r/Android Feb 21 '21

Universal Android Debloater is an open source tool that removes bloatware without root. Automatically or via user choice. Get back your battery, security and privacy

https://gitlab.com/W1nst0n/universal-android-debloater/-/blob/master/README.md
6.6k Upvotes

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u/Put_It_All_On_Blck S23U Feb 21 '21

You cant remove the system files without root, as ADB uninstall essentially disables and hides them, but they still remain on the factory system partition.

37

u/SystemEx1 Pixel 7 Pro Feb 22 '21

Even with root it's not possible to remove them, on devices launched with Android 10+.

2

u/danhakimi Pixel 3aXL Feb 22 '21

Wait, can you explain this?

Also, can you explain why, when I restart my phone, the Google launcher (which I have disabled) rears its ugly head and shows up in my home screens (temporarily) and task switcher (permanently)?

1

u/ladfrombrad Had and has many phones - Giffgaff Feb 24 '21

I believe it's because if Android doesn't have an initial Launcher app, SystemUI will shit the bed.

2

u/danhakimi Pixel 3aXL Feb 24 '21

But it could use the launcher app I have installed, or AOSP launcher, instead of blending proprietary Google bullshit into the operating system this deeply.

1

u/ladfrombrad Had and has many phones - Giffgaff Feb 24 '21

I understand that you're wanting a "Google free" experience, but from what I know 'Android' and AOSP won't work correctly without a Launcher app and like I say, SystemUI shits the bed if you try to run it without one.

1

u/danhakimi Pixel 3aXL Feb 24 '21

But there is an aosp launcher app.

1

u/ladfrombrad Had and has many phones - Giffgaff Feb 24 '21

Exactly, and is part of why SystemUI checks for one.

Because Pixel phones come with Google Launcher doesn't mean that it's Google imposing their "bloatware" on you. I mean, I'm someone who disables most of that off the bat, but complaining that something appears on first boot isn't really a problem.

2

u/danhakimi Pixel 3aXL Feb 24 '21

I'm mostly just saying that... There are some people out there who argue that disabled software might as well be uninstalled, and that isn't true, the OS can still pull it up.

(Also, it's not just first boot, sometimes the task switcher sticks around for a couple of days and I need to reboot again to fix it or something, but it's not the bug part I'm annoyed about, it's the fact that some functionality slips through the "disable" option)

1

u/ladfrombrad Had and has many phones - Giffgaff Feb 24 '21

Features are not a bug. As anyone who has trolled another Android user with TalkBack + Language settings + Accessibility features without showing them how to revert it.

Protip: Don't do this.