You buy a brand new Android phone and it comes loaded with apps you never asked for — Facebook, some carrier game, a duplicate browser, a music app you'll never open, and a bunch of manufacturer utilities you don't understand. This is called bloatware, and it eats your storage, drains your battery, slows your phone down, and clutters your app drawer. The good news: most of it can be removed or at least disabled. This guide covers every method — from the simple Settings approach that anyone can do, to the ADB method that removes even the most stubborn system apps permanently.
Pre-installed apps on Android fall into two categories: apps that can be fully uninstalled, and system apps that are protected by the manufacturer and can only be disabled rather than deleted. Both are worth addressing. A disabled app takes up no RAM, runs no background processes, and disappears from your app drawer — even if the files technically remain. This guide handles both categories completely.
40+
Pre-installed bloatware apps found on average Android phones from major brands
2GB+
Storage space typically recovered by removing or disabling pre-installed apps
3
Methods to remove bloatware — no root required for the most effective ones
Understanding the Two Types of Pre-Installed Apps
Android pre-installed apps come in two tiers. The first tier — user apps that came pre-installed — includes things like Facebook, Netflix, Candy Crush, and carrier apps. These are regular apps that manufacturers got paid to include, and they can usually be uninstalled completely just like any app you installed yourself. The second tier — system apps — includes the manufacturer's own services, some Google apps, and core phone functions. These are stored in the protected system partition and cannot be uninstalled without root access. However, they can be fully disabled — which achieves the same practical result. A disabled system app consumes no RAM, runs no background services, and vanishes from your app drawer. For everyday purposes, disabled is as good as deleted.
Easiest — no setupMethod 1: Uninstall or Disable via Settings
Works for most pre-installed apps. Uninstalls user apps completely. Disables system apps so they use no RAM or battery. Takes 30 seconds per app.
Quick — long press methodMethod 2: Long-press from Home Screen or App Drawer
No root — most powerfulMethod 3: ADB via PC (Remove System Apps)
Use Android Debug Bridge from your PC to completely remove system apps without root. Permanent removal of apps the Settings menu won't touch. Free tool, no root required.
On-device ADB — no PC neededMethod 4: Wireless ADB App (Shizuku)
Use the Shizuku app to run ADB commands directly on your phone without a PC. Combined with an app manager app, removes deep system apps from your phone alone.
Method 1 — Uninstall or Disable via Settings (Start Here)
Before anything else, go through your Settings app list and remove or disable as much as possible there. This method requires no additional tools, no technical knowledge, and works for the vast majority of pre-installed apps. If the app shows an "Uninstall" button — great, it's gone completely. If it only shows "Disable" — use that. Disabled apps are functionally invisible: they don't appear in your app drawer, don't run in the background, and don't consume resources. You can re-enable any disabled app at any time from the same Settings menu — so there's no risk of permanently breaking anything.
1
Open Settings → Apps
Open your phone's Settings app and tap "Apps" (sometimes called "Applications," "App Manager," or "Installed Apps" depending on your manufacturer). On Samsung devices it's Settings → Apps. On stock Android it's Settings → Apps → See all apps.
2
Show system apps to see everything
By default, Settings only shows user-installed apps. To see pre-installed system apps, tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner and select "Show system apps" or "System apps." The full list including all manufacturer and Google apps will now appear.
3
Tap the app you want to remove
Find the bloatware app in the list and tap it to open its App Info screen. You'll see storage usage, permissions, and the action buttons. The action buttons tell you what's possible for this specific app.
4
Tap "Uninstall" if available — or "Disable" if not
If you see an active "Uninstall" button — tap it. The app will be completely removed. If "Uninstall" is greyed out but "Disable" is available — tap Disable. Android will warn you that disabling may cause other apps to misbehave — tap "Disable app" to confirm. The app disappears from your drawer and stops running.
5
Clear storage and cache before disabling
Before disabling an app, tap "Storage and cache" on the App Info screen and tap "Clear cache" then "Clear storage." This removes any data the app accumulated — recovering additional space beyond just disabling it. Do this for every bloatware app you disable.
6
Repeat for every unwanted pre-installed app
Work through the app list systematically. Scroll through every app — sort by size to find the biggest space wasters first. Uninstall what you can. Disable everything else you don't use. This process takes 10 to 20 minutes and makes a noticeable difference to your phone's speed and battery life.
Method 2 — Long-Press From App Drawer (Fastest for Multiple Apps)
For apps you can see directly in your app drawer or home screen, long-pressing is the fastest removal method. You don't need to navigate through Settings — just hold your finger on the app icon for about one second until a menu or action icons appear. Most Android launchers will show an "Uninstall" or "Remove" option directly. This is the best approach when you want to rapidly clear multiple apps without going into Settings for each one individually.
1
Open your app drawer and find the app
Swipe up from your home screen to open the full app drawer. Scroll through to find the pre-installed app you want to remove. If you have lots of apps, use the search function in the app drawer to find it faster.
2
Long-press the app icon for 1 second
A floating menu will appear with options. On most Android phones you'll see "App info," "Uninstall," "Remove," and sometimes "Disable." The options available depend on whether the app is uninstallable or system-protected.
3
Tap "Uninstall" or drag to the Uninstall area
Tap "Uninstall" from the menu. On some launchers, you can drag the app icon to an "Uninstall" or trash bin area at the top of the screen. Confirm when prompted. If only "App info" appears — tap it to go to the App Info screen and Disable from there.
Method 3 — Remove System Apps Using ADB From PC (No Root Required)
Some system apps — especially deeply embedded manufacturer apps like Samsung's Bixby, Xiaomi's GetApps, or carrier bloatware — can't be uninstalled or even disabled through the Settings menu. The "Disable" button is greyed out and you're stuck. ADB (Android Debug Bridge) bypasses this restriction completely. Using a free tool on your PC, you can permanently uninstall any app — including protected system apps — without rooting your phone. The app is removed for your user account only (not from the system partition itself), which means it's gone from your experience but can be restored with a factory reset. This is actually the safer approach — you get all the benefits of removal without the irreversibility of root-based deletion.
1
Enable Developer Options on your Android phone
Go to Settings → About Phone → tap "Build Number" seven times rapidly. You'll see "You are now a developer." Then go to Settings → Developer Options → enable "USB Debugging." This allows your PC to communicate with your phone.
2
Download ADB Platform Tools on your PC
Go to developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools and download the Platform Tools package for Windows, Mac, or Linux. Extract the ZIP to a simple folder like C:\adb\. This folder now contains the adb.exe tool you need.
3
Connect your phone and open a command window in the ADB folder
Connect your phone to your PC via USB. On Windows, open File Explorer, navigate to, click the address bar, type, and press Enter — a Command Prompt window opens directly in that folder. On Mac/Linux, open Terminal and navigate or wherever you extracted the tools.
4
Verify your phone is connected
Type adb devices and press Enter. Your phone's serial number should appear in the list. If it shows "unauthorized" — unlock your phone and tap "Allow" on the USB debugging prompt that appears. If nothing appears, try a different USB cable or port.
5
Find the package name of the app you want to remove
Every Android app has a unique package name (like com.facebook.katana for Facebook). To find it: go to Settings → Apps → tap the app → scroll down to see the package name.
