The Ultimate Guide to Removing Android Bloatware (2023)

If you‘ve ever bought a new Android phone, you‘ve probably noticed that it comes pre-installed with dozens of apps you never asked for and will likely never use. This pre-loaded software, often called "bloatware," can eat up your device‘s finite storage space and system resources while cluttering your app drawer.

Bloatware has been a pervasive issue in the Android ecosystem for years. A 2019 study by Counterpoint Research found that Samsung phones had the most bloatware of any major manufacturer, with budget and mid-range models containing an average of 40 to 60 pre-installed apps taking up 3-7 GB of storage space (source). In comparison, Google Pixel phones running stock Android only come with around 20-25 pre-loaded apps using 1-2 GB.

Examples of common bloatware on Android include manufacturer apps like Samsung Pay, LG Health, and Motorola Notifications as well as carrier apps like T-Mobile TV, Verizon Cloud, and AT&T Navigator. There are also sponsored third-party apps from companies that pay the device maker to include their software, like Facebook, LinkedIn, Candy Crush, and Spotify. While some of these apps can be useful to certain users, many consider them annoying and unnecessary.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimize the impact of Android bloatware or remove it entirely. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk through four methods for uninstalling pre-installed apps, ranked from easiest to most difficult:

1. Disabling bloatware in device Settings
2. Using a third-party bloatware removal app
3. Uninstalling packages via Android Debug Bridge (ADB) commands
4. Gaining superuser access by rooting your phone

We‘ll provide step-by-step instructions for each bloatware removal method as well as discuss the potential benefits and risks involved. By the end of this guide, you‘ll have all the knowledge you need to decide how to tackle the bloatware on your Android device.

Understanding Android App Packages

Before we dive into the specific bloatware removal methods, it‘s helpful to understand a bit about how Android apps are structured. Android apps are distributed as APK (Android Package) files, which are essentially ZIP archives containing the app‘s code, resources, and manifest file. When an APK is installed, it‘s given its own secure sandbox directory and a unique package name that serves as an identifier.

You can view a list of all package names on your device using the Package Name Viewer app or by running the following ADB shell command:

pm list packages

System apps that come pre-installed on the phone typically have package names that start with "com.android", "com.google", or the device manufacturer‘s name (e.g. "com.samsung"). They reside in the /system/app or /system/priv-app directory and have certain privileges not granted to regular user-installed apps.

Many pre-installed apps are crucial to the Android operating system and should not be removed. According to Android software engineer Mishaal Rahman, "Uninstalling the wrong system app can cause crashes or even soft-brick the device. I would strongly advise against removing anything without researching what it does first." (source)

With that warning in mind, let‘s look at the safest ways to remove Android bloatware.

Method 1: Disable Bloatware in Settings

The easiest way to get rid of bloatware is to simply disable the unwanted apps in your device‘s Settings. Disabling an app will prevent it from running and remove it from your app drawer without fully uninstalling it. This is a good option if you want to try living without an app before committing to deleting it. Here‘s how to disable bloatware step-by-step:

1. Open your device‘s Settings app
2. Tap Apps & Notifications (or Application Manager on older versions of Android)
3. Tap See all X apps to view the full list of installed apps
4. Scroll down and tap the app you want to disable
5. Tap Disable and confirm the prompt

Some pre-installed apps may have the Disable button grayed out, which means they can‘t be disabled. This is common for essential system packages that the manufacturer has locked. Also, keep in mind that disabling an app will not free up any storage space since the APK file remains on your device.

Method 2: Use a Bloatware Removal App

If you want an easier way to bulk uninstall or disable bloatware, you can use a dedicated app like NoBloat, Debloater, or System App Remover (source). These tools provide a simplified interface for identifying and removing pre-installed apps, often with batch operations and one-tap functions. Some apps may require you to grant them elevated permissions via ADB in order to uninstall system apps.

Here‘s how to use a bloatware removal app to uninstall unwanted system apps:

1. Install a trusted bloatware remover app from the Google Play Store (e.g. "Universal Android Debloater")
2. Open the app and grant it any requested permissions
3. The app will scan your device and display a list of potential bloatware
4. Select the apps you want to uninstall (be careful not to select crucial system apps)
5. Tap the "Uninstall" or "Remove" button and confirm any prompts

Bloatware removal apps can be a convenient way to clean up your device, but you should only use ones from reputable developers. Shady apps that promise to optimize your phone or give you free paid apps are often vectors for malware. Research the app and read reviews before installing it.

Method 3: Uninstall Bloatware via ADB

For power users who are comfortable using a command line, Android Debug Bridge (ADB) provides a way to identify and uninstall system apps from your computer. ADB is a versatile tool included in the official Android SDK that lets you run shell commands on a connected Android device.

To remove bloatware via ADB, you‘ll first need to set up ADB on your computer:

1. Download the Android SDK Platform-Tools ZIP file for your operating system from the official site
2. Extract the contents of the ZIP to an easily-accessible location
3. Open a terminal or command prompt and navigate to the extracted "platform-tools" directory
4. Connect your Android device to the computer with a USB cable
5. On your device, go to Settings > About phone and tap "Build number" 7 times to enable Developer options
6. Go to Settings > Developer options and enable "USB debugging"

With ADB set up, here are the steps to uninstall bloatware:

1. Open a terminal/command prompt and navigate to the "platform-tools" directory
2. Run the following command to launch the ADB daemon:

   adb devices 

3. You should see a dialog on your phone asking you to allow USB debugging. Check "Always allow" and tap "OK".
4. Run this command to get a list of all installed packages:

   adb shell pm list packages

5. Find the package name for the app you want to uninstall in the list
6. Run the following command to uninstall the package, replacing <package_name> with the actual name:

   adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 <package_name>

The -k flag keeps the data and cache directories intact after the app is uninstalled. You can omit it if you want to completely remove the app and its data. The –user 0 flag specifies it should be uninstalled for all users.

ADB provides a relatively safe way to uninstall bloatware without rooting your device. However, it‘s still possible to break core functionality by uninstalling the wrong system app. Only remove apps that you‘ve researched and are certain are unnecessary.

Method 4: Remove Bloatware by Rooting

For advanced users who want complete control over their device, rooting is the most effective way to remove Android bloatware. Rooting gives you superuser access to the normally locked /system directory, allowing you to uninstall any app, modify system files, and install powerful mods.

However, rooting is a complex process that varies by device and comes with significant risks. It will likely void your phone‘s warranty and may introduce security vulnerabilities if not done properly. You should only attempt to root your phone if you‘re confident in your technical skills and comfortable with the possibility of bricking your device.

The exact steps to root an Android phone depend on the specific model and OS version. But here is an overview of the general process:

1. Unlock the bootloader via fastboot
2. Install a custom recovery like TWRP
3. Flash the latest version of Magisk to gain root
4. Install a root file manager app like MiXplorer
5. Open the file manager and navigate to /system/app or /system/priv-app
6. Delete the directories for any bloatware apps you want to remove
7. Reboot your phone and see if it‘s stable

Again, be very careful when deleting system apps. Removing the wrong package can cause your phone to bootloop or soft-brick, requiring a factory reset to fix. Always make a complete backup of your device before making any system-level modifications.

If you‘re not sure whether an app is safe to uninstall, do a web search for its package name to see what it does. You can also check crowdsourced lists of known Android bloatware on forums like XDA or bloatware list repos on GitHub (example).

Alternative Ways to Minimize Bloatware

If removing pre-installed Android apps seems too difficult or risky, you have a few other options to reduce bloatware on your device:

1. Buy a phone that runs an unmodified version of Android like a Google Pixel, Android One device, or unlocked Motorola phone. These come with the least bloatware out of the box.

2. Opt out of "Custom Experience" programs from your carrier that pre-load sponsored apps in exchange for a discount on your bill.

3. If you‘re not using the pre-installed apps, just ignore them and disable any that show notifications. As long as you have enough free storage space, there‘s no real harm in letting bloatware sit on your phone unused.

4. On newer versions of Android, you can use the "Hide apps" feature in the app drawer to remove icons for apps you don‘t use from the launcher.

The cleanest option is of course to buy a phone that doesn‘t come with bloatware in the first place. But that‘s not always possible given budget constraints and carrier restrictions.

Environmental Impact of Bloatware

Aside from being annoying, bloatware has a real environmental cost. When millions of phones are sold with gigabytes of pre-loaded software that most people never use, it adds up to a huge amount of wasted flash storage space.

Mobile devices already have a large environmental footprint due to the energy and rare earth metals required to produce them (source). The average smartphone is only kept for around 3 years before being replaced. And recycling rates for e-waste are quite low globally, meaning most of those phones end up in landfills leaching toxic chemicals.

The unused storage space taken up by bloatware may cause some users to prematurely run out of space and feel the need to upgrade to a new phone sooner. So in a small way, bloatware contributes to more electronic waste and pollution. Without bloatware, older phones would remain usable for longer.

Phone manufacturers should take steps to minimize the amount of pre-installed software on their devices or at least make it easier for users to uninstall bloatware they don‘t want. And as consumers, we should try to use our devices for as long as possible before upgrading to reduce e-waste.

Conclusion

Bloatware remains a frustrating reality for many Android users, eating up valuable storage space and system resources. While you can‘t easily get rid of pre-installed apps without rooting, you do have options to disable or uninstall them.

For casual users, we recommend simply disabling bloatware in system settings or using an app like Package Name Viewer to identify and uninstall unwanted packages one at a time. More advanced users comfortable with some level of risk can use ADB commands or root their device to remove any system app.

If you‘re really fed up with bloatware, consider voting with your wallet by purchasing an Android phone that comes with a clean version of the OS. You can also find your current phone model‘s XDA forums to see if the community has shared lists of safe-to-remove bloatware apps and instructions for your specific device.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to remove bloatware is a personal one that depends on your technical knowledge, risk tolerance, and desire for control over your device. But hopefully this guide has given you the information and tools you need to minimize bloatware‘s impact on your Android experience. Stay vigilant and happy debloating!