> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.userlane.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.userlane.com/visibility/app-discovery.md).

# App Discovery

Which applications people use in the browser, how often they use them, and which applications App Discovery covers.

App Discovery[^1] scans browser activity across the organization and reports which applications employees use. The scan runs passively through the browser extension[^2], needs no integration with the applications themselves, and requires nothing from end users.

## Why use App Discovery

App Discovery produces a live inventory of the applications employees actually use, without manual audits or reliance on procurement records. It flags duplicate tools, surfaces unauthorized AI services, and shows where licenses may go unused, so IT, security, and procurement teams can act on real data.

When you add a discovered application, it joins [HEART](/intelligence/heart.md), which measures it across all active dimensions and shows it in [Portfolio Overview](/visibility/portfolio-overview.md). This is the bridge from knowing what is in use to understanding how well it is used.

For practical workflows, see [App Discovery: find duplicate tools and redirect users](/best-practices/app-discovery-find-duplicate-tools-and-redirect-users.md).

## How to enable App Discovery

App Discovery is on by default. It requires the browser extension on the devices you want to cover. See [Roll out the extension](/deployment/rollout/roll-out-the-extention.md).

The toggle is in **Settings** > **Analytics**. You can turn it on or off at any time. Turning it off stops the scan but keeps previously discovered data.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Only admin-role users** can view the App Discovery dashboard and add applications from it.
{% endhint %}

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2F4PeCK66ILCdeZ8VuF4yf%2FScreenshot%202026-09-08%20at%2020.52.55.png?alt=media&#x26;token=759bd738-bd30-4c66-99d1-03852d575778" alt="App Discovery dashboard in the Userlane portal"><figcaption><p>App Discovery lists every discovered application with its category and user count.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

## What App Discovery shows

App Discovery sits at the company level in the portal, not under a specific application. It opens with the total count of discovered applications.

Every discovered application appears in a searchable grid. Each entry shows the application name, category, user count, an **Add app** button, and a flag icon when the application has been marked for review. Selecting **Add app** creates a tracked application and starts HEART measurement immediately.

The left sidebar narrows the list in two ways. Tag filters show new apps (recently detected), flagged apps (marked for review), and AI apps (browser-based AI services). Category filters narrow by application type, such as **CRM**, **Finance & Accounting**, **AI & AI Assistants**, and **Clinical & Healthcare Systems**.

The full list of discoverable applications is in the child article:

{% content-ref url="/pages/nrEHs77ozcdK7IxZs4aG" %}
[Applications included in App Discovery](/visibility/app-discovery/applications-included-in-app-discovery.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## What App Discovery does not do

App Discovery does not detect desktop applications, native mobile applications, or server-side processes. Applications not on the recognized list are invisible to the scan. Activity inside an application (navigation, feature usage, workflow completions) is not recorded here; that is HEART's job once an application has been added. Snippet-only deployments produce no App Discovery results.

## Troubleshooting

If App Discovery shows no results or fewer applications than expected, check the following.

<table><thead><tr><th width="159.28515625">Symptom</th><th>Possible cause</th><th>Resolution</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>No applications discovered at all</td><td>The browser extension is not deployed. Snippet-only implementations do not support App Discovery.</td><td><a href="/deployment/rollout/roll-out-the-extention.md">Deploy the browser extension</a> across the device fleet.</td></tr><tr><td>No applications discovered despite the extension being deployed</td><td>The extension is outdated and does not include the latest detection logic.</td><td>Update the extension to the current version.</td></tr><tr><td>Extension is deployed and current, but no results appear</td><td>Users are not registered as organization users in Userlane. The scan only counts registered users.</td><td>Confirm users are registered to the organization.</td></tr><tr><td>Specific known applications are missing from results</td><td>The applications are not on the recognized list, or they use custom domains that do not match the expected pattern.</td><td>Check <a href="/visibility/app-discovery/applications-included-in-app-discovery.md">the list of included applications</a>. Contact support to request additions or confirm custom domain recognition.</td></tr><tr><td>Fewer applications than expected</td><td>The organization mainly uses internally built tools or niche SaaS products not on the recognized list.</td><td>Contact support to ask whether specific applications can be added to the list.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Relevant articles

{% content-ref url="/pages/nrEHs77ozcdK7IxZs4aG" %}
[Applications included in App Discovery](/visibility/app-discovery/applications-included-in-app-discovery.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/TBF4QYHDMWQghy26u8xI" %}
[HEART](/intelligence/heart.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/wHkexeXXbTSpfCo6v7UR" %}
[Portfolio Overview](/visibility/portfolio-overview.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/ZbAA5aBZMukn2qqLRZji" %}
[Roll out the extension](/deployment/rollout/roll-out-the-extention.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/jPETkIUJrpI9g82NbAIg" %}
[App Discovery: find duplicate tools and redirect users](/best-practices/app-discovery-find-duplicate-tools-and-redirect-users.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## FAQ

<details>

<summary>What is App Discovery?</summary>

A passive scan that identifies which browser-based applications are in use across the organization, using the Userlane browser extension.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does App Discovery track personal browsing?</summary>

No. The extension checks visited domains against a list of recognized work applications. Domains not on the list are ignored entirely.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What does "flagged" mean in App Discovery?</summary>

A flagged application has been automatically marked for review. Current flag types include AI tools and applications that duplicate the function of another tool already in use.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens when an application is added from App Discovery?</summary>

It becomes a tracked application with HEART measurement enabled immediately. It also appears in Portfolio Overview.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does App Discovery work with the JavaScript snippet?</summary>

No. App Discovery requires the browser extension. Snippet-only deployments produce no results.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How often is the recognized application list updated?</summary>

Userlane maintains and regularly expands the list. [Applications included in App Discovery](/visibility/app-discovery/applications-included-in-app-discovery.md) shows which applications are currently included.

</details>

[^1]: App Discovery is part of Visibility, which shows which applications and AI tools are in use across the organization. It provides the application inventory that Portfolio Overview and Intelligence build on.

[^2]: The browser extension is the Chrome or Edge extension that delivers Userlane and collects usage data from browser-based applications.


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