Samsung

Last modified by Drunk Monkey on 2021-02-08 09:34

How to Remove Samsung Bloatware without Root

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SamNoteUser
‎07-12-2020 07:15 AM

Samsung phones and Galaxy Tabs come with lots of preinstalled apps many of which are useless to the end-user. Such apps are called bloatware and because they are installed as system apps, the uninstall option for them remains unavailable. Below is a big list of Samsung bloatware that is safe to remove. Since there’s no bloat removal tool available out there, we’ll also see how we can disable and uninstall system apps without root using ADB commands.

It doesn’t matter whether you own a Galaxy A50, A80, S9, Note 10, S10, S20, Galaxy Tab, or any other Samsung device, all of them are stuffed with bloatware. If you own a rooted Samsung phone, you can try apps like System App Remover and Bloatware Remover to get rid of useless system apps without using a PC.

Why Debloat your Samsung Device?

Well, there is more than one answer to that question.

  • Bloat apps unnecessarily clutter the app drawer.
  • Pre-installed apps occupy lots of space on your phone’s internal storage
  • Bloatware consumes data and battery juice in the background.
  • Bloat apps also devour system resources in the background and make your device slower.

My Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus and Galaxy S20 had 127 and 132 pre-installed apps out-of-the-box respectively. The majority of those apps are mere junk that deserves to be cleaned. By uninstalling such apps, you can have a cleaner app drawer, save data and space, and have a faster experience.

You can easily remove bloatware on your Samsung device but there’s a catch. Even if know the way to uninstall them, you must be aware of 2 things.

  1. The package name of the apps you want to uninstall.
  2. Is the bloatware safe to remove?

I’ll be addressing both these concerns below.

Finding App Package Name

To be able to remove bloatware on your Samsung device without root via ADB, you must have the package name of the app to be deleted. There are 3 ways to you can find the Android app package name.

  1. Using ADB command
    1. Launch the Command prompt or PowerShell window.
    2. Enable USB Debugging on your Samsung Galaxy phone or Tab.
    3. Connect your device to the computer.
    4. Execute the following ADB shell commands. The first for the list of all apps, and the second one for the list of all system apps.
      #1 Get the list of all apps
      adb shell pm list packages
      #2 Get the list of system apps only
      adb shell pm list packages -s
      #3 Get the list of all Samsung apps
      adb shell pm list packages | grep 'samsung'
      ('pm' in the above commands stands for "package manager")
    5. You’ll now have the list of package names of all Samsung apps and other Android apps installed on your device.
      SamNoteUser_0-1594509216501.png
      ADB shell pm list packages command
      You can copy the list of apps from the command windows and copy it to a text file.
       
  2. Using an Android App

    You can find some good apps in the Google Play Store that can help you with finding the app package names. App InspectorPackage BrowserPackage Name Viewer 2.0, and Apps Inspector are some worthy options that you should try.
     
  3. Via Play Store URL

    You can find out the APK package name for any app by opening the app page in the Play Store in a desktop browser as shown below.
    SamNoteUser_1-1594509216503.png

Samsung Bloatware List

To make your job easier, I have prepared a list of safe to remove apps on your Samsung device. The pre-installed apps listed below are found on the Galaxy S9, S10, S20, and Note 10. Most of them are common Samsung apps found on all Galaxy phones and Tabs by the Korean giant.

Warning

Warning: Please note that the list of safe-to-remove pre-installed apps mentioned below is complete in itself. Therefore, they also include some essential system apps that must be disabled or uninstalled very carefully. For example, if you delete apps like Samsung One UI launcher or Samsung Keyboard, you must install 3rd-party alternatives to those apps first.

Paul's Note: <strikethrough> means I am definitely not removing them from my device.  The others?  We will see

Samsung Bixby

After disabling Samsung Bixby, you can easily remap the power-**bleep**-Bixby button on your Samsung using a button remapper app from the Play Store.

  1. com.samsung.android.bixby.wakeup
  2. com.samsung.android.app.spage | Bixby homepage launcher
  3. com.samsung.android.app.routines | Bixby Routines
  4. com.samsung.android.bixby.service | Bixby features
  5. com.samsung.android.visionintelligence | Bixby Vision
  6. com.samsung.android.bixby.agent | Bixby Voice
  7. com.samsung.android.bixby.agent.dummy | Bixby debug app
  8. com.samsung.android.bixbyvision.framework | Bixby Vision

ANT+ Service

The following apps are related to Bluetooth services and accessories like watches, fitness tracking, etc.

  1. com.dsi.ant.sample.acquirechannels
  2. com.dsi.ant.service.socket
  3. com.dsi.ant.server
  4. com.dsi.ant.plugins.antplus

General System

  1. com.android.egg | Android Easter Egg
  2. com.sec.android.easyonehand | One hand mode
  3. com.sec.android.widgetapp.samsungapps | Homescreen widget
  4. com.samsung.android.mateagent | Galaxy Friends
  5. com.sec.android.easyMover.Agent | Samsung Smart Switch
  6. com.samsung.android.app.watchmanagerstub | Galaxy Watch
  7. com.sec.android.daemonapp | Samsung Weather
  8. com.samsung.android.app.social | What's New
  9. com.samsung.ecomm.global | Samsung Shop
  10. com.sec.android.app.voicenote | Voice Recorder
  11. com.samsung.android.oneconnect | Smart Things
  12. com.samsung.android.voc | Samsung Members
  13. com.sec.android.app.popupcalculator | Samsung Calculator
  14. com.sec.android.splitsound
  15. com.google.android.feedback
  16. com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox
  17. com.google.android.onetimeinitializer
  18. com.google.android.partnersetup
  19. com.mobeam.barcodeService
  20. com.android.providers.downloads.ui
  21. com.android.providers.partnerbookmarks
  22. com.android.sharedstoragebackup
  23. com.android.vpndialogs
  24. com.android.wallpaper.livepicker
  25. com.android.wallpapercropper
  26. com.samsung.android.app.dressroom | Samsung Wallpapers
  27. com.samsung.android.scloud
  28. com.samsung.android.sdk.handwriting
  29. com.samsung.android.sdk.professionalaudio.utility.jammonitor
  30. com.samsung.android.universalswitch
  31. com.samsung.android.visioncloudagent
  32. com.samsung.android.visionintelligence
  33. com.samsung.android.widgetapp.yahooedge.finance
  34. com.samsung.android.widgetapp.yahooedge.sport
  35. com.samsung.app.highlightplayer
  36. com.samsung.hiddennetworksetting
  37. com.samsung.safetyinformation
  38. com.samsung.storyservice
  39. com.samsung.android.service.aircommand | Air command
  40. com.samsung.android.app.aodservice | Always on Display
  41. com.sec.android.app.dexonpc | Samsung Dex
  42. com.samsung.android.ardrawing | AR Doodle
  43. com.samsung.android.svoiceime

Samsung Pay & Samsung Pass

  1. com.samsung.android.samsungpassautofill | Samsung Auto fill
  2. com.samsung.android.authfw | Samsung Authentication
  3. com.samsung.android.samsungpass | Samsung Pass
  4. com.samsung.android.spay | Samsung Pay
  5. com.samsung.android.spayfw | Samsung Pay Framework

Recreational Apps

  1. com.google.ar.core | Google AR core for camera
  2. flipboard.boxer.app | Flipboard app
  3. com.samsung.android.wellbeing | Digital wellbeing
  4. com.samsung.android.da.daagent | Dual Messenger
  5. com.samsung.android.service.livedrawing | Live Message

Samsung AR Emoji

  1. com.samsung.android.aremoji | AR Emoji
  2. com.sec.android.mimage.avatarstickers | Stickers for AR Emoji app
  3. com.samsung.android.emojiupdater

Samsung Sticker Center

  1. com.samsung.android.app.camera.sticker.stamp.preload
  2. com.samsung.android.stickercenter
  3. com.samsung.android.stickerplugin
  4. com.samsung.android.app.camera.sticker.facearframe.preload
  5. com.samsung.android.app.camera.sticker.facearexpression.preload
  6. com.samsung.android.app.camera.sticker.facear.preload

Facebook

  1. com.facebook.katana
  2. com.facebook.system
  3. com.facebook.appmanager
  4. com.facebook.services

Samsung Car Mode

  1. com.samsung.android.drivelink.stub

Printing Service Components

  1. com.android.bips
  2. com.google.android.printservice.recommendation
  3. com.android.printspooler

Samsung Email

  1. com.samsung.android.email.provider
  2. com.wsomacp

Samsung Game Launcher & Settings

  1. com.samsung.android.game.gamehome
  2. com.enhance.gameservice
  3. com.samsung.android.game.gametools
  4. com.samsung.android.game.gos
  5. com.samsung.android.gametuner.thin

Samsung Browser

  1. com.sec.android.app.sbrowser | Samsung Internet

Samsung Gear VR

  1. com.samsung.android.hmt.vrsvc
  2. com.samsung.android.app.vrsetupwizardstub
  3. com.samsung.android.hmt.vrshell
  4. com.google.vr.vrcore

Samsung Kids Mode

  1. com.samsung.android.kidsinstaller
  2. com.samsung.android.app.camera.sticker.facearavatar.preload | Camera stickers
  3. com.sec.android.app.kidshome | Kids Home launcher

Samsung LED Cover

  1. com.samsung.android.app.ledbackcover
  2. com.sec.android.cover.ledcover

Edge Display

  1. com.cnn.mobile.android.phone.edgepanel
  2. com.samsung.android.service.peoplestripe | Edge panel plugin for contacts
  3. com.samsung.android.app.sbrowseredge | Edge panel plugin for Samsung Internet
  4. com.samsung.android.app.appsedge | App panel plugin for Edge display

Samsung Dex

  1. com.sec.android.desktopmode.uiservice
  2. com.samsung.desktopsystemui
  3. com.sec.android.app.desktoplauncher

Removing Samsung Bloatware via ADB

Android Debug Bridge or ADB is a powerful command-line tool that can perform several tasks. You can use a command to reboot your Samsung phone into the Download Mode.  Moreover, ADB also makes it easy to disable, block, uninstall, and re-install the system apps on Android devices. The method described below not just works on Samsung devices but on all Android devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and higher.

Now that you have the list of Samsung bloatware, let’s see how you can remove them from your phone.

  1. Download the latest SDK Platform-tools and set it up on your Windows,  computer.
  2. Make sure you have installed the Samsung USB driver on your PC.
  3. In order that ADB commands can communicate with your computer, you need to enable USB debugging on your Samsung device.
  4. Please note that the screen of your device is not locked while you execute the ADB commands. Go to Settings > Display > Screen Timeout and increase the duration to 10 minutes.
  5. Connect your Samsung phone to the PC.
  6. Now open the platform-tools folder and launch a Power Shell or Command Prompt window. To do that, just type ‘cmd‘ in the folder address bar and press the Enter key.
    SamNoteUser_2-1594509216506.png
  7. Now, type the following ADB command and hit the Enter key. Keep an eye on your phone’s screen as you do it and Allow USB debugging when prompted.
    adb devices
    SamNoteUser_3-1594509216507.jpg
  8. This should return the ID of your device in the form of an alphanumeric string to show that your phone is properly connected and is ready to interact with ADB via computer.
    SamNoteUser_4-1594509216508.png
  9. Now, execute the following command.
    adb shell
  10. You can now execute  pm uninstall -k --user 0  (this will keep the app data and cache), or pm uninstall --user 0  (delete app data as well) followed by the package name of the system app to uninstall to remove it from your phone. You can view the full list of safe to remove Samsung apps along with the command extension on Google Drive. For example, if you want to remove Samsung Email from your device, use one of the the following commands:
    pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.samsung.android.email.provider
    or
    pm uninstall --user 0 com.samsung.android.email.provider
  11. After the execution of each app uninstallation command, you’ll get a “Success” message to indicate that the app package has been removed.
    SamNoteUser_5-1594509216508.png

You can thus uninstall as many preinstalled apps on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone or tablet as you want to without root

Information

Note: If you get “Failure [not installed for 0]” error while trying to uninstall a Samsung bloatware, it means one of these 2 things:

  1. The app package you are trying to remove is not available on your device.
  2. You have typed the app package name incorrectly.

Restore Uninstalled System Apps

If you notice the bloatware removal command we used above, it contains ‘user 0‘ parameter. It means that the apps you uninstalled using ADB shell pm uninstall -k --user 0, were only removed for the current user (user 0). If someone else uses your phone with a guest account, all the removed apps will still be available to him.

It simply means that if you need the uninstalled system app sometime later, you can easily re-install the removed app using another ADB shell command.

cmd package install-existing com.samsung.android.bixby.wakeup

Simply execute the above command as shown below to restore an app package that you uninstalled earlier.

SamNoteUser_6-1594509216509.png

Disable Samsung Bloatware

There is one ADB shell command that lets you just disable an app package on your Samsung or Android. Below is an example command for disabling Bixby on Samsung devices.

adb shell pm disable-user ~-~-user 0 com.samsung.android.bixby.wakeup

That’s all about how we can remove bloatware on Samsung Galaxy devices and re-install the uninstalled apps without root using ADB shell commands. I’ll keep updating the list of safe to remove Samsung bloatware for the phones that will be launched in the future.