How To Remove Pre-Installed Apps on Android

Daisy Raines

Sep 26, 2023 • Filed to: Manage Device Data • Proven solutions

person holding android phone

Smartphones wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining, useful, and addictive if it weren’t for all the apps that keep demanding your attention. Shopping apps, socializing apps, entertainment apps, educational apps – you have everything you need right there on your phone. It’s no wonder US smartphone users check their phones as much as 256 times a day on average!

However, there’s quite a difference between the fun, usable apps you’ve downloaded and some of the annoying pre-installed apps that do nothing but take up your phone’s memory. If you’re tired of the default apps that run in the background and slow down your phone, it might be time to get rid of them.

How to uninstall pre-installed apps on Android without impairing your phone’s performance? Let’s find out.

Part 1. What Are Pre-Installed Apps on Android?

android apps

Before deciding whether you should remove default apps on Android, you should know what they are. Default apps come pre-installed on your phone when you first buy it. Many of them are highly useful and critical to your phone’s proper functioning, such as the Contacts app, Galaxy Store app, or the ConfigAPK that handles the automatic installation of third-party apps.

However, while there are plenty of useful pre-installed apps, there’s also plenty of bloatware.

Since Google powers Android, it will come with many pre-installed Google apps, for instance – Google Drive, Gmail, Google Play Store, YouTube, and the like. Though some might not be critical to your phone’s proper functioning, they’re still considered system-level apps and could cause problems if you try to delete them.

That’s why you need to be careful when you try to uninstall pre-installed apps on Android and learn the proper way to do it.

Part 2. Deleting Pre-Installed Apps on Android Manually

android smartphone apps

When you first start looking into how to delete permanent apps on Android, you’ll find several potential options. The first one you should try is the manual option.

Depending on which app you want to delete from your phone, manually removing it could be the easiest way to approach this.

Here’s how to remove default apps from Android manually:

  • Step 1: Find your phone’s Settings;

android settings

  • Step 2: Tap on Apps;

android apps

  • Step 3: Locate the app you want to remove;
  • Step 4: Tap Uninstall > OK.

android app uninstall

In some instances, it takes no more than this to uninstall default apps on Android. Depending on your phone, the OS version you’re using, and the app you want to remove, uninstalling manually should be no problem.

Part 3. Removing Defaults Apps on Android Using Google Play Store

On occasion, locating pre-installed apps through the settings on your phone can be more challenging than it first appears. Fortunately, there’s an alternative. Depending on the app you want to remove, you could uninstall it directly through your Google Play Store.

Here’s how to delete pre-installed apps on Android:

  • Step 1: Open Google Play Store;
  • Step 2: Tap on your profile picture in the upper right-hand corner;
  • Step 3: Select Manage Apps and Device > Manage;

google play manage apps and devices

  • Step 4: Select the app you want to delete;
  • Step 5: In the upper right-hand corner, tap on the Bin > Uninstall.

google play store delete app

If the app cannot be deleted, you can use the same method to avoid future updates and prevent the app from taking up more space than necessary on your phone.

Part 4. Uninstalling Default Apps Tips: Using Wondershare Dr.Fone

While your phone has many default apps that you likely never use, it’s not always a great idea to play around with them and try and delete them. Flagged as system-level apps, hitting the uninstall, delete, or force stop buttons on them could harm your phone.

You could accidentally delete important files, such as your contacts, pictures, videos, and music, with no way of getting them back.

That’s why it’s in your best interest to back up your phone before you start figuring out how to uninstall pre-installed apps. You can seamlessly back up and transfer all phone data with Wondershare Dr.Fone.

Wondershare Dr.Fone

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It takes just a single click to copy all your essential files and transfer them to your PC, other Android phone, or even iPhone.

Here’s how to back up your phone with Wondershare Dr.Fone:

  • Step 1: Launch Wondershare Dr.Fone on your PC and connect your Android phone to it;

dr phone interface

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  • Step 2: Select the files you want to transfer;

dr phone file transfer

  • Step 3: Select Export > Export to PC;
  • Step 4: Select your save path and click OK. 

Repeat the process for all file types you want to back up and transfer to ensure that they remain safe and sound when you start deleting unwanted default apps from your Android.

Part 5. Disabling Pre-Installed Apps That Can’t Be Removed

All the aforementioned guides on how to delete default apps on Android will only work if the apps can be deleted. In some instances, you cannot delete system-level apps by default. You can, however, disable them.

Here’s how to disable pre-installed apps that you can’t remove:

  • Step 1: Go to your phone’s Settings;
  • Step 2: Tap on Apps;
  • Step 3: Select the app you want to disable;
  • Step 4: Tap Disable > Disable App.

disable app on android

This won’t completely delete the app from your phone. However, it will minimize the space it uses and prevent the app from downloading and installing updates.

Part 6. FAQs

FAQs about WhatsApp transferring to new phone

Default apps can take up unnecessary space on your phone, hindering its performance and slowing down its responsiveness. If you’re not using these apps and they’re not critical to your phone’s proper functioning, it’s in your best interest to remove them and save up some space.
You cannot remove all default apps. Many apps like Contacts, Camera, Messages, and more are essential if you want your phone to run smoothly. You shouldn’t try to delete essential system-level apps as that could potentially break your phone and result in lost files.
Some apps, such as YouTube, aren’t essential to your phone’s proper functioning, but you still cannot delete them. They can, however, be disabled. Disabling them will prevent them from running in the background and downloading or installing new updates.
safe Downloadsafe & secure

Conclusion

Some pre-installed Android apps can be annoying, slowing down your phone, hindering its performance, and causing glitches. While not all of them can easily be uninstalled, many can, at the very least, be disabled to prevent future issues.

Fortunately, learning how to uninstall default apps in Android and disable them is an easy process. Whether you choose the manual method or go through the Google Play Store, getting rid of apps you don’t want takes moments.If you're looking for a more efficient way of managing your Android apps, you can check here for our recommendation of the top Android desktop managers.

Daisy Raines

staff Editor

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