Android smartphones come with some useful software, but most of it is just bloatware with little benefit to the user.
AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile get paid to install these junk apps so maybe it saves us a few bucks on the cost of the phone, but most of these apps are not worth the space they take up.
Many Android phones do not allow users to uninstall bloatware, but it is possible to disable apps.
Disabling an app tells the Android operating system to stop running the app on startup. Most of these apps are installed when the user turns on their phone. These apps run in the background and consume CPU cycles. which can drain the phone’s battery and potentially slow things down.
People who root their phones can uninstall these apps, but for those who don’t want or can’t root, this method offers the next best option.
Uninstall Default Android Apps Without Rooting
I performed the following steps to get rid of Samsung’s AllShare apps, AT&T Navigator and Samsung Media Hub apps using my Samsung Galaxy S III running Ice Cream Sandwich.
Use it to get rid of others if you want, but be careful because this can disable an app that other apps depend on to run. Stick to bloatware apps to stay safe.
- Open
- touch and select
- Tap on the name of the app that needs to be disabled
- Tap and then select
Some apps do not offer an Disable option. The button is greyed out. Also, when I pressed the Disable button, Android gave me the following popup as a warning.
I can’t say I noticed a big difference after disabling just five apps, but it can’t hurt. More aggressive choices can show noticeable improvement in battery life and increase in speed, so try to disable as many apps as possible. Reverse the process if other apps start crashing or not working properly.