If you’ve bought an Android phone and you’re crazily annoyed with the number of bloatware apps and distractions they come with, don’t be freaked out yet; we’ll tell you how to remove bloatware in Android devices here.
While these factory-installed apps are there for good reasons, chances are they're not beneficial for you and just taking up your storage space and other vital resources. Perhaps they’re making your phone run slow or even sending tons of notifications and pop-up ads you're not comfortable getting. Nonetheless, the good news is that you can remove them without rooting your phone or having any technical knowledge.
How to remove bloatware in Android
Similar to bloatware programs clogging the Start menu of a Windows PC, most Android phones also come preloaded with some apps you might or might not use.
While it’s safe to live with bloatware on your smartphone (after all, they’re not harmful), getting rid of them can help you regain a substantial amount of resources. The worst thing about bloatware is that they’re programmed to always run in the background; they're awake at the same time you turn on your phone and would continue running until you turn it off. Hence, hijacking the resources and storage space that could improve the apps you really use.
Well, if you think it’s high time you stopped that, here’s how to remove bloatware apps on your Android devices.
How to uninstall bloatware and delete preloaded apps on Android
The first type of bloatware you can remove on your Android device is third-party apps. These include apps like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Netflix, and others that are not essential system apps.
Most OEMs usually partner with brands to install these apps on your phone to promote them, and in return, subsidize the cost of the device. But if you don’t want them, here’s how to remove them:
- Open the app drawer on your phone.
- Find the bloatware app you wish to uninstall.
- Long-press on the app’s icon, then tap Uninstall (or Delete app) to remove the app.
- Now, you can do the same for other unwanted apps till you get rid of them.
Alternatively, you can head to your device’s Settings → Apps → See all apps to view all the apps on your phone. Locate and select the one you wish to remove, then tap Uninstall on the screen to remove it.
As you continue to uninstall the apps, you’ll notice some of them don't carry the Uninstall button. That means you can't eradicate them. However, there might be an option to disable such an app.
Disabling bloatware
Your Android phone manufacturer might have integrated some bloatware into its software, so you can't uninstall them anyhow. They usually do these for apps/features they don’t want you to uninstall. However, that doesn't mean they're profitable for you. Some of them are features you won’t end up using, perhaps you have a better app that does the same thing already.
Thankfully, there's usually an option to disable such apps. That would freeze them from running in the background, hence boosting your phone's performance and reducing battery usage.
Here's how to remove bloatware on Android by disabling them:
- Open the Settings
- Go to the Apps section. Usually Apps & Notifications are on most Android devices.
- Tap the option to “See all apps."
- Now, select the app you want to remove.
- Once you’re there, you’ll either find the “Uninstall” or “Disable” Tap the one available to remove the installed bloatware from your phone.
Uninstalling vs. Disabling bloatware
If you don't want a pre-installed app on your phone, you either have the option to uninstall it (which obliterates it from the system) or disable it (which freezes it from working and hides it from your app drawer). And sometimes, you don't have access to both options, depending on how your OEM wants it.
In most cases, disabling an app could be the safest option for system bloatware. That ensures the app doesn't disturb you while giving you the liberty to restore it anytime you wish. For instance, you could easily disable the Weather app on most Android devices if you don't need it. And when you need it again, you can restore it in one click. In that case, it’s safe to disable bloatware app features owned by your OEM and not casually available in the Play Store.
Hint: learn more about Why itel Phone Hangs and How to Fix it
How to remove bloatware from TECNO
TECNO devices come with some pre-installed apps and features to subsidize their cost. Some of these apps may bombard you with pop-up ads and push notifications. Nonetheless, you can uninstall most of them if what they offer is not your cup of tea.
To remove apps you find useless on your TECNO phone, you can either disable or uninstall them, depending on how TECNO implemented them.
Thankfully, you can remove a bunch of them in a single click using the security app.
- Launch Phone Master on your TECNO phone
- Tap Toolbox below the screen
- Click App management
- Select all the pre-installed apps you wish to remove, then tap
It’ll take a few seconds to uninstall the selected apps. Well, you can only uninstall third-party bloatware using Phone Master. For the rest, such as Palm Store, Aha Games, and others, which you might also find unnecessary depending on your mileage, you can disable them.
- Open your app drawer (preferably on HiOS Launcher)
- Find and long-press on an app you want to disable
- Select App info
- Tap
Unluckily, you won't still be able to remove all of them, but you should’ve dealt with most of them by now.
How to remove bloatware from Infinix
Infinix’s XOS is more like TECNO's HiOS. So, dealing with bloatware on an Infinix device is the same as on a TECNO phone. To get started, you should uninstall most of the third-party bloatware using Phone Master. And after that, you can disable the rest from the device’s settings.
Here's how:
- Open your app drawer.
- Find and long-press an app you want to remove.
- Click App info.
- Then, you will either find an option to Disable or uninstall the app.
That’s how to remove AppxPackage and bloatware apps on an Infinix phone.
How to remove bloatware from itel
The version of the Android operating system powering most itel devices seldom comes with lots of bloatware apps. If you find any, that means they’re serving a critical function there, or you can remove them without breaking a sweat.
To remove apps you don't want on your itel phone, follow the exact procedures used in uninstalling or disabling apps as mentioned above.
Here’s how it works in most cases.
- Open the Setting
- Tap Apps and Notifications, then click the option to view all apps.
- Select a third-party app you want to remove.
- Finally, hit “Uninstall” or “Disable” to remove such an app.
How to uninstall bloatware from your phone without root access
While you can remove a handful of unwanted in-built apps on your device, chances are you still can't get rid of all of them.
Whether it’s a new feature your OEM wants you to use or an app they think you’ll like, you'll find and still cannot remove them natively. Well, that can be troublesome sometimes, especially if they're apps like Gallery, Calendar, or Music Player that you already have an alternative for.
Nonetheless, there’s still a way to uninstall them if you think they’re not worth staying on your phone. And yes, you don’t need to root your phone to do that. All you’ll need is to run some commands on your PC using ADB via platform tools.
Sincerely, running ADB may require some technical know-how if you’re not familiar with it. And unfortunately, we can't cover that right here, as it may also void your warranty if things go wrong.
But if you think otherwise, a quick search for “how to remove bloatware on Android using ADB” on Google would be of great help.
Final thoughts
Whether it’s to subsidize the cost of the device, promote some brands, or showcase their extra features, Android OEMs always push much bloatware into their smartphones.
And while that’s understandable for low-priced devices, having to deal with the excessive disturbance from bloatware apps on your Android devices is annoying. It gets even more frustrating when you receive tons of pop-ups and notifications you don't care for. But thanks to the flexibility of Android, you can remove them if you think they're not for you.
When next you buy a new Android phone, make debloating it a part of your setup. Yes, you can bookmark this article for reference.
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