In Android we have inherited many computer terms that do not always fit perfectly. Bloatware is one of them. Traditionally it meant an app that was too busy and heavy, although over time it has turned to apps that come with the operating system and hardly anyone is interested. The useless apps , come on.
Fortunately, we have left behind the worst era of bloatware on Android, when mobile phones came with dozens of pre-installed apps from different manufacturer partners, but bloatware still exists . We tell you what exactly it is, why it is not recommended and what you can do to get rid of this type of application .
What is bloatware
Bloatware is the combination of bloat (inflated) and ware , and today it has two meanings. On the one hand, software that has been bloated with features , taking up a lot of space, and often being slow , is considered bloatware . Classic examples of bloatware are the Nero Burning ROM suite for Windows or, on our phones, the Facebook app .
Bloatware are both bloated apps and those that inflate the operating system, since they come pre-installed. In Android, it usually refers to this second meaning.
However, over time bloatware has also been applied to “applications that bloat the operating system”. That is, the pre-installed apps that we usually don’t want . Interestingly, this also applies to the Facebook app, which still comes pre-installed on many phones today.
While our Android mobile comes with essential apps for its use, such as the camera app, gallery or music player, other apps are added there by strategic agreements between brands. Some common suspects are Facebook, OneDrive, LinkedIn, Amazon, and the odd game. Whether you like them or not, they are there.
Why bloatware harms your mobile
Bloatware is subjective. For those who use the Samsung Email app that comes with One UI, it is a useful app. For those who don’t, bloatware.
In a way, bloatware is subjective. Your mobile comes with certain applications pre-installed and, if you use them, you will save yourself downloading them (although the version that comes with the mobile is probably outdated anyway). If you don’t use them, then you probably consider it bloatware .
Bloatware is not a type of malware, they are simply apps that come with the mobile from which sometimes you cannot easily get rid of. Taking into account the above, the way in which bloatware affects your mobile is by hogging resources when it is not even an app that interests you .
IN ENGADGET ANDROID
How to clean your Android mobile thoroughly: erase all the garbage safely
These resources are various. On the one hand, storage space . Your mobile has a certain storage space that is divided between different partitions . Pre-installed apps are usually not on the user partition, but whichever partition you inflate, it’s wasted space.
With mobiles with 256 or 512 GB storage, this is not too much of a problem nowadays, although these apps can also be updated, in which case they will deduct space from the user partition, in addition to the possible storage that their data occupies. If the app is also running on its own, it will also use RAM and CPU power.
The problem with bloatware is that they are apps that you don’t want and they are on your mobile hogging storage, RAM, battery and data, while they fill up the app drawer making it more difficult to find the apps that do interest you
Usually bloatware will leave you and your phone’s resources alone if you ignore it, but it’s still possible that it will run when certain conditions are met , such as when the phone is restarted. We cannot forget that this type of app could also use mobile data.
However, the biggest drawback of bloatware is psychological. It ‘s an app you don’t want and it’s on your phone, taking up space and making it harder for you to find the apps you’re interested in. If this is your case, we will tell you how to get rid of bloatware on your Android mobile.
How to get rid of bloatware on Android
Disabling an app causes it to get out of the way and not use resources
Now that we know a bit more about bloatware, let’s see how we can remove it. First of all, we must investigate what type of bloatware it is, since some apps come pre-installed but can be uninstalled like any other app. This is the best case.
The best thing that can happen to you is that the pre-installed app can be uninstalled just like any other. If not, you have several options to get these types of apps out of the way.
When a pre-installed app cannot be uninstalled, the only thing you can do is disable it, which uninstalls any updates it had installed (freeing up space on the user partition), reverts to the version that came with the system, and hides the app from the drawer Of applications. The app cannot be reopened until you enable it again. These are the steps:
- Enter the mobile settings
- Go to Applications
- Tap on See all
- Tap on the menu ⋮ and choose Show system
- Tap on the app you want to disable
- Tap Disableand confirm your intent
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to disable all pre-installed apps using the above method. Some applications will have a disable button (sometimes called turn off ) that cannot be pressed.
You can still disable these apps, though you’ll need to do so via ADB commands , which is a bit more involved . You will need to download ADB and connect to your mobile with it, then use the command pm uninstall -k –user 0 nombre.del.paquete, changing package.name to the application identifier. If this is too complicated, Universal Android Debloater is a graphical interface for PC with which you can do the same thing, but visually.
Disabling a pre-installed app gets rid of bloatware problems, as the app hides itself and doesn’t use more resources, but sometimes it’s not enough. If you absolutely hate an app to the point where it’s personal, then if you can’t just disable it you can always uninstall it altogether, if you’re rooted .
RootUninstaller
With root and a rooted app uninstaller like Root Uninstaller , you can uninstall whatever you want, bloatware or not. Of course, remember that with great power comes great responsibility, and it is possible that the mobile software needs that app that you have uninstalled and error messages appear. This is the summary of everything you can do to get rid of bloatware on an Android mobile:
- If the app can be uninstalled. So, uninstall it like any other app and goodbye. It won’t come back until maybe the next time the system is updated.
- If the app cannot be uninstalled, you may still be able to disable it. A disabled app uses no resources and is hidden from the app drawer.
- If the app cannot be disabled, you should be able to disable it using ADB commands .
- If you want to uninstall the app at all costs, you can always do it, if you have the mobile with root .
