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Mastering Your Android Device: A Comprehensive Guide on How to Find Installed Apps

James Davis

Jul 12, 2024 • Filed to: Manage Device Data • Proven solutions

With hundreds of apps available for Android devices, it can be tough to keep track of what's actually installed on your phone or tablet. Knowing how to find your installed apps can help you manage your storage space, troubleshoot issues, or simply jog your memory when you can't remember if you downloaded an app.

apps on mobile device

In this guide, we’ll cover the different ways to access, search, filter, and organize the apps downloaded on your Android device. Whether you want to find a hidden app, browse apps by last used, sort by size or alphabetically, or search by keyword, we’ll show you how to find an installed app on android. You’ll also learn how to leverage third party apps to analyze usage, clean up duplicates, and take back control of your Android app library.

Part I: How To Find Installed Apps On Android Phone Using Play Store

play store on mobile device

How to check installed apps in android is easy using the Google Play Store app. Here's how to view your full list of installed apps:

Step 1: First, tap the Play Store icon to open the app. At the top right corner, tap your profile icon (your initial or profile picture). This will open your account menu.

Step 2: Look for either "My Apps & Games" or "Manage Apps & Devices" and tap it. On newer Play Store versions it may say "Manage".

Step 3: This will take you to your app management screen. Here, look for the tab that says "Installed" and tap it. This shows all apps you currently have downloaded onto your device.

If the steps look a bit different depending on your Play Store version, try this: Open the Play Store app and drag the left side menu out. Tap "My Apps & Games" from this side menu. Then tap the "Installed" tab at the top.

Or try this: Open the Play Store and tap your profile icon. Tap "Manage Apps & Devices" then tap the "Manage" tab. Here you'll see the option to view "Installed" apps.

The key is to access your account menu, find the app management or installed app section, and look for the installed app tab or menu. This will show all apps on your device Google Play has on record.

Part II: How To Find Installed Apps On Android Phone Using Settings

Want an easy way to see all the apps installed on your Android phone? The quickest method is to use your device's Settings.

vector image of settings

Let's walk through how to see all installed apps on android in these simple steps:

Step 1: First, open your Settings app. This is the icon that looks like a gear.

Step 2: Scroll and browse the various sections until you find "Apps". On some phones this may be labeled "Application Manager", "App Info", or something similar. If you're not sure where it is, try searching for it using the Settings search bar.

Step 3: Once you've entered the Apps or Application Manager section, look for the option that says "See All Apps" or "See All X Apps" where X is the number of apps installed. Tap this.

Step 4: This will open your full list of installed apps, excluding system apps.

Step 5: To view those too, tap the 3-dot menu in the top right and enable "Show System".

Now you can see every app downloaded on your device, even hidden or disabled ones. For apps you've manually installed, you can manage notifications, permissions, storage usage, defaults, and more per app. You can also open, uninstall, or force stop apps from here. I'd avoid force stopping system apps though.

Pre-installed apps usually can't be uninstalled, only disabled if the option is available. This prevents you from accidentally removing key system processes.

The Settings app list shows the basics to manage your apps. But if you want more advanced organization and cleaning options, consider a dedicated app management app from the Play Store. The Settings method is the easiest way to view and control apps straight from your Android device. With just a few taps, you can access options to optimize your app library and storage usage.

Part III: How To Find Installed Apps On Android Phone Using the PC

ADB, or Android Debug Bridge, lets you communicate with your Android device from a computer. It uses command line tools like Command Prompt or Terminal. Developers often use ADB for advanced functions like installing or removing apps.

apps on the computer

You can use ADB and a USB cable to get a list of installed apps on your Android phone right on your PC. Then copy, save, or analyze the list as needed.

Step 1: First, install ADB on your computer. On Windows, use the 15 Second ADB Installer for a quick setup. For Mac or Linux, follow our guide on installing ADB.

Step 2: Next, connect your Android phone to your PC with a USB cable. You'll need to enable USB Debugging in your phone's Developer Options. Enable Developer Options first if you haven't already.

Step 3: With your phone connected, open Command Prompt or Terminal and type "adb devices". This checks the connection. You should see your device name or number listed with "device" next to it. If you don't, try troubleshooting your ADB setup. A working ADB connection is required for the next steps.

Step 4: Once connected, type "adb shell pm list packages" and press Enter. This will display all installed app packages on your Android phone right in the command line tool.

With just a few ADB commands, you can access your full Android app list right on your PC. ADB provides powerful management of your device.

Part IV: Bonus–How To Use Dr.Fone To Recover Lost Or Deleted Apps

Losing apps on your Android device can be frustrating. Whether they get accidentally deleted or you reset your phone, valuable apps and their data are gone. Luckily, Wondershare Dr.Fone makes it easy to back up your Android apps and restore them later if needed.

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Dr.Fone - Phone Backup (Android)

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Back Up Apps on Android

To back up your Android apps with Dr.Fone, first launch Dr.Fone on your computer and connect your Android device via USB.

Step 1: In Dr.Fone, click "Backup" then "Backup Now". This will start the backup process.

dr.fone basic phone backup & restore feature

Step 2: Before continuing, you'll need to set the Dr.Fone Image name app as your default SMS app.

Step 3: Open Image name on your Android and set it as default in Settings. This allows Dr.Fone to back up your text messages. Click OK in Dr.Fone when done.

dr.fone basic phone backup & restore feature

Step 4: Now Dr.Fone will back up your device data. Wait for the progress bar to reach 100%.

Step 5: Once complete, you'll need to set your original SMS app as default again. Follow the prompt in Dr.Fone when finished.

dr.fone basic phone backup & restore feature

That's it! Your Android apps and data are now safely backed up by Dr.Fone on your computer. To view the backup, click "Open in Folder" or click "View Backups" to see all backups.

dr.fone basic phone backup & restore feature

Restore Android Apps from Backup

To restore apps from your Dr.Fone Android backup:

Step 1: First, connect your Android device to your computer and launch Dr.Fone.

dr.fone basic phone backup & restore feature

Step 2: Go to "Backup" then click your backup file. Review the contents then click "Restore to Device".

Step 3: On the next screen, check the file types that will be restored. Click Continue when ready.

dr.fone basic phone backup & restore feature

Step 4: Dr.Fone will now restore your apps and data to your device. Wait for the progress bar to fully complete.

Step 5: Once finished, Dr.Fone will confirm the restoration is complete. Click Done and disconnect your device.

dr.fone basic phone backup & restore feature

Your apps, messages, contacts, and other data are now restored to your Android!

With Dr.Fone, you can easily back up your installed Android apps and restore them if ever needed. Never worry about losing your app data again.

Conclusion

Keeping track of the apps installed on your Android device is key to managing your storage, troubleshooting issues, and customizing your experience. As we've covered, the Play Store provides an easy way to view and control your downloaded apps. The Settings menu offers additional optimization of app permissions, defaults, and storage usage.

For advanced users, ADB commands let you access and manage your full app library right from a computer. And tools like Dr.Fone enable backup and restoration of apps if you ever lose them.

With so many options to find, organize, and recover your installed apps, you can take control of your Android's app environment. Knowing where to look gives you the power to uninstall unused apps, stop hidden memory hogs, configure individual app settings, and ensure your favorite apps remain securely backed up. So learn how to find installed apps on android today and optimize your Android experience.

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James Davis

staff Editor

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