PhonAndroid Android: how to uninstall the default applications?

Are you tired of carrying around a bunch of apps that you don't use on your smartphone? Here is how to delete manufacturer and operator applications from your smartphone to free up internal memory and save storage space. It's time to clean up!

Summary

Android: deactivate your apps

Android: root your smartphone or tablet

Android: How to uninstall apps with my rooted device

Android: how to restore my apps when needed

Comments

Applications are a bit the basis of our smartphones, without them they would be useless, but they are not all useful. Everyone has their own way of using their smartphone and the most annoying thing is to have useless elements, but which still take up space. Operator apps are the best example, want to know how to remove them? It's right here.

I'm going to offer you two radically different solutions below. The “soft” solution which is quick and easy to implement, but which is not optimal. A “hard” solution which is more complicated, but very effective. It will be up to you to choose which one you want to follow, the second allowing you to actually delete your unwanted Android apps and free up your smartphone's storage memory. Illustrative images were made from a Galaxy S4 running Android 5.0 .2 Lollipop, then your experience may differ a little bit if you're on a newer version, like Android Oreo or Nougat.

Android: deactivate your apps

This solution will not allow you to uninstall the so-called “system” applications like that of your operator, but it will make them invisible and non-functional. By disabling an application, you will no longer have a notification and the icon will no longer appear in your list of applications. You can deactivate and reactivate all your applications at will.

Go to Settings on your device

Then, in the Applications section (or Application Management)

Select the app you want to disable (or uninstall)

Tap Disable

A warning message appears, click OK

Android: root your smartphone or tablet

Rooting your device sounds perilous, complicated and dangerous, but it's not quite that. First of all, root is actually what allows you to have full administrator rights on your phone, so you can fully control it and even have additional features. In addition, rooting your phone does not remove your smartphone's warranty. Moreover, it is not irreversible since the root cancels itself. If you want to know more on the subject, discover our file on the reasons for Rooting your smartphone.

Android: How to uninstall apps with my rooted device

Once you have rooted your phone, you will be able to uninstall any application, whether it is the one you have downloaded, those from your carrier and even those from the Android system that you do not need. You will be free to do whatever you want with your phone! I'll show you a sample application that lets you do this.

Install System app remover (ROOT)

Launch the application

Select the application(s) to uninstall

Tap Uninstall

Validate the procedure

The app offers you two parts, User apps part and System apps part. The first part works like Android's built-in app manager and additionally lets you uninstall multiple apps at once. The second part allows you to get rid of the applications of your operator, your manufacturer and those integrated into Android.

Be careful not to uninstall anything, some system applications should not be uninstalled. Luckily, the application indicates on each application its degree of importance by messages like [Must be kept] and a quite telling color code, orange for those that you can still uninstall and red for those that really should not uninstall.

Android: how to restore my apps when needed

If necessary, the applications that you uninstall with this application (at least the system applications) are placed in a recycle bin. If you uninstalled an important application by mistake or you finally want to resume the application, all you have to do is go to the trash and restore the application(s). Here's how:

Launch the application

Tap the trash can icon at the top

Select the application(s) to restore

Tap Restore

Validate the procedure

Of course, other applications on the Play Store allow you to do the same things, I chose this application because I find it very powerful and practical, moreover, it is very light and free. If you prefer to choose another application, do not forget to see if this one allows you to exploit the root of your phone. It is usually written (ROOT) in the name of the application or in the description. If you have any other tips or tricks, please let us know in the comments.

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