Tag: space

  • How to uninstall system apps on Android (without root)

    How to uninstall system apps on Android (without root)

    Unnecessary system apps and bloatware can be annoying. They drain your battery, take up important storage, operate in the background, and are frequently impossible to remove with standard methods. Although rooting your Android device gives you complete control over system programs, most users are not advised to do so because it violates your warranty and jeopardizes security.

    Thankfully, there are secure and efficient methods for disabling or removing system programs without rooting, particularly when using ADB (Android Debug Bridge). We will go over every technique in this article, from basic settings adjustments to more sophisticated (yet secure) desktop tools.

    android system apps unistall with adb

    What are system apps and why can’t you delete them easily

    Applications that are pre-installed by the manufacturer or carrier of the device are known as system apps. These consist include third-party programs like Facebook or Netflix that OEMs package, stock utilities, or branded services.

    They cannot be removed using the standard app menu since they are installed in the system partition. ADB commands, however, can be used to disable or even uninstall many.

    Common examples of pre-installed system apps include:

    • Duplicate media players or browsers
    • OEM app stores
    • Partner bloatware like Amazon Shopping, LinkedIn, or TikTok
    • Preloaded games or theme services

    Disable system apps from settings

    This is the simplest method and doesn’t require a PC.

    Steps:

    1. Open Settings > Apps.
    2. Tap See all apps to view the complete list.
    3. Select the system app you want to disable.
    4. Tap Disable. You may be asked to confirm your choice.

    What happens when you disable an app:

    • It is removed from the app drawer.
    • It can no longer run in the background.
    • It won’t receive updates or use system resources.
    • The app is still stored on your device but rendered inactive.

    Limitations:

    • Not all system apps can be disabled (depends on OEM).
    • Disabled apps can be re-enabled manually.

    This is the safest approach for beginners.

    Uninstall system apps using ADB (no root)

    You can use ADB to perform advanced commands on your Android device by connecting it to a computer. This technique allows you to remove system programs for the current user without requiring root access.

    Step 1: Set up ADB on your computer

    1. Download the Android SDK Platform Tools for Windows, macOS, or Linux from Google’s official site.
    2. Extract the contents to a folder (e.g., C:\adb).

    Step 2: Enable developer options and USB debugging

    1. Go to Settings > About phone.
    2. Tap Build number 7 times until you see a message saying “You are now a developer.”
    3. Go back to Settings > System > Developer options.
    4. Enable USB debugging.

    Step 3: Connect your phone to your PC

    • Use a USB cable to connect your device.
    • When prompted on your phone, allow USB debugging.

    Step 4: Open ADB and check the connection

    1. Open a terminal or command prompt in the ADB folder.
    2. Type: adb devices – you should see your device listed.

    Step 5: Find the package name of the app

    To uninstall an app, you need its package name. You can find this using:

    adb shell pm list packages | grep [app name]

    For example, to find Facebook‘s package name:

    adb shell pm list packages | grep facebook

    Step 6: Uninstall the app

    Use the following command:

    adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.facebook.katana

    That command will remove Facebook from your user profile, freeing up memory and removing it from the interface.

    Note: The app is only removed for the current user, not deleted from the system partition.

    Method 3: Use a no-root app debloater tool (GUI)

    If you’re not comfortable with the command line, you can use a graphical tool like:

    • Universal Android Debloater (UAD)
    • ADB AppControl
    • Android Debloater by XDA Developers

    These tools allow you to:

    • Browse installed system apps
    • Uninstall or disable them safely
    • See app names with friendly UI
    • Restore apps if needed

    Most tools require:

    • ADB installed on your system
    • USB debugging enabled
    • Windows PC (some versions work with Linux/macOS)

    They’re beginner-friendly and support a wide range of devices.

    Should you uninstall or disable every system app?

    No. Some system apps are critical to core Android functions. Removing them may cause:

    • Boot loops
    • Broken system features (e.g., notifications, calls, camera)
    • Incompatibility with future updates

    Always check what a system app does before removing it. You can research package names or use a debloater tool with built-in safety warnings.

    Safe-to-remove examples:

    • Social media bloatware
    • OEM-specific cloud services you don’t use
    • Built-in browser (if you use Chrome)
    • AR apps, Game Launcher, or duplicate music players

    Unsafe-to-remove examples:

    • com.android.systemui
    • com.google.android.gms
    • com.android.providers.*

    How to restore system apps uninstalled via ADB

    If you want to bring back an app removed via ADB:

    adb shell cmd package install-existing [package name]

    For example:

    adb shell cmd package install-existing com.facebook.katana

    This will restore the app for the current user, assuming it wasn’t fully deleted from the system partition.

    Uninstalling system apps without root gives you more control over your Android phone without compromising safety. ADB is a powerful tool that helps remove bloatware, reclaim storage, and speed up your device. If you’re cautious and avoid critical system packages, you can safely declutter your phone and enjoy a cleaner experience.

    Whether you’re using the built-in disable function or running ADB commands, you don’t need root access to take control of your device anymore.

  • Kids Space improved with latest Google System Updates

    Kids Space improved with latest Google System Updates

    The September 2022 Google System updates have started to reach Android devices. These updates differ from OTA (over the air) updates that you get for your phone. Instead, these are updates to various underpinning technologies, such as Google Play Services and the Play Store, which serve as the foundation for the Android OS. For a more dependable and secure user experience, the organization releases updates and adjustments to these systems on a regular basis. Each month, it describes their developments. A few major modifications, including some for Kids Space, are brought about by the most recent round of Google System updates.

    This month’s Google System updates bring notable changes to Kids Space

    kids space

    First off, you can now set up Android tablets to install Google Kids Space on a different account. You can now use your tablet to share with your little siblings or children. To prevent your children from downloading or using undesirable apps, you can also hide suggested apps while configuring Kids Space. On Android smartphones, TVs, tablets, Android Auto, and Wear OS devices, the most recent updates significantly improve Google account syncing and recovery.

    Additionally, the Google Play Store is improving. Play-as-you-download, Google Play billing, Play Protect, Play Pass, and Play Points programs are just a few of the features that are getting some optimization. However, if you looked at the organization’s official update tracker for these monthly releases, you would see the identical entries in the changelog for almost every release.

    Improvements are also being made in the Google Play Store. Some enhancements are being made to features including Play-as-you-download, Google Play billing, Play Protect, Play Pass, and Play Points programs. However, if you looked at the changelog for these monthly releases on the company’s official update tracker, you would see the identical entries almost every month. That’s because Google makes these ongoing adjustments for better user experience in the background.

    As part of these monthly Google System updates, Google frequently pushes new updates to Android OS systems throughout the month. So, in the upcoming weeks, it’s possible that the corporation will add new items to the changelog for the most recent edition. We will undoubtedly let you know about anything significant or significant if it happens.

    The aforementioned improvements are now being released alongside Google Play Store version 31.1 and Google Play services version 35.22. It may take a few days for everyone to notice the improvements brought about by this month’s Google System upgrades because the company just issued the most recent version. Although the updates ought to be installed without your intervention, you can always look for them yourself. To check if you have a Google Play services update available, click this page. The About section of Settings, accessed from your avatar in the top right corner of the Play Store home page, allows you to check for updates for the Play Store.

  • How to clear cache on Android

    How to clear cache on Android

    Your phone’s capacity is limited and can fill up quickly. Regularly, the apps you use to build new files to store information.

    These temporary data files are known as a cache, and cache files take up a reasonable chunk of your Android phone’s storage space. Let’s look at the cache’s purpose, how to clear it out and more.

    What are cache files

    When you open an app, your phone uses the temporary data stored in cache files to recall the associated information more quickly. For example, Spotify might cache your most frequently accessed playlists so they don’t have to load their list of songs every time you open them.

    A cache file is useful to the associated program only, so for instance, Spotify has no use for Instagram’s cache. In most cases it discards the accompanying cache files once an app decides that the stored temporary information is no longer useful. Websites, applications, and games all use cache files to provide you with a faster browsing experience.

    Clearing cache benefits

    Cache files are critical and you don’t usually have to screw them up. Deleting cache files from your phone manually, however, is often useful.

    This can help in a few ways:

    • In the short term, clearing cache helps you save storage space on your phone. But this is a temporary solution, since new cache files are created every time you use apps.
    • Sometimes, old cache files can become corrupted. When this happens, apps can start experiencing problems. Deleting the corrupted cache files can solve these issues.
    • Old cache files can potentially pose security and privacy threats. Web pages cached in your browser may contain sensitive information. If an unauthorized person accessed these files, they could steal personal details.
    • If a browser or other app refuses to fetch the latest version of a page, clearing cache can force it to update.

    Should You do it regularly?

    Now that you know the advantages of clearing cache, you might think on a schedule that you should clear the cache manually. But in reality this is counter-productive. Keep in mind that cache files have the useful function of speeding access to the content you currently use.

    That is why deleting old cache files by hand is not a good idea. Android also has a built-in feature to delete unused files, which usually works very well. The key occasions to remove cache files manually occur when:

    • An app’s cache files are corrupted, causing the app to misbehave.
    • You want to delete files containing personal information to protect your privacy.
    • You’re running out of storage space on your phone and don’t want to delete your videos, pictures, and apps.
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    How to delete cache files on Android

    For new versions of Android, the cache files for each device need to be removed individually. Notice that all of the cache is seldom removed. Clearing the cache from a few problematic apps can in most cases solve storage or performance problems.

    1. Open Settings and select Storage.
    2. In the resulting list, tap the Other Apps entry. This will take you to a list of all the apps installed on your phone.
    3. Choose an app that holds a lot of cache files. You can tap the three-dot menu in the top-right and choose Sort by size to see which apps take up the most space. We’ll use Chrome as an example.
    4. On the app’s info page, tap the Clear Cache option.
    clear cache

    That’s all you need to do to clear the cache files for any app on your phone. If you tap Clear Storage instead, you’ll remove all data from the app. This essentially resets it to a fresh state.Advertisement

    Older Android versions gave you the option to delete all cached files at once by going to Settings > Storage > Cached Data. From there, simply tap OK when you see the option to delete all cache files.

    What happens after clearing cache?

    After you clear the cache files, you’ll regain some storage space and the app will continue to work as normal. However, all the data it used to smooth out performance is gone, so it may take some extra time to browse around at first. Over time, the app will build up cache again based on your usage.

    Clearing cache files will not force you to log into apps again. You won’t lose data like game progress, browser bookmarks, or similar.


    Your Android phone’s storage space is a precious commodity. Clearing unused cache files is a decent way to free up space temporarily or troubleshoot app issues. But it’s not something you should do often, or through unreliable third-party apps.