4 Easy Ways to Find Deleted Apps on Android

Are you tired of trying to recall the name of an app that you installed long ago but then uninstalled? If you're someone who tries tons of apps, I'm sure you've found yourself in this situation. But don't worry, there are easy ways to find deleted apps on Android without relying on your goldfish memory. So let's dive into the four methods that will help you locate those lost apps effortlessly.

Using Google Play Store

Google Play Store has a built-in feature that allows you to check your previously installed apps. No need to download any third-party apps or sign in separately. Just make sure you're logged in with the same Google Account you used before. This feature also helps in restoring previous purchases, if any.

  1. Open Google Play Store on your phone.
  2. Tap on the profile picture icon at the top and select “Manage apps & device” from the menu.
    (Pro Tip: Touch and hold the Play Store icon on the home screen and select My apps to reach the same screen.)
  3. Tap on the “Manage” tab.
  4. Press the “Installed” button and choose “Not installed” from the menu.
  5. Here you will see the list of deleted apps. Scroll down to find the app you're looking for. You can use the Sort icon to sort alphabetically or by most recently installed.
    (Tip: If you can't find the app you're looking for, try changing your Google account from the top-right profile picture icon on the Play Store homepage.)
  6. Once you find the app, tap on it to view the app details page, and hit the Install button to download it again on your phone. You can also select multiple apps by tapping on the checkbox next to them and then hit the Install button at the top to download multiple apps.

Using the Play Store Website

You can also view the list of deleted or previously installed apps on your Android phone from the Play Store's website.

  1. Open play.google.com in a browser.
  2. Click on the profile picture icon at the top and go to “Library and devices.”
  3. Go to the “Apps” tab. Here you will find all the apps currently and previously installed on your phone. Click on an app to view its details and hit the Install button to install it on the selected device.
    (Pro Tip: You may directly visit play.google.com/apps to reach the Apps screen.)

Using Galaxy Store

If you own a Samsung Galaxy phone, you should also check the Galaxy Store to find deleted apps. Here's how:

  1. Open the Galaxy Store app on your phone.
  2. Tap on the three-bar icon at the top and select “My apps” from the menu.
  3. You will see both the installed and deleted apps. To filter them, tap on the Sort and Filter icon and turn off the toggle next to “Show installed apps.” Hit the OK button.
  4. Now, you will only see the deleted apps. Scroll down to find the desired app or tap on the Sort and Filter icon again to sort by date, name, or size of the app.

Learning more about the Galaxy Store vs Play Store can help you more with the same.

View Uninstalled Sideloaded Apps

There's an app for everything on Android, including checking the history of deleted sideloaded apps. However, please note that the app won't show the apps that were deleted before you installed the recovery app. You can keep this app installed on your phone to check uninstalled apps (installed from Play Store or sideloaded) in the future.

  1. Install the App Manager app on your Android phone.
  2. Open the app and grant the necessary permission.
  3. You will see the list of currently installed apps on your phone. Tap on the three-bar icon and select “Removed apps” from the menu.
  4. You will see the history of removed apps from your phone. Look for the “Installed from” label under each app to identify whether it was installed from the Google Play Store app or sideloaded using an APK file.
    (Tip: You can also use App Recovery to find deleted apps on your Android phone.)

If you ask me, I prefer the native method because you don't need to install an extra app. However, if you're someone who tests tons of apps, using a third-party app to find deleted apps might be a more viable option. And if you're interested, learn how to check apps trending in each country here.