How to find and remove Device admin apps on Android
Find which apps are device administrators on your Android phone, why they are hard to remove and how to safely take their rights away.
A device admin app has special rights: it can lock the screen, force a password change or even wipe the phone. Offices and anti-theft tools use this. Bad apps use it to stop you uninstalling them. Look at the list and remove rights you did not give. Menu names differ slightly on Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus phones.
Steps
- Search for Device admin apps. Open Settings and search for Device admin apps. On some phones it sits under Security, then Advanced or More security settings, and sometimes it is called Phone admin apps.
- Read each entry. Each app has a toggle. An active toggle means that app can lock the screen or wipe data. Find My Device from Google is a normal one. Anything else should be something you set up yourself.
- Deactivate the unknown app. Tap the app name and choose Deactivate or Deactivate this device admin app. Read the warning shown. If the button is greyed out or keeps jumping back, the app may be fighting you.
- Uninstall the app. After deactivation, go to Settings, Apps, open the same app and tap Uninstall. This is the step that was blocked while the admin right was active.
- Use Safe mode if it resists. If it still resists, restart the phone in Safe mode, which pauses downloaded apps, and repeat the steps. Our Safe mode guide explains how to enter and leave it.
Menu names differ a little between phone makers and Android versions. If you cannot find a setting, open Settings and use the search box.
Why it matters
Stalkerware, fake loan apps and some screen-lock malware ask for device admin rights so that you cannot easily remove them and so they can lock you out. Finding them early can save a phone from being held hostage or secretly watched. Knowing which admin apps are yours is the key point.
Watch out for
- Do not deactivate Find My Device if you rely on it to locate a lost phone.
- A work phone may have an admin app from your employer, so ask first.
- An app that asks for admin rights and then hides its icon needs urgent attention.
- Never give admin rights to an app because of a call or chat message.
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio's phone scan looks for stalkerware-style apps, risky settings and apps that look like copies of other apps, so a suspicious admin app has a better chance of being noticed. Anti-theft tamper alerts also warn you if protection is interfered with. Removal still happens in Settings.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions
Can I uninstall an app that is a device admin?
Not until you deactivate its admin right first. After that you can uninstall it normally from Settings, Apps. If that fails, try Safe mode.
Is the device admin list empty on newer phones?
Possibly. Many apps now use other permissions. An empty list is fine and normal, but still review Accessibility and Notification access too.