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I have a shortlist of five app icons at the bottom of my home screen, usually Phone, Messaging, Chrome, Google and Camera. These tend to remain constant (I've not seem them change).

When I swipe up to access my recently used (or in-use) apps, there is a different set of five app icons, and these can change - they can change to apps I've not used in a considerably long time, such as Calculator, Photos etc, and can change even while I'm working on something else; for instance, the set of apps has changed three times while typing this on my phone to include my Settings app, which I've not accessed while typing this, as well as reincluding my phone app, despite not calling anyone on my phone for several days, then replacing it with my Files app icon, despite me not downloading/opening any files.

Swiping up again gets me to the app drawer, with whatever five apps were present shortlisted at the top.

What are these "five app selections"? How are they determined? Why are they (seemingly randomly) changing? Am I potentially infected with a virus my phone's AV can't detect and remove, and someone is accessing these apps?

Device - Motorola G7 Power, Android Version - 9/Pie(?), Launcher - Standard OS?

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    From settings locate your launcher app (enable system apps) and clear cache. It may help
    – beeshyams
    May 18, 2020 at 14:41
  • I believe you are (mis)experiencing a Moto function called "One Button Nav", which controls multiple window functionality, potential data transfer between compatible apps, Google Assistant invocation, etc. Its functionality is described in your user Guide for Moto G7, available online in case yours is misplaced.
    – wbogacz
    May 18, 2020 at 14:52
  • Finding the Moto App Launcher and checking it's settings, they are "App Suggestions", which I can switch off; I still don't understand how or why they would be changing, though, so I'm still concerned whether these supposed suggestions are based on apps being opened, and if so by whom they are being opened; e.g. I rarely take photos with my phone, so suggesting the camera/photos apps is suspect; I open my AV app(s) more often than my camera.
    – Ardavion
    May 18, 2020 at 14:54
  • @wbogacz I'm not sure how I'm mis-experiencing the use of my phone; why would the suggestions include apps I've not used in a considerable while? How and why would my phone expect me to need my calculator then, with me only interacting with the nav button to open/close the suggestions, remove this and suggest the Camera app? Then, repeating this behaviour, replace the Camera app with the Photos app? Then replace that app with the Play Store? Then replace that app with the Phone app?
    – Ardavion
    May 18, 2020 at 15:03
  • @Ardavion - Maybe its algorithm is interpreting your repeated opening of the suggestions as "rejections" and is moving on to suggest second or third tier apps? It may be answering your repeat question, building upon your new press, which it believes is your asking again, as in "more, please"? Maybe bringing up Google Play is a last-ditch, as in "I've got nothing left to suggest, try the Play Store, maybe they have something?"
    – wbogacz
    May 18, 2020 at 15:11

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