diff --git a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/java/org/strongswan/android/ui/SelectedApplicationsActivity.kt b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/java/org/strongswan/android/ui/SelectedApplicationsActivity.kt
index 6486f5d8f..8fdade228 100644
--- a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/java/org/strongswan/android/ui/SelectedApplicationsActivity.kt
+++ b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/java/org/strongswan/android/ui/SelectedApplicationsActivity.kt
@@ -150,9 +150,17 @@ private fun SelectedAppsScreen(
 		onChange(selected)
 	}
 
-	val filtered = remember(apps, query) {
-		if (query.isBlank()) apps
-		else apps.filter { it.toString().contains(query, ignoreCase = true) || it.info.packageName.contains(query, ignoreCase = true) }
+	/* pure system apps are hidden by default (they are rarely worth excluding); a selected one always shows */
+	var showSystem by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
+	val filtered = remember(apps, query, showSystem, selected) {
+		apps.filter { entry ->
+			val flags = entry.info.flags
+			val system = (flags and android.content.pm.ApplicationInfo.FLAG_SYSTEM) != 0 &&
+				(flags and android.content.pm.ApplicationInfo.FLAG_UPDATED_SYSTEM_APP) == 0
+			(showSystem || !system || selected.contains(entry.info.packageName)) &&
+				(query.isBlank() || entry.toString().contains(query, ignoreCase = true) ||
+					entry.info.packageName.contains(query, ignoreCase = true))
+		}
 	}
 
 	SecondaryScaffold(title = stringResource(R.string.profile_select_apps), onBack = onBack) { padding ->
@@ -164,6 +172,17 @@ private fun SelectedAppsScreen(
 				singleLine = true,
 				modifier = Modifier.padding(horizontal = ShxSpacing.lg, vertical = ShxSpacing.sm).fillMaxWidth(),
 			)
+			androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Row(
+				verticalAlignment = androidx.compose.ui.Alignment.CenterVertically,
+				modifier = Modifier
+					.fillMaxWidth()
+					.clickable { showSystem = !showSystem }
+					.padding(horizontal = ShxSpacing.lg),
+			)
+			{
+				Text(stringResource(R.string.apps_show_system), modifier = Modifier.weight(1f))
+				androidx.compose.material3.Switch(checked = showSystem, onCheckedChange = null)
+			}
 			if (loading)
 			{
 				LoadingIndicator(Modifier.padding(ShxSpacing.xl).size(32.dp))
diff --git a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values-de/strings.xml b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values-de/strings.xml
index 691270d88..ee3914794 100644
--- a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values-de/strings.xml
+++ b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values-de/strings.xml
@@ -509,4 +509,5 @@
     <string name="log_filter_all">Alle</string>
     <string name="log_filter_warn">Warnungen</string>
     <string name="log_filter_error">Fehler</string>
+    <string name="apps_show_system">Systemapps anzeigen</string>
 </resources>
diff --git a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values-ru/strings.xml b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values-ru/strings.xml
index a3210c137..f69179dcb 100644
--- a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values-ru/strings.xml
+++ b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values-ru/strings.xml
@@ -506,4 +506,5 @@
     <string name="log_filter_all">Все</string>
     <string name="log_filter_warn">Предупреждения</string>
     <string name="log_filter_error">Ошибки</string>
+    <string name="apps_show_system">Показывать системные приложения</string>
 </resources>
diff --git a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 28f4f577b..3af02c5cb 100644
--- a/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/src/frontends/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -511,4 +511,5 @@
     <string name="log_filter_all">All</string>
     <string name="log_filter_warn">Warnings</string>
     <string name="log_filter_error">Errors</string>
+    <string name="apps_show_system">Show system apps</string>
 </resources>