Kids are becoming smarter each day. They now know how to hide applications on their devices. If, as a parent, you are worried about finding the hidden apps on your kids’ phones, you are in the right place. Hidden apps can be found on your kids’ phones using the app drawer and spy apps.
This article will teach you how to find and monitor hidden apps on Android using easy steps.
Best Ways to Find Hidden Apps on Android
Although there are several ways you can find hidden apps online, most of them don’t work as they ought to. In this section, we will highlight the best methods to find hidden apps on Android.
Use The App Drawer
Looking for hidden files on Android can prove difficult, especially if you haven’t done it before. However, using the app drawer is one of the most reliable ways of finding hidden apps. Use the following simple steps to do this effectively.
- Click on the “App Drawer” option at the bottom-right or bottom-center corner of your phone’s home screen. This usually looks like squares or three rows of dots.
- Select the Menu icon. Depending on the model of your Android phone, this is usually indicated by three bars, three dots, or a settings gear at the upper side of your phone’s application list. Some Android phones also have Menu icons at the bottom right of their screens.
- After you have opened the Menu icon, click on “Show Hidden Applications.” This will automatically reveal all the apps hidden from the app drawer and home screen.
- If nothing appears, there are likely no hidden apps on the phone.
- To ensure there are genuinely no hidden apps on the phone, click on “All” on the menu icon to see the list of all the apps on the phone and scrutinize the common ones that should be there.
Using Spy Apps
Using spy applications remains the best way to find hidden apps on Android. As earlier stated, while there are other ways to find hidden apps on Android, they are not always practical. These methods usually come with a probability; you might discover hidden apps or not.
However, this is not the case with spy apps. They are specifically designed to monitor all applications, including hidden apps. Therefore, hidden apps will automatically show among the applications to be monitored on a spy app. All you have to do is choose a reliable spy application, subscribe, and find these hidden apps after a few clicks.
Top And Reliable Spy Apps
Here are the top three spy apps we recommend if you want to use spy apps to find hidden apps on Android.
1) mSpy
Best For Monitoring apps, photos, chats, videos, and location of iOS and Android phones
Features
- Monitoring of all installed applications
- Restrict incoming calls
- Monitor calendar, photos, notes, and videos
- Keystroke monitoring
mSpy is affordable and popular spyware that comes with essential features. With this spy app, you can monitor all social media applications and text messages. Additionally, you will also be able to view all installed applications, including hidden apps. You can also track note entries, view photos and videos, calendar, etc.
Price
There are three subscription plans available on mSpy.
- One-Month Plan: $48.99/Month
- Three-Month Plan: $27.99/Month
- One-Year Plan: $11.66/Month
2) Cocospy
Best For: Parents that want to know what their children are doing with their phones
Features
- Keylogger
- Monitoring of all social media applications
- Geo-fencing
- Text messages and calls monitoring
- Browser history tracking
Cocospy is a perfect spy application that offers users an app that can track phones and monitor phones activities. It is suitable for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. You can monitor messages, calls, locations, applications, and more on Cocospy without compromising your identity.
Price
Cocospy has three subscription plans
- One-Month Plan: $49.99/Month
- Three-Month Plan: $27.99/Month
- 12-Month Plan: $11.66/month
3) XNSPY
Best For: monitoring applications, photos, calls, text messages, etc., on all Android devices.
Features
- Watchlist contacts.
- Call history.
- View videos and photos.
- Monitoring of installed applications.
- Tracking of browser activities.
The speed and simplicity of XNSPY make it a top choice for monitoring installed applications. With this spy app, keeping a tab on your children’s internet activities has been made easy. It has numerous features that make this possible. One of the most distinctive features of the XNSPY is that you can remotely take over your kid’s phone and even wipe harmful data from their smartphones.
Price
Unlike other spy apps, the XNSPY offers two plans
- Basic Plan: $4.99/Month
- Premium Plan: $7.99/Month
How to Monitor Hidden Apps Using Spy Apps
While there are a lot of spy applications, most of them use the same process and function. This section will highlight the generic way you can use spy apps to monitor hidden applications.
- After you have chosen your preferred spy application, subscribe to the Plan that suits your needs.
- You also have to choose “Android” as the device you want to spy on. This is because most spy apps can also monitor iOS. So, you must pick a suitable device.
- A prompt will show on your screen, requesting to confirm your option. Choose “Yes, I do.” However, ensure you have access to the phone you want to spy on before confirming this prompt.
- Choose the model of your phone and disable “Play Protected” on the target’s phone.
- Also, download the app on the target’s phone.
- The target’s device will be ready to be accessed after three to four hours. You can now access all the applications on the target’s phone, including applications that have been hidden.
Which Hidden Applications Can Be Monitored Using Spy Apps?
One of the reasons why spy apps are the best way to find hidden apps is they can monitor up to 30 applications. Some spy applications even offer more. This includes all social media applications, calendars, browsing applications, etc.
Final Thoughts
Finding hidden apps on Android is not an easy task, especially if it’s your first time. And Fortunately, this article has helped to highlight two reliable ways to do this effectively. We recommend using the app drawer and spy apps. Additionally, while knowing how to find and monitor hidden apps on Android is an essential skill for every parent, you must also do it correctly. The ways highlighted in this article can help you do that.
