Downloaded apps disappear

[AC Question]

I'm new to smart phones, recently got hold of a second hand Samsung S4 to see what all the hype is about. Hundreds of apps and widgets on it; I've disabled or dumped half the apps, which was probably stupid since I don't know what most of them do (blushing).

I need a simple word processor, so I downloaded a couple from Google. Google now tells me they're installed, but they don't appear on any of the apps pages, and not mentioned anywhere else. I've obviously disabled something I shouldn't have. Can anyone suggest how I can find them and enable one or the other?

I have the phone linked to my Mac's internet modem via Wi-Fi.

DaveF.

 

[Gimmuniverse]

Maybe you have disabled app drawer or some important service. Maybe if you reset the phone everything will turn back to normal. (But backup your contacts, SMS and etc before this)

Or it can be a virus problem too.

But I feel you may have disabled important something..

Try installing free Launcher app from Google play and open it through Google play and apply it. Probably your all APS may visible again.

Good luck.

 

[XJR308]

Thanks for your reply Gimmuniverse.

Yes I agree, I must have disabled something important. I was rather hoping someone here could tell me which are the essential settings I've stuffed up, or which apps to keep active. Or maybe how to discover the apps I've recently downloaded and are hidden from me.

I'm a bit reluctant to reset the phone, because then I'll have to spend all those hours again, dumping dozens of apps I have no use for (or don't know the purpose of), resetting all the settings, etc...

I had a look for Free Launcher - and there are dozens of Launchers! Is there a specific one I should look for? And if I do download a free launcher won't it just disappear like my other downloads?

TIA, Dave

 

[belodion]

Welcome as a new member!

I agree with Gimmuniverse that a Factory Reset would be a good idea. You say the device is secondhand....did the previous user not reset it? If it has hundreds of apps and widgets on it, it sounds like they didn't. Resetting would delete all those, except for the basic preloaded ones installed by the manufacturer, and possibly the carrier in the case of a carrier-locked phone. It would then be easier to set up the phone according to your preferences, and there are many members here who will readily help if you need advice.

 

[XJR308]

Thanks for your comments belodion. It's a little scary to think nobody on this huge forum knows which are the essential apps to keep enabled. But if the only way I have of getting a word processor is to reset the phone, and allow all those secretive apps to start downloading stuff again, then I guess I don't have any option.

Should I remove my SD card first? I've no idea how to do that but I'll give it a shot if I have to.

And how do I actually go about resetting a Galaxy S4? A few days ago I tried holding the 'Off' button in for about 10 seconds, then switched it on again, but apart from seeing the logo of the company who first sold this device I didn't notice any drastic changes to my settings.

Cheers, Dave

 

[Rukbat]

Reset the phone (there's a Factory data reset item in one of the menus in Settings). Download the apps you need - don't uninstall any apps, since you may be uninstalling an app the phone needs in order to run. (Holding the power button in for about 30 seconds forces it to restart - like pulling the battery, then reinstalling it. Ten seconds? Probably no effect.)

(Some people have made lists of essential apps, and script files to uninstall non-essential apps, for many phones. Look in the appropriate [the original carrier] forum on XDA Forums and see if there is one, but most people, once we learn the phone, just uninstall the non-essential apps we don't need.)

 

[XJR308]

Thanks Rukbat.

So it's okay to leave the SD card in place? I'm reluctant to force the back off this device with my arthritic fingers, I might make things a whole lot worse than they are.

I spent ages looking at the XDA Forums as you suggested, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. It's mainly a language problem - I just don't speak smart-phone!

Cheers, Dave.

 

[anon(9983233)]

I'm wondering if the apps upon installing, have been moved to the device's secondary screen.. Are you able to locate the secondary screen?.. Swipe left or right home screen or Swipe left or right Settings screen just to see if your apps have been placed there.

Need a Screen Shot?.. Let me know.

 

[XJR308]

Thanks for your suggestion ToasterVan.

No there's nothing on the secondary home screen. Um.. swipe the settings screen? If I open Settings and try to swipe it, either nothing happens or it opens whatever I happen to touch on the settings list; there doesn't appear to be a second settings screen.

Cheers, Dave.