Android · Recovery Guide
How to Spot Unknown Apps Installed on Your Android Phone
Unsure about an app on your Android? Learn how to find and identify unfamiliar applications on your device without making any changes.
Review Your App Drawer and Home Screens
The most straightforward place to start is by looking through your app drawer and any custom home screens you have set up.
- Swipe up from the home screen to open your app drawer, which lists all installed applications.
- Carefully scroll through all pages of your app drawer. Look for any app icons or names that you don't recognise.
- Pay attention to the names and icons. Sometimes unfamiliar apps might try to mimic legitimate ones or have generic names.
- Check all your home screens by swiping left and right. An unknown app might be placed on an infrequently used screen.
Consider organising your app drawer alphabetically to make it easier to spot out-of-place applications.
Check App Settings for All Installed Applications
A more comprehensive way to see every app on your phone, including those that might be hidden from the app drawer, is through your device's settings.
- Go to Settings. Typically, you can find this by pulling down the notification shade and tapping the cog icon, or by finding the 'Settings' app in your app drawer.
- Navigate to Apps or Apps & notifications.
- Tap See all apps or App info to view a complete list of every installed application. On Samsung devices, this might be under Settings → Apps → Your apps.
- Scroll down the list and scrutinise each app. Look for anything that seems suspicious, has an odd name, or indicates an unfamiliar developer.
- Tap on any app you don't recognise to view its details, but do not uninstall or disable it yet. Make a note of its name, icon, and permissions.
Do not open, uninstall, or change settings for any suspicious app at this stage. We are only identifying them.
Identify Recently Installed Applications
Malicious apps are often installed without your direct knowledge. Checking recently installed applications can help you pinpoint when an unwanted app appeared.
- Go to Settings → Apps → See all apps (or App info).
- Tap the three vertical dots (overflow menu) in the top right corner, or look for a 'Sort by' option.
- Select Sort by → Last opened or Sort by → Last updated to see apps that have been recently active or modified. Some phones might offer a 'Date installed' sort.
- On some devices, such as Samsung, you might find filtering options at the top of the app list to show 'Recently added' or 'Recently updated' apps. You can also re-sort by name and then look for new listings.
- Review the apps near the top of these sorted lists. If an unfamiliar app appears there, it's a strong indicator it was recently added.
Some system apps may update frequently, so focus on user-installed apps when checking 'Last updated'.
Look for Device Administrator or Special Access Apps
Some apps seek elevated permissions to control aspects of your device, making them harder to remove. Reviewing apps with these special access levels can reveal hidden threats.
- Go to Settings.
- Search for Device admin apps or navigate to Settings → Security & privacy → More security settings → Device admin apps. On Samsung, it might be Settings → Biometrics and security → Other security settings → Device admin apps.
- Review the list of apps with Device Administrator access. If you see an app here that you don't recognise or trust, it's highly suspicious. Do not deactivate it yet.
- Also check for Special app access. Search for it in Settings or find it under Settings → Apps → Special app access. This allows apps like 'Display over other apps' or 'Install unknown apps'.
- Look for any unfamiliar apps granted permissions like 'Install unknown apps' or 'Display over other apps', as these are often exploited by malicious software.
Apps with Device Administrator access can have significant control over your phone. If you find an unknown app here, it's a serious concern.