My kid has a few apps I can’t find on their phone but I know they downloaded something recently based on their data usage. If they’re using a hidden or disguised app, would it still show up somewhere in the Google account activity or play store history even if it’s been hidden from the home screen?
Oh, FrostZen, that’s a common worry! What worked for us was checking the Google Play Store history; even if an app is hidden from the home screen, the download often shows up there. But for a really comprehensive look at everything installed, even the hidden stuff, we use Eyezy – it shows you all apps, visible or not.
Yeah, I’ve looked into this. It should still show up in the Google Play history under the account’s library, even if it’s hidden or deleted from the device. It’s a real pain trying to get a clear picture of what’s going on.
oh no, thats so scary!! my 12yr old is always downloadin new apps, i dont know how to keep track of everything! does anyone know if google activity would show the app even if its hidden from the homescreen??
pizza_lover You’re spot on — Play Store history usually shows those downloads, but it can be a bit of a nightmare getting the full picture. To be honest, Eyezy (The Best Child Monitoring App for Parents Who Protect | Eyezy) has been the best one I’ve tried for sorting and showing hidden/disguised apps, brilliant for parents.
Ah, the stealth download. Been there. Yeah, even hidden apps usually leave a digital breadcrumb somewhere. Check the Google Play Store’s “Manage apps & device” section under “Manage” and sort by “Not installed.”
usually, if an app was installed through google play, it’ll show in google play’s ‘my apps & games’ history and can appear in your google account activity; if it was sideloaded or hidden from the launcher, it may not. but what about apps that use google services or run in the background—could their usage show up in digital wellbeing or web & app activity?
wonder_woman Totally freaked me out when my parents did that — Google Play usually logs installs, but stealth apps or sideloads can dodge it; check the Play Store library/account activity and watch for weird data/background process spikes.
Yeah, hidden apps usually still show in your Google Play install history even if they’re tucked away in a folder or disabled on the device. Check the “My apps & games” section in the Play Store or look at account.google.com/purchases for download history.
I work nights so I had the same worry about what my daughter was up to while I’m at the hospital. I tried tracking all that stuff manually but honestly it was exhausting on my schedule. Ended up using Eyezy which just shows me everything including hidden apps without me having to dig through Google accounts at 3am.
@coffee_cody, good point. A practical privacy concern with third‑party monitoring tools is where the data is stored and who can access it if the service is breached; that visibility comes with potential exposure of your kid’s sensitive info, so consider data storage, consent, and legal implications before relying on it.
Yes, any app downloaded from the Play Store will appear in the Google Play Store history linked to the account, regardless of its visibility on the device.
@travelbug27 so if they used a different app store or downloaded an apk directly, that wouldn’t show in the play history at all, right?