Have you noticed your Android battery draining faster than usual? Is your phone getting warm even when you aren't using it? Are you seeing strange pop-up ads on your home screen?
These are classic signs of a hidden malicious app or "stalkerware" running in the background. Often, these apps disguise themselves as system utilities or hide their icons entirely, making them impossible to find in your normal app drawer.
In this guide, we'll show you how to uncover every single app installed on your device and see exactly what permissions they are secretly using, all from your browser using WebADB.in.
Why You Can't Trust the Normal Settings Menu
Malicious app developers are smart. They know how to hide their apps from the Android launcher. Sometimes, they even name their apps things like "System Update" or "Google Services Framework" so you gloss right over them in the Settings app.
However, an app cannot hide from the Android Debug Bridge (ADB). ADB communicates directly with the core Android operating system, giving you an unfiltered, un-hidable list of every piece of software on your device.
How to Scan Your Phone for Hidden Apps
We are going to use WebADB's built-in Permissions Scanner to audit your device.
Step 1: Connect your Phone
- Enable USB Debugging in your phone's Developer Options.
- Plug your phone into your PC.
- Open webadb.in in Chrome or Edge.
- Click Connect Device and allow the prompt on your phone screen.
Step 2: Run the Permission Scan
- On the left side of the WebADB dashboard, click the Permissions tab.
- Click the Load Permissions button.
WebADB will now query the Android OS and generate a complete list of every installed app.
Step 3: What to Look For
The Permissions dashboard makes it easy to spot red flags. You can filter the list to only show apps that have access to highly sensitive data:
- Location: Is a simple calculator or flashlight app tracking your GPS location? This is a massive red flag. They are likely selling your location data to brokers.
- Camera & Microphone: Look for unfamiliar apps that have access to your camera and mic. This is often how stalkerware spies on users.
- SMS & Contacts: Apps with this permission can read your private texts, including Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) codes.
Step 4: Neutralize the Threat
If you find a suspicious app (for example, an app called "Flashlight" that has SMS and Camera permissions), you need to remove it immediately.
Take note of the app's Package Name (it will look something like com.sketchy.app).
- Go to the Shell tab in WebADB.
- Type the following command to forcefully uninstall it:
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.sketchy.app
(Make sure to replace com.sketchy.app with the actual package name you found).
Hit enter, and if it says Success, the malicious app is gone.
Stay Safe Out There
The best way to avoid hidden malicious apps is to never download APK files from unknown websites, and always read the permission requests when installing something new from the Google Play Store.
If your phone ever starts acting suspiciously again, you know exactly where to go. Bookmark WebADB.in to keep your personal pocket-auditor just a click away!