ‘Show Hidden Apps’. You can see a list of applications that were hidden from the home screen and app drawer. If you cannot see any application on your device, there may not be any hidden applications. 
4. To ensure that there is no hidden application on your device, select ‘All’ to view the list of all applications. 

Method 2: Viewing hidden applications by the Setting App

1. Enter Setting. Usually, it is located on the Home Screen. 
2. Scroll down and choose Apps or Application. Now, you can see a list of applications.
3. Tap on All in some phones let you tap on Hidden Apps, but swipe right to left twice if you are using Android 5.0 or earlier. Anyways you choose, it will show you all the applications on your device. 

Method 3: Viewing hidden applications by Android File Manager 

Follow the steps below to find hidden applications on Android File Manager– ‘ES File Explore’:

1. Download the last version of the ‘ES File Explorer file manager from the Google Play Store and install it.
2. Open the ES File Explorer.
3. Sweep the Menu drawer right and choose Tools.
4. Scroll down and activate the option Show Hidden Files.
5. Now you can find all the hidden applications.
6. If you like to hide an application again, disable the Show Hidden Files option.

Method 4: Viewing hidden applications by Special Access 

You can find Special App Access in the menu of Apps and Notifications. In this section, the applications are divided by the privileges on your phone. For example, if you open All File Access, it will display all the applications in your files. You can also set some filters for access to pictures, notifications, Wi-Fi control, etc. 

This is the right way to limit the different kinds of programs you are searching for, and it will help you find hidden applications on Android. 

Method 5: Viewing hidden applications by a New Launcher

If you do not like the design of your ordinary Android system, you can download and install another one that matches your work better. Microsoft Launcher and Nova Launcher are the best applications on Google Play. For example, Microsoft Launcher can add hidden applications to ‘App Drawer’ while showing the most frequent applications that you use.

Search for the best launcher for Android devices and check the most efficient ones for detecting hidden applications and files.

Method 6: Viewing hidden applications inside Trick Applications

Trick applications are a popular method to keep materials safe. For example, Calculator Photo Vault does everything that a calculator does and also hides several security tools and storage. Thus, you can keep your hidden pictures, videos, and files safe by password or intruder selfie.

Trick software influences finding hidden applications.

Conclusion

With the methods above, you can find a hidden application on Android phones is not a challenging task. Moreover, we visit websites all the time, and we may download information from them by mistake. Therefore, finding a spy application is a great way to ensure that your phone is free of unwanted data or apps. Whenever you find these applications, you must delete them immediately to keep your phone secure.