Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order

From	Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com>
Newsgroups	comp.mobile.android, alt.comp.os.windows-10, alt.os.linux
Subject	Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order
Date	2026-05-31 10:51 -0600
Organization	BWH Usenet Archive (https://usenet.blueworldhosting.com)
Message-ID	<10vhov4$2bb2$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> (permalink)
References	<10vhol6$20vl$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com>

Cross-posted to 3 groups.

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Maria Sophia wrote:
>  I'll send out a separate (untested) Linux script, as the only difference 
>  is in the file specs so I have confidence someone will test it for us.

Untested Linux variant. 

To run: 
$ chmod +x getapkorder.sh
$ ./getapkorder.sh

  #!/bin/bash
  # getapkorder.sh
  # Lists all user-installed Android apps sorted by installation date.
  # Requires Android connected via USB/Wi-Fi with ADB Debugging enabled.
  # Version: v1p0-linux 20260531

  echo "Make sure your phone is plugged in and USB Debugging is ON."
  echo "Click 'Allow' on your phone's screen if a permission prompt appears."
  echo ""
  echo "Working... Querying individual app installation timestamps."
  echo "This window may look completely frozen for 1-2 minutes as it crunches."
  echo "Please do not close it."
  echo ""

  # Create a temporary file to hold the raw output
  tmp_file=$(mktemp)

  # 1. Get a clean list of all 3rd-party package names
  apps=$(./adb shell cmd package list packages -3 | sed 's/package://g')

  # 2. Loop through each app to find its original installation timestamp
  for app in $apps; do
      if [ -n "$app" ]; then
          # Fetch the install time line from dumpsys
          installTimeRaw=$(./adb shell "dumpsys package $app" | grep "firstInstallTime")

          if [ -n "$installTimeRaw" ]; then
              # Extract just the date string (e.g., 2023-05-12 14:22:01)
              dateString=$(echo "$installTimeRaw" | awk -F'firstInstallTime=' '{print $2}' | xargs)

              # Save the timestamp and app name separated by a tab to the temp file
              echo -e "$dateString\t$app" >> "$tmp_file"
          fi
      fi
  done

  # 3. Sort chronologically, format nicely, and save to the Desktop
  output_file="$HOME/Desktop/installed_apps_ordered.txt"

  echo -e "InstallTime\t\t\tPackageName" > "$output_file"
  sort -n "$tmp_file" >> "$output_file"

  # Clean up temp file
  rm "$tmp_file"

  echo ""
  echo "[+][+][+] Success! Finished Processing [+][+][+]
  echo "File 'installed_apps_ordered.txt' has been saved to your Desktop."
  echo ""
  read -p "Press enter to continue . . ."
-- 
Best includes it does something useful, is free, no ads, no login.

Thread

PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 10:46 -0600
  Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 10:51 -0600
    Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 11:16 -0600
      Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 11:47 -0600
        Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 11:52 -0600
          Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-01 16:26 -0600
    Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2026-05-31 20:29 +0100
      Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 14:19 -0600
        Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 18:36 -0600
          Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 20:25 -0600
            Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-05-31 21:28 -0600
              Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Skeptic <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2026-06-01 20:45 +0100
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Ch1ffr3punk <ch1ffr3punk@gmail.com> - 2026-06-01 20:12 +0000
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2026-06-01 22:39 +0100
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-01 23:45 +0200
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-01 15:55 -0600
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2026-06-02 12:49 +0100
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-02 17:50 +0200
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-02 18:45 -0600
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-03 11:21 +0200
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-03 06:59 -0600
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-06-02 16:55 +0000
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-02 20:37 -0600
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-06-03 14:56 +0000
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-03 18:08 -0600
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-04 08:31 +0200
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2026-06-04 08:58 +0100
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Ch1ffr3punk <ch1ffr3punk@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 09:33 +0000
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2026-06-02 12:55 +0100
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Ch1ffr3punk <ch1ffr3punk@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 11:58 +0000
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-02 06:41 -0600
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Ch1ffr3punk <ch1ffr3punk@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 19:28 +0000
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-02 20:53 -0600
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-02 20:55 -0600
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-01 15:56 -0600
              Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2026-06-01 21:17 +0100
                Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-01 16:07 -0600
          Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-06-01 12:05 +0200
            Re: PSA: Using the PC adb to save a list of all Android apps installed by the user in order Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-06-01 10:14 -0600

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