Database Users

[Guide]List of apps safe to remove

This is a list of safe/unsafe apps to remove from stock roms.
Generally for other regions/carrier roms anything not included should be safe to remove.
Safe in this case is defined as "will not affect the stability of the rom" removing carrier apps is "safe" for the rom, but weither or not it's useful to keep is beyond the scope of this guide. An example is removing the carrier specific mms app. It can function correctly without it, but you lose any carrier specific enhancements.
General Guideline
NOT safe to remove:
com.android.*
com.dell.* (excluding com.dell.launcher, com.dell.stage.*)
com.google.android.* (that isnt available on market)
PreLoadNetworkSettings.apk [com.oem.prenetworksetting]
Safe to remove:
com.oem.engineeringmode.*
anything available on market
anything not listed here
Possibly Not safe to remove:
Package (OTA) util
PackageChecker.apk [com.oem.packagechecker]
PackageUpdate.apk [com.oem.packageupdate]
Safe to remove:
AMOLED.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.amoled]
CableDetection.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.cabledetection]
Calibrator.apk [com.oem.calibrator]
CellInfo.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.cellinfo]
ConfidentialRunningTest.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.runningtest]
DisplayVersionInfo.apk [com.oem.mode]
dtretriever.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.dtretriever]
ECompass.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.ecompass]
EMList and subapps
audioEM.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.audioEM]
BluetoothEM.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.BluetoothEM]
cameraEM.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.cameraEM]
EMList.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.emlist]
EMLoader.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.EMLoader]
EMwifi.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.wifi]
GpsEM.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.gpsem]
FactorySuiteUtility.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.suitutility]
FakeCB.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.fakecb]
GPIO subapps
Gpio.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.gpio]
GpioSleepMode.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.gpiosleepmode]
GSensor.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.gsensor]
Logging apps
LogMaster2.apk [com.oem.log]
LogService.apk [com.oem.logservice]
Lota.apk [com.oem.lota]
MaxPowerTest.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.maxpowertest]
mccmnc.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.mccmnc]
mminfo.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.mminfo]
NetWorkSetting.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.networksetting]
NVEngMode.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.nv]
OOD_OOM.apk [com.oem.testkits.ood_oom]
PermissionToAccessLocApi.apk [com.qualcomm.permission.locapi]
PowerMonitor.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.powermonitor]
security.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.security]
SensorsInfo.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.SensorsInfo]
SIMInfo.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.siminfo]
TouchPanel.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.touch]
Verification apps
FactoryTestSIMCard.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationsimcard]
Verification.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verification]
VerificationAudio.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.VerificationAudio]
VerificationBluetooth.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verification.bluetooth]
VerificationCamEEPROM.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationcameeprom]
VerificationEcampass.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verification.ecampass]
VerificationGaugeIcTemp.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verification.gaugeictemp]
VerificationGaugeIcVoltage.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verification.gaugeicvoltage]
VerificationGSensorTest.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationGSensorTest]
VerificationHdmi.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationVerificationHdmi]
VerificationHeadset.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.VerificationHeadset]
VerificationKey.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationkey]
VerificationLCD.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationlcd]
VerificationLPSensorTest.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationLPSensorTest]
VerificationLPSensorUtility.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationlpsensorutility]
VerificationSDCard.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationsdcard]
VerificationSingleTouch.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verification.singletouch]
VerificationUsbCharging.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verification.usbcharging]
VerificationVibratorAndLed.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.crt]
VerificationWifi.apk [com.oem.engineeringmode.verificationwifi]
Bundleware (available in market):
ACCUWX.apk [com.accuweather.android.simpleweatherlite.dellstreak]
amazonmp3.apk [com.amazon.mp3]
com.adobe.air.apk [com.adobe.air]
com.facebook.katana [com.facebook.katana]
com.twitter.android.apk [com.twitter.android]
copilot.apk [com.alk.copilot.dell.trial]
evernote.apk [com.evernote]
Gallery3D.apk [com.cooliris.media]
KindleGold.apk [com.amazon.kindle]
KongregateArcade.apk [com.kongregate.android.kongarcade]
Napster-Tablet.apk [com.napster.bishop]
NeroDellSync.apk [com.nero.android.dellsync]
oovoo.apk [com.oovoo]
PageOnce.apk [com.netgate]
Quickoffice.apk [com.qo.android.oemec]
radiotime.apk [tunein.player]
RoxioNow.apk [com.roxio.rnow]
ZinioReader.apk [com.zinio.mobile.android]
ZinioSettingsProvider.apk [com.zinio.android.settings]
GApps (available in market):
Gmail.apk [com.google.android.gm]
GoogleQuickSearchBox.apk [com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox]
Maps.apk [com.google.android.apps.maps]
Street.apk [com.google.android.street]
VoiceSearch.apk [com.google.android.voicesearch]
Youtube.apk [com.google.android.youtube]
StageUI:
BooksStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.books]
ContactsStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.contacts]
EmailStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.email]
HomeStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.home]
MusicStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.music]
NewsStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.news]
PicturesStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.pictures]
RadioStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.radio]
SocialStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.social]
StageLauncher-release.apk [com.dell.launcher]
VideoStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.video]
WebStageWidget-release.apk [com.dell.stage.widget.web]
Non system apps:
CarDock.apk [com.google.android.carhome]
DRMPlayer.apk [com.arcsoft.drmplayer]
swype.apk [com.swype.android.inputmethod]

It's time consuming to go through and delete the unwanted stuff using Root Uninstaller, but I believe it to be time well spent if only to provide a bit more space on the internal MicroSD. Perhaps someone should write an automated script that will allow the user to delete the APKs in the "Safe To Remove" section of the post?
Removing things like Stage UI and the bundleware should be left out of such a script, since every user is different.

The bundleware is more or less safe to remove, just as much they're usually older versions of what's available on market, you'd still need to update and would end up with 2 copies on your system. The current version at /data/app and the original older version at /system/app
Root explorer has a mass select button btw if you use that, I believe it also works for deleting but I'm not 100% sure. Only thing to be careful of is uninstalling a system critical file, though you can just as easily manually uninstall one by accident.
There's actually more stuff that can safely be removed, only the rom is the only way to get it as you cant download it normally. (eg swype and drmplayer, though swype beta is available as a slightly different thing)

I wasn't questioning the safety of removing the bundleware, since I removed most of it along with all the engineering stuff and the Stage UI yesterday. All I was saying is that in a script those things shouldn't be included because of individual user preferences.

Nice work bruv!!:d

Added a couple more apps into list, turns out everything in com.oem.* is not required (if you ignore being able to use OTA updates, but as noone uses them to begin with)
Dont remove dellsettingsprovider.apk though, it's needed for dock mode with an official dock.

out of curiosity did you guys figure out what are all those com.engineeringmode.* apps? to be honest, removing something like gsensor.apk sounds scary

If you force them to run by making a custom activity shortcut, they mostly do exactly what they sound like.
Majority of them lets you test a single function (ie what they're named after). They're all essentinally debug utils. Dell might have them included because it makes fixing returned devices easier (ie warrentied devices)
Or just as likely they left them in because they're lazy, the entire build system for the s5 is a bit of a mess. They fixed it for building venue and streak 7 roms but they never bothered to go back and fix it.
Though all these apps are also included in stock venue and s7 roms

So before removing these apps do a nandroid backup. Will the nandroid save these files? Also can u do this with Gingerstreak?
Sent from the SuperStreak! ;-)

Of course nandroid saves it, unless you intentionally dont do a nandroid of system\, which defeats the point of nandroid.
SD2.3 doesnt include these nor does SD2.0

TheManii said:
Of course nandroid saves it, unless you intentionally dont do a nandroid of system\, which defeats the point of nandroid.
SD2.3 doesnt include these nor does SD2.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SD 2.3 doesn't save which ones?
Sent from the SuperStreak! ;-)

I mean SD2.3 doesnt include anything that needs to be removed

TheManii said:
I mean SD2.3 doesnt include anything that needs to be removed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh ok
Sent from the SuperStreak! ;-)

so I decided to remove completely all those apps; so far so good and I'll surely like the slightly higher amount of available RAM
I have found something odd though (albeit almost irrelevant). after uninstalling (via titanium backup) all these apps I have lost one of the two wallpapers galllery (the one with a lot of pictures). Unfortunately I cannot tell which is the app responsible for this as I uninstalled them in bulk (I am not even 100% sure the two facts are related as more tweaking was going on and I discovered the issue only hours later).
well as I stated before it's not what you call a deal breaker, who uses stock wallpapers anyway but you'd better be advised than sorry!

you likely removed something in com.android.*
wallpapers are set with either:
gallery app
stageui's set
default android live wallpapers
whatever others you downloaded

mmh unlikely mate. I'm not betting my house on this but I'm quite confident I deleted only the apps that are in this very OP. the LWP and the 2-images-only galleries anyway are still there, i think it's something related to stage.

crashDebug said:
mmh unlikely mate. I'm not betting my house on this but I'm quite confident I deleted only the apps that are in this very OP. the LWP and the 2-images-only galleries anyway are still there, i think it's something related to stage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is the stage UI. I LOVE the "beach & sea" one and lost it after removing stage ui
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk

Updated list, there are a couple com.oem apps that are boarderline cases of being safe to remove, as they break functionality, but which depends on if that's a good or bad thing.
Case in point: the ota tools can be safely removed, but obviously break ota updates. If you're on a custom rom this wouldnt work anyway as custom roms dont support ota updates.

Experience uninstalling these apps, based on 2.2.2 351 00:
Deleted the package apps = could not uninstall using Settings - App. Tried restarting phone as possible solution but got stuck on boot image.
Does cabledetection have anything to do with attaching with usb to pc? Gone, cannot use Streak as USB storage device in pc.
Note that many other appd can be removed too. Check Cyanogen barebones for detailed descriptions.
Question: Why is it impossible to "restore" apps I remove? Titanium simply does not work. At least with such far out ventures as removing, by accident though, and I had made a backup of everything, so it shoulf have been possible, the Accounts and Sync Settings apk.
Analogously - copying and pasting in RootExplorer does nothing at all, as is the case with trying to reinstall removed apps.
Anyways, lots of stuff can be removed. I even removed Market, to save resources, since I never download any apps from there anway.

You would be better off doing a nandroid backup before you muck around with the files. That way if something DOES happen you can go back to the original configuration. As to Titanium Backup, various versions of the app have had problems with restoring apps, corrupting not only the app, but the app's data as well. For backup purposes, Titanium Backup is not recommended. Nandroid instead.

Want to save more battry and Ram..

Its Very Easy....
1) Use Greenify (We All know About it)
Second Method Is Below.
>Go To
A)Settings
B)Apps
C)Click Any Apps And Select Any Pre Installed App
(Ex.. Google Play Games or Any other app which you Use Rarely)
Now click Disable To Disable It...
Tadaaa its Done.. Now Disable what u want And Save More Battry And Ram.
You Can Also Enable It. :beer:

dont want to be an ass
but.......
being root you can delete those system apps like google music, movies, books, etc, all that crap bloatware
i believe if you restart the phone they will be active again, so it is better to delete them, also titanium backup can freeze those apps

Using App Quarantine myself to disable unwanted apps.
If you are rooted you can even freeze apps that usually can not be frozen.
After a restart the apps remain frozen.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ramdroid.appquarantine

maurocds said:
dont want to be an ass
but.......
being root you can delete those system apps like google music, movies, books, etc, all that crap bloatware
i believe if you restart the phone they will be active again, so it is better to delete them, also titanium backup can freeze those apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Itz For NoN Rooted User (Noob)
Sent from my XT1033

maurocds said:
i believe if you restart the phone they will be active again, so it is better to delete them, also titanium backup can freeze those apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, they will stay disabled even after OTA. Only factory reset brings them back.
Very good way for those without root.

bookworth said:
No, they will stay disabled even after OTA. Only factory reset brings them back.
Very good way for those without root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so even if critical apps are disabled on stock , locked , unrooted xt1032, OTA will still be successful?
wont fail due to missing critical system apps?

iluvatrix said:
so even if critical apps are disabled on stock , locked , unrooted xt1032, OTA will still be successful?
wont fail due to missing critical system apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can not disable critical system apps. Just try and you will see.

You can disable apps same way from Android too, it is feature.
Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

what about disabling Google Services Framework?
is this a critical system app?
i am able to disable it.

iluvatrix said:
what about disabling Google Services Framework?
is this a critical system app?
i am able to disable it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you kill play and bunch of other features, not a good idea.
Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

was just using GSF as a quick example
but back to my original question is it better to enable ALL apps before taking OTA to avoid possible failure?
or will disabled apps still be "seen" during OTA updating?
i have disabled most Motorola apps that can be disabled are they considered critical when updating thru Motorola OTA?

iluvatrix said:
so even if critical apps are disabled on stock , locked , unrooted xt1032, OTA will still be successful?
wont fail due to missing critical system apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't delete anything. You just tell the system not to start or use those apps. And as a worst case scenario, if you screw up something so bad that you can't even use the phone (but by default you cannot disable really critical apps without root and 3rd party software), a factory reset will solve it.

maurocds said:
dont want to be an ass
but.......
being root you can delete those system apps like google music, movies, books, etc, all that crap bloatware
i believe if you restart the phone they will be active again, so it is better to delete them, also titanium backup can freeze those apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Terrible and dumb advise.
Remove system apps and every ota on any android device from any manufacturor will crash and fail. Are you going to help clean flash stock Android back to functional for Ota's with people who followed this advise? At least advise to put system apps back before applying OTA. (One can remove system apps and install as more battery and recources friendly user-app. But before OTA uninstall those apps and copy back apk's of those system apps).
But like said disable apps (also non-root) or freeze (only root) them solution. With Greenify Pro and Xposed Framework (root) one can Greenify (do not all but only for system non important) system apps. Without root Greenify can (when Greenify enabled in accesibilty options) force close all in Greenify by user defined unwanted still in background running user apps all at once with a shortcut. Not fake like every task killer in Play Store is.

Becareful with system applications!
I agree with the previous post...don't remove system applications unless you know it's not going to be linked to anything of use to you, and even then I would do a backup just in-case...having a broken installation of android simply due to having deleted some system app in an attempt to save a few MB of RAM would be...unfortunate.

juliatan said:
Terrible and dumb advise.
Remove system apps and every ota on any android device from any manufacturor will crash and fail. Are you going to help clean flash stock Android back to functional for Ota's with people who followed this advise? At least advise to put system apps back before applying OTA. (One can remove system apps and install as more battery and recources friendly user-app. But before OTA uninstall those apps and copy back apk's of those system apps).
But like said disable apps (also non-root) or freeze (only root) them solution. With Greenify Pro and Xposed Framework (root) one can Greenify (do not all but only for system non important) system apps. Without root Greenify can (when Greenify enabled in accesibilty options) force close all in Greenify by user defined unwanted still in background running user apps all at once with a shortcut. Not fake like every task killer in Play Store is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol really? you better use an iphone
i remove system apps of all my cell phone, and guess what, they work perfect, never had issues
and if i did someday i don't care, why? because you are root, you can recover roms, flash, upgrade, etc
and yes, i give advice to people who bricked their phones and give guides and methods of doing it, because bricking phones and recovering them it part of learning

[Q] Galaxy s4 internal memory!!!

hi all, hope someone can help me with this. i bought this phone but it only has like 9gb available, i rooted my device and i wanted to know if there is something i can do to free up memory, since its running low. please help, its the GT-I9505

If you are rooted you can use a program like titanium backup to delete system apps. You nee to be careful i deleted samsung store and it messed with other fuctioning stuff. You might want to find a list of what you can and canot uninstall.

Try flashing a ROM, like Cyanogenmod, that isn't touch wiz based. I did and I haven't had a single lag or internal storage issue. Good luck!

try the Clean Master app from play store

JonanomisK said:
Try flashing a ROM, like Cyanogenmod, that isn't touch wiz based. I did and I haven't had a single lag or internal storage issue. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im a big fan of pure google android, and this touchwiz just isnt for me. can you point me out to a stable rom?

Try using the latest snapshot of cyanogenmod, or one of the latest nightlies both are pretty stable and I use them.

All of the rom touchwiz or non touchwiz will have the same available space i.e 9gb because of the default size samsung has used for the os on this phone. I think the only way to get the full amount is to flash a Chinese version of the rom and to do something with the pit files. I wouldnt go near that if i was a noob to this though because its messing with the partitions
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Root App delete is an unknown extremely powerful app. It will remove and push in a user app and turn it into a system app. It will remove any system app completely. To be safe you can completely disable an app which it completely hides away from the system (doesn't appear at all on reboot) and if anything starts acting up, you simply access the disabled app menu in Root App delete and restore it to resume normal functionality. That's what am using to lighten my current stock rooted s4 rom. It's awesome! Even android v1.6 can run it. You don't need to damage your stock rom just disable and watch over a period of time. If the system remains stable, delete the app permanently, if the default keyboard sucks, install your custom keyboard then push it into the OS for it to become a system app then delete the default keyboard that sucks. This app gives me a field day in making my rom lighter just don't select the Pro option use the Junior, it is very very powerful all for 100% Free. In google play if you care to look alittle harder, all the apps that are paid for, have someone else giving all those features literally for free . I specialize in finding fremium apps. All my apps are fremium apps

[Q] Root Apps that can freeze versus delete

I have used ROM Toolbox and other apps that give the option to either "freeze" or "delete" system apps. I understand that the main reason to freeze is so you can bring it back if it causes instability.
Obviously deleting opens up space, giving you more available. Other than that, is choosing between freezing or deleting the same as far as performance? I know I might use ROM Toolbox to freeze an app, but looking at it in System App Remover Pro by Jumble still shows those apps as it they are still there - although they are frozen.
The reason I ask is that I am still using about 80% of ram all of the time. I have extensively frozen apps, but have tried to avoid full deletes.
I am on muniz_ri method of installing lollipop: "[How-To] Update to G900VVRU1BOA8 5.0 & KeepRoot (2/3/2015)"
Thank you!

GGP SM-G530W Debloater?

Hello new here and while I have done some searches I am not quite finding what I am looking for which is maybe because I am not asking the right questions or searching for the right terms so hopefully someone can direct me to the right place!
I have an old Galaxy Grand Prime Sm-G530W running Android 5.1.1. It has 8gb storage and I would like to maybe remove some of the apps that I wont use, are not useful or are just bloatware.
However I am not sure what apps are what and which one I should avoid removing?
The phone will be used primary to make calls, will not be on a data and only use free wifi hotspot and the wife from my home.
I would like to maybe keep some kind of google maps ability, I do not want chrome but rather would use firefox along with ad blockers etc I know work well for me on FF.
I have have done some research but not a phone expert by far so I am not sure I want to root my phone, install custom roms. I read something about remove bloatware via "remove the pre installed apps using ADB commands" however figured I get some tips advice from people that know what they are talking about.
Ideally it would be great if there was some kind of program I can just plug into from my PC or some such that allows me to then simply remove the samsung and google bloat or unwanted programs so I could gain more room for apps I do want.
Right now after factory reset it uses like 3.50GB out of 8gb.
is there any Debloat program I can use on it out there?

smdebloat said:
Hello new here and while I have done some searches I am not quite finding what I am looking for which is maybe because I am not asking the right questions or searching for the right terms so hopefully someone can direct me to the right place!
I have an old Galaxy Grand Prime Sm-G530W running Android 5.1.1. It has 8gb storage and I would like to maybe remove some of the apps that I wont use, are not useful or are just bloatware.
However I am not sure what apps are what and which one I should avoid removing?
The phone will be used primary to make calls, will not be on a data and only use free wifi hotspot and the wife from my home.
I would like to maybe keep some kind of google maps ability, I do not want chrome but rather would use firefox along with ad blockers etc I know work well for me on FF.
I have have done some research but not a phone expert by far so I am not sure I want to root my phone, install custom roms. I read something about remove bloatware via "remove the pre installed apps using ADB commands" however figured I get some tips advice from people that know what they are talking about.
Ideally it would be great if there was some kind of program I can just plug into from my PC or some such that allows me to then simply remove the samsung and google bloat or unwanted programs so I could gain more room for apps I do want.
Right now after factory reset it uses like 3.50GB out of 8gb.
is there any Debloat program I can use on it out there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello member of this small community, well the best way to remove bloatware is by root, the process is relatively simple.
1) Download the twrp recovery (.tar) belonging to the model you have.
2) Install it through Odin
3) Install Magisk Manager
With this done you can use applications such as root uninstaller, another alternative is to look if there is a custom rom for your model, but do not expect much as many roms have been abandoned and only a new project is kept alive, if the current rom does not present problems in performance, I recommend you leave it alone and start removing junk apps, another recommendation is to install SD maid, a great app for cleaning junk content of the phone.