How to Remove Bloatware from Android Phones in 2023

While most of the industry has opted to use Google apps by default on their Android smartphones, many OEMs continue to sell smartphones with bloatware and unwanted apps pre-installed. These apps can be quite annoying as they occupy the storage space of your Android device, and many OEMs do not even allow uninstalling them. With our tips, you can easily disable or Remove Bloatware from Android Phones.

Most users never touch a lot of preinstalled apps on their new phone, but rather than leave them there, wasting precious computing power and slowing down your phone, it’s best to remove or at least disable the system apps.

By removing apps, you don’t want or need, you’ll be able to improve your phone’s performance and free up storage space. If you are bothered by such pre-installed apps and want to remove them from your Android device, then you’ve come to the right place. Here we share the different methods to remove bloatware from your device without root access.

Benefits of Removing Bloatware

There are several benefits to removing bloatware from your device:

  1. Increased Performance: Bloatware can take up a significant amount of space and system resources, which can slow down your device. Removing bloatware can free up space and resources, leading to faster performance.
  2. Improved Battery Life: Some bloatware runs in the background and consumes battery life, even when you’re not actively using it. Removing these apps can help extend your battery life.
  3. Enhanced Security: Some bloatware may have vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers. By removing these apps, you reduce your risk of being hacked or having your personal data compromised.
  4. Customization: Removing bloatware gives you more control over your device and allows you to customize it according to your needs and preferences.
  5. More Storage Space: Removing bloatware frees up storage space on your device, allowing you to install other apps or store more media files.

Overall, removing bloatware can improve your device’s performance, battery life, security, and customization options, while also providing more storage space.

Uninstalling Bloatware vs. Disabling Bloatware

Both disabling and uninstalling bloatware can help improve the performance of a device, but they achieve this in different ways.

Disabling bloatware means that the app remains on the device, but it is no longer running or taking up resources. Disabling bloatware is usually a good option if you’re not sure whether you need the software or if you’re worried about breaking any system dependencies.

Uninstalling bloatware means that the software is completely removed from the device. This frees up space on the device and can also help improve performance. However, uninstalling bloatware may cause some apps to stop working or have reduced functionality, so it’s important to be aware of the potential consequences.

In summary, disabling bloatware can be a safe option if you’re unsure whether you need the software, while uninstalling bloatware can help free up space and improve performance but may cause some unintended consequences.

How to Disable Bloatware on Android Device

Disabling bloatware on an Android device can help free up resources and improve performance. Here’s how to disable bloatware on an Android device:

  1. Tap and hold the icon of the app you want to disable.
  2. Select App Info.
  3. You can also reach out to this option from Settings->Apps. Find the app you want to disable and tap on it.
  4. On the App Info screen, tap the button that says Disable.
  5. You may see a warning message telling you that disabling the app may cause other apps to misbehave. If you’re okay with that, go ahead and Select Disable App.

It’s important to note that disabling bloatware may not completely free up space on your device, as some of the app’s data may still be stored on your device. Additionally, some disabled apps may still appear in your app drawer or other parts of the device, but they will no longer be running in the background or using resources.

How to Remove Bloatware from Android Phones

Some apps, such as those that are critical to the functioning of the device, may not have the “Disable” option available. In this case, the best option for you is to remove bloatware apps from Android. To uninstall bloatware from your phone without root access, you have two options, using ADB or a third-party universal bloatware removal tool.

Method 1: How to Uninstalling Android Bloatware With ADB

The list of pre-installed system apps or bloatware differs based on the OEM, carrier, and sometimes even the region where the device is sold in. So it’s best to debloat your phone using the ADB command and make sure you uninstall only the apps you want to get rid of.

Step 1: Enabling USB Debugging and Install ADB on your device

To uninstall Android apps with ADB, first, you must Enable USB debugging on your Android device. To do this, go to “Settings” > “Developer options” > “USB debugging” and turn it on.

Another important point is to ensure that you have ADB installed on your computer. You can follow our detailed guide on How to set up ADB on Windows, Mac, Linux, or ChromeOS.

Step 2: Connect your Phone to your PC

After installing the adb, connect your device to your computer via USB, and run the following command in the command prompt or terminal window on your computer:

adb devices
Here you can see the ADB daemon is started by the system, and you will see the serial number of your device. If you see a string of numbers, you’re ready to move on.
If this is the first time you’ve used ADB, your phone will ask for permission to connect to the computer. Grant it and re-run the above command.

Step 3: Finding the App package name to uninstall

Now, you’ll have to find out the package name of the app you want to uninstall from your Android device. To find out the app package name, download and install the “App Inspector” or “Package Name Viewer 2.0“ app from the Google Play Store. 

Another way to get the names of all the apps on your Android phone is by using the adb command. With ADB connected to your device, run the command below to enter the ADB shell:

adb shell
ADB Shell

Type the following command to list all installed packages on your device:

pm list packages
pm list packages

You can also follow our detailed guide below to find the Bloatware list of your device.

Step 4: Uninstalling the bloatware

Once you get the package name of your desired app, type the below command to remove bloatware and carrier apps from Android.

pm uninstall -k --user 0 [package name]

Example: pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.oneplus.calendar.white.overlay

Replace “[package name]” with the package name of the bloatware app you want to uninstall.

The above command will remove the bloatware app from your phone.

Method 2: How to Remove Android Bloatware With Universal Android Debloater

If you aren’t comfortable using ADB commands for some reason, you can try Universal Android Debloater (UAD). The Universal Android Debloater is easy to use shell-based portable Android bloatware remover tool, and it works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Here is how to use Universal Android Debloater tool to remove system apps.

  1. Before starting, make sure you have the adb driver installed on your phone. You can follow our detailed guide on How to set up ADB on Windows, Mac, Linux, or ChromeOS.
  2. First, download the Universal Android Debloater latest version and move the UAD file to the platform-tools folder.
  3. Now connect your device to your computer via a USB cable.
  4. Open the Universal Android Debloater, and it will automatically detect your Android device.
  5. On the next screen, make sure RecommendedEnabled, and All lists are selected under the top drop-down menu.
  6. Based on your device’s ROM, the tool will automatically select the list of bloatware apps that are safe to remove.
  7. Now select the apps you want to uninstall and click on Uninstall selection at the bottom right corner.
Universal Android Debloater

Method 3: Removing system apps using a Third-Party App (Root Required)

There are several third-party apps available on the Google Play Store that can help you remove bloatware. One such app is “System App Remover“, which allows you to easily uninstall system apps. However, this app will only work if you are a rooted user.

To remove bloatware using System App Remover, open the app and grant it root access. After that, select the apps you want to uninstall and click Uninstall from the bottom of the screen to remove the app completely.

How to Re-Install an Uninstalled App

If you’ve deleted an app by mistake or the uninstalled bloatware app is creating some problem like force closing system, you can re-install the app using the following set of commands:

adb shell

pm package install-existing --user 0 <package name>

Example: pm package install-existing --user 0  

So, when you run this command, it will install the specified package for the primary user of the device. Note that the package must already exist on the device for this command to work.

Uninstalling System Apps (Bloatware) with Ease

There you have it, these are the best ways to Remove Bloatware from Android Phones. The best thing about these methods is common for all devices, and to uninstall Bloatware Android apps with ADB, you don’t need to root your device. All you need to do is to connect to your device, identify the package name of the app, and then run the uninstall command.

If you have any questions or run into any issues following the methods mentioned above, let us know in the comment section below, and we’ll be glad to help.

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Sumit is a gadget and tech enthusiast who writes about Android updates and tech guides and enjoys solving all of your tech problems.

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