How to uninstall built-in Android apps without root

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

No more live wallpapers, Facebook and awkward built-in browsers.

Android smartphone and tablet manufacturers love to install non-removable built-in applications on their gadgets. It's good when they are useful. But in most cases it's just slag taking up space and annoying with its advertising.

Advanced users can root their device and destroy all these programs. However, many do not risk resorting to this method - because of the reluctance to void the warranty, the prospect of stopping receiving OTA updates, or for other reasons.

Fortunately, you can uninstall Android firmware without root. For beginners, the methods may seem complicated, but if you follow the instructions carefully, everything will work out.

Never uninstall applications that you do not understand. You can damage the operating system of your smartphone, and you will have to reflash.

Also, before digging into system settings, be sure to back up photos, music, videos and other important data from your smartphone's memory.

How to prepare for uninstalling built-in apps on Android

First you need to enable USB debugging. This is done quite simply.

1. Open the smartphone settings, find the "About phone" section there and click on the "Build number" item until the system displays the message "You have become a developer."
2. Return to the main settings menu and click the "For Developers" item that appears.
3. Find the USB Debugging option and enable it.

How to uninstall built-in apps using ADB App Control

This is a method for those who do not want to understand the settings for a long time. You only need to put down a few checkboxes and press the button.

1. Install ADB App Control

Go to apps and download the latest version. The program is packed in a ZIP archive - it will need to be unpacked into any folder convenient for you. It is best if it is located at the root of your system drive - for example, like this:

C: / ADB_AppControl_162

If you are a Windows 7 or Windows 8 user, you still need to download and install the ADB driver here. Download and run the ADB Driver Installer.

After all the preparations, run the ADBAppControl.exe file. Click the checkbox "Do not show the tutorial again" and the button "I understand!" The application is ready to go.

2. Connect your smartphone to your computer

Connect your smartphone to a PC via a USB cable (preferably the one that came with it). Better to connect directly to the motherboard rather than through the front case connectors. Select the "No data transfer" mode and agree to use USB debugging, allow it to this computer at all times.

ADB App Control may ask you to install an additional application on your smartphone. It is optional, but it allows you to display icons and application names rather than package names. Therefore, unlock the smartphone screen, if it is turned off, and click "Yes" in the ACBridge window.

If the installation fails automatically, copy the com.cybercat.acbridge.apk file from the folder

C: / ADB_AppControl_162 / adb

to the smartphone's memory, disconnect the USB cable and install the file manually, like a normal program. To do this, you need to allow installation from unknown sources.

After installing ACBridge, reconnect your smartphone to your PC.

3. Remove unnecessary applications

Click the Get App Data button in the right pane of the main ADB App Control window. A request for access to memory will appear on the screen of your smartphone - provide it.

Now select the checkboxes of the programs you want to get rid of. In the drop-down menu on the right, select the "Delete" option. Click the red Delete button, then Yes and OK.

How to uninstall built-in apps using Android Debug Bridge

This option is suitable for command line lovers. The principle of operation is the same.

1. Install ADB

We need the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) utility. For different operating systems, the installation procedure is approximately the same. Select the ADB version for your OS, then do the following:

1. Download the ZIP archive from ADB.
2. Extract its contents to some folder without Russian letters in the title. On Windows it is best to do this at the root of the system drive - C: / platform ‑ tools … On macOS and Linux, you can simply extract everything to your desktop. A folder will appear platform ‑ tools.
3. Open Command Prompt in Windows or Terminal in macOS / Linux. In Windows, you need to run the command line as administrator - to do this, right-click on the “Command line” icon and select “Advanced” → “Run as administrator”.

4. Now you need to open the folder in the terminal platform ‑ tools … Enter the command

   cd / path / to / your / folder /

5. and press Enter.

If you don't know which path leads to your folder, do this:

• On Windows, right-click the folder while holding down Shift and click Copy as Path. Then paste the copied line into the terminal.
• On macOS, hold Alt and right-click on the folder, then select "Copy Path To …".
• Either on macOS or Linux just drag and drop the folder platform ‑ tools into a terminal window.

ADB is now ready to go.

• Download ADB for Windows →
• Download ADB for macOS →
• Download ADB for Linux →

2. Find out the names of the packages

Now we need to find out what, in fact, we want to delete. To do this, install the App Inspector application on your smartphone. Open it and look for preinstalled programs that you don't need.

Click on the name of the program in the list - and you will see information about it. We are interested in the Package name section - it contains the name of the package you do not need. It will look something like this: com.android.browser.

You need to write down the names of the packages you want to remove somewhere. The App Inspector makes it easy to copy a name just by clicking on it. You can collect this data in some text file or document in the cloud, so that you can easily manipulate it later on your computer.

3. Connect to your computer

Now connect your smartphone to your computer using a USB cable. Then run the following commands in the terminal line that we opened in the previous paragraph:

• Windows:

  adb devices

• macOS:

  . / adb devices

• Linux:

  ./adb devices

The serial number of your smartphone or tablet will appear on the command line. This means that the device is connected correctly.

4. Remove unnecessary applications

Now uninstall unwanted programs. To do this, enter the following commands:

• Windows:

  adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 package_name

• macOS:

  . / adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 package_name

• Linux:

  ./adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 package_name

For example, if you need to uninstall the Google Play Music app, the command would be:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.music

Hit Enter. The Success message should appear, indicating the successful completion of the uninstallation.

When done, just close the terminal window and disconnect your smartphone from your computer. If the applications do not disappear from the gadget immediately, try restarting it.

What to do after uninstalling built-in apps on Android

Finally, turn off USB debugging. And finally, if you are annoyed by the "For Developers" item in the settings - open the list of installed applications, find "Settings" there, click on it and select "Clear data". And the "For Developers" menu will disappear.

Good luck cleaning Android junk. And be careful not to delete unnecessary things.