Database Users

[Q] Removing Bloat...

Hey everyone!
Has anyone else started disabling some of the Samsung bloat? I've disabled these without any problems, so far:
Animated Photo
BlurbCheckout
ChatON
Google Play Games
Google+ (caused Hangouts and a couple other Google Apps to crash, but everything seems to be fine after a reboot)
Group Play
SNS (Not exactly sure what this is, but it uses the Facebook logo)
TripAdvisor
Twitter
Has anyone had any luck disabling anything else?

Just in case anyone else is pursuing similar things, I've had success disabling these too:
Active Apps Manager
Bubbles
PageBuddyNotiSvc
Phase beam
Photo Screensavers
Picasa Uploader
S Translator
S Voice
Samsung Apps Widget
Samsung Link
Samsung Print Service
Screen Saver
Travel Wallpaper

How do you disable them exactly?

JCT1212 said:
How do you disable them exactly?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In settings select the "General" tab and then select "Application Manager." Once in the application manager you select an app and click "Turn off." You'll get some warnings, click through them and the app will be disabled. Some apps will have updates and it'll say something about uninstalling the updates. I normally hit force stop and disable notifications as well.

Hopefully Samsung re-optimizes touchwiz so we don't have to be disabling stuff on a 600 dollar tablet

have you seen performance/Battery increases by disabling these apps? is there any major functionality lost?

Is there a way to get rid of or disable the magazine thing? I've gone in through the application manager and turned it off along with the other my magazine thing, but it's still enabled. I really don't know why I would want the magazine thing.

Disable apps

What are the recommended apps to disable and/or get rid of? I did a factory reset because of nasty wake locks and trying to figure everything that can be disabled without losing features or anything. I know some of this is subjective, but still like some ideas. Thanks.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

List of them
jagrave said:
What are the recommended apps to disable and/or get rid of? I did a factory reset because of nasty wake locks and trying to figure everything that can be disabled without losing features or anything. I know some of this is subjective, but still like some ideas. Thanks.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.if you have two tts then disable one!
2.if you dont use apk's like chaton you can uninstall or disable it!
3.you can disable widgets that you dont use!
4.you can disable system lockscreen if you are using any second lockscreen from playstore.
5.disable useless apk's like samsung hub, watchon, Samsung apps etc.
Hit thanks if i helped you!

Mehul mehta said:
1.if you have two tts then disable one!
2.if you dont use apk's like chaton you can uninstall or disable it!
3.you can disable widgets that you dont use!
4.you can disable system lockscreen if you are using any second lockscreen from playstore.
5.disable useless apk's like samsung hub, watchon, Samsung apps etc.
Hit thanks if i helped you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is tts? I think part of the problem is that I don't know what certain things are. For example, wh as the is the travel wallpaper?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

jagrave said:
What is tts? I think part of the problem is that I don't know what certain things are. For example, wh as the is the travel wallpaper?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tts is text to speech! Its used in s voice! And travel wallpaper is for wallpaper scrolling! If you dont want your wallpaper to scroll then you can diaable it! Anything else?

Mehul mehta said:
Tts is text to speech! Its used in s voice! And travel wallpaper is for wallpaper scrolling! If you dont want your wallpaper to scroll then you can diaable it! Anything else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You said if you have two tts, where would I find them? One isn't showing up under all my apps.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Tts
Two tts means mybe you have google tts and samsung tts both on your s5!so you u can disable one!
Go to settings and then to application manager in general tab!
Go to system apps and go through the list of apps!
Background apks like tts never show in the apps!

Mehul mehta said:
Two tts means mybe you have google tts and samsung tts both on your s5!so you u can disable one!
Go to settings and then to application manager in general tab!
Go to system apps and go through the list of apps!
Background apks like tts never show in the apps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK I see them. Which one should I disable, Samsung or google?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

By the way s5 is awesome! Even my s2 is completely s5
The useless one is samsung tts you can disable that one!

Mehul mehta said:
The useless one is samsung tts you can disable that one!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Won't let me disable that one lol
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Until I can completely remove some bloat, I have the following turned off so far. It's by no means a thorough list.
Accessories
Audible
BlurbCheckout
Calculator (installed 3rd party Calculator)
Caller Name ID
Cloud
FamilyBase Companion
Google Play Books
HP Print Service Plugin
Message+ (Didn't even bother to figer out what this is before I killed it)
Messages (installed Hangouts and/or 3rd party messagin app)
My InfoZone
NFL Mobile
Smart Remote (downloaded the latest WatchOn app from Samsung)
Swype
Verizon Location Agent
Verizon Support and Protection
Verizon Tones
VZ Navigator
As far as the text-to-speech deletion goes, just uninstall whichever ones you don't anticipate needing.
Settings>Language and Input>text-to-speech options>Listen to an example. Really it's personal preference, and uninstalling unused tts voice data only serves to free up internal storage. For example, the "high quality" female English US voice for Google TTS is 244MB, The Samsung high quality voice data is around 90MB per language/gender.

jagrave said:
Won't let me disable that one lol
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung has launched s5 devices with less permissions do to whatever you want! So maybe you have to root your device (which is not possible right now bcoz it will cut your warranty out) So another solution for it is try to search for an app on play store which disables system applications! Without root

I've turned off the following:
Accessories
Audible
Blurb Checkout
Caller Name ID
Family Base Companion
Flipboard
Google Play Books
Google Play Newsstand
IMDb
Isis Mobile Wallet
My InfoZone
My Magazine
NFL Mobile
Samsung Link Platform
Slacker
Smart Remote
VZ Navigator

This is my complete list... everything still works (except the Samsung bloat crap like S-voice and the verizon garbage pre-loaded). I did turn off some Google apps that were needless, and the Samsung fitness stuff (e.g. ANT+ connection, fitness, etc.), in addition to other things (S-pen, fonts, etc.)

ravenofdoom said:
This is my complete list... everything still works (except the Samsung bloat crap like S-voice and the verizon garbage pre-loaded). I did turn off some Google apps that were needless, and the Samsung fitness stuff (e.g. ANT+ connection, fitness, etc.), in addition to other things (S-pen, fonts, etc.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are things like samsung billing, the app that just says samsung galaxy, and samsung link? What do they do?

jagrave said:
What are things like samsung billing, the app that just says samsung galaxy, and samsung link? What do they do?
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Click to collapse
I believe samsung billing is for app purchases through their proprietary app store
Samsung Link is a protocol for connecting only with samsung TV's/laptops - has functionality for screen-mirroring, DLNA only with samsung branded devices.
Samsung Galaxy... I'm not entirely sure what it does to be honest. I've tested fairly extensively if any functionality / apps / services are broken as a result, and everything still seems to work fine. I have a suspicion that this is related to a tutorial/demo function.

ravenofdoom said:
I believe samsung billing is for app purchases through their proprietary app store
Samsung Link is a protocol for connecting only with samsung TV's/laptops - has functionality for screen-mirroring, DLNA only with samsung branded devices.
Samsung Galaxy... I'm not entirely sure what it does to be honest. I've tested fairly extensively if any functionality / apps / services are broken as a result, and everything still seems to work fine. I have a suspicion that this is related to a tutorial/demo function.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah ok, thanks! I see that you have the "Downloads" app turned off. What does that app do? I know it's part of media, which is giving me a lot of wakelocks. The three things that are part of "Media", can you uninstall all three, and what does each one do?

ravenofdoom said:
I believe samsung billing is for app purchases through their proprietary app store
Samsung Link is a protocol for connecting only with samsung TV's/laptops - has functionality for screen-mirroring, DLNA only with samsung branded devices.
Samsung Galaxy... I'm not entirely sure what it does to be honest. I've tested fairly extensively if any functionality / apps / services are broken as a result, and everything still seems to work fine. I have a suspicion that this is related to a tutorial/demo function.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is with 2 hour 11 min screen on time. So Not Bad At All. (Not sure why, but keyboard randomly does that) but it is waking up a lot.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

jagrave said:
Ah ok, thanks! I see that you have the "Downloads" app turned off. What does that app do? I know it's part of media, which is giving me a lot of wakelocks. The three things that are part of "Media", can you uninstall all three, and what does each one do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Downloads app is just an app that shows a history/list of everything you've recently downloaded (e.g. in the downloads folder). I prefer to use ESFileExplorer as it's more versatile as a file manager, and I don't care for an app that tracks file downloads/history.
In previous android versions, I believe the Media app was part of what cached/listed files such as images (thumbnails), music files, docs, etc. I vaguely recall disabling it in the past to find that all my MP3's and photos no longer appeared in the gallery/google music app. I would not disable it if my memory serves me correctly.
Yeah, your battery usage looks about in-par with mine. I came from a GNex and was used to seeing display always overtaking androidOS/systemUI (man, that phone had atrocious battery life and screen-on time)... the GS5 has such a great power-sipping display that I came to the same surprise as you to find it ranks on-par/sometimes below OS usage in a normal day. The battery life on this phone rocks.
EDIT: Media usage will sometimes spike if you've recently added a bunch of new files (photos, mp3's, etc.) to your device, as it's scanning/caching/indexing lists to the files. I'd give it a day or two if that's the case, and you'll see it won't consume much of anything once things are static on your phone.

ravenofdoom said:
Downloads app is just an app that shows a history/list of everything you've recently downloaded (e.g. in the downloads folder). I prefer to use ESFileExplorer as it's more versatile as a file manager, and I don't care for an app that tracks file downloads/history.
In previous android versions, I believe the Media app was part of what cached/listed files such as images (thumbnails), music files, docs, etc. I vaguely recall disabling it in the past to find that all my MP3's and photos no longer appeared in the gallery/google music app. I would not disable it if my memory serves me correctly.
Yeah, your battery usage looks about in-par with mine. I came from a GNex and was used to seeing display always overtaking androidOS/systemUI (man, that phone had atrocious battery life and screen-on time)... the GS5 has such a great power-sipping display that I came to the same surprise as you to find it ranks on-par/sometimes below OS usage in a normal day. The battery life on this phone rocks.
EDIT: Media usage will sometimes spike if you've recently added a bunch of new files (photos, mp3's, etc.) to your device, as it's scanning/caching/indexing lists to the files. I'd give it a day or two if that's the case, and you'll see it won't consume much of anything once things are static on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh OK. I see. So perfectly safe to disable downloads. What about the media app itself? Do you have it disabled? That screen shot with the high media usage, I'm not sure we have it was so high. It's first time it has been like that and I haven't added any more music. Another question.
Do You Know What The Chrome sandbox is? And does your keyboard ever do that thing with the capital letters?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

jagrave said:
Oh OK. I see. So perfectly safe to disable downloads. What about the media app itself? Do you have it disabled? That screen shot with the high media usage, I'm not sure we have it was so high. It's first time it has been like that and I haven't added any more music. Another question.
Do You Know What The Chrome sandbox is? And does your keyboard ever do that thing with the capital letters?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have the media app disabled and wouldn't recommend it. I also wouldn't disable chrome sandbox ( though I'm not sure of its function, its installed alongside the app so it may be a plugin for other apps).
Not sure what keyboard caps problem you're referring to. I use only the android keyboard (not Samsung nor Swype).

Using NoBloat Free to Disable Flipboard and My Magazine

I have disabled many of the bloatware or other unwanted software within my Note 3. However, I cannot find the specific system apps to disable Flipboard and My Magazine. Does anyone have an idea as to which system apps should be disabled?
As a side note, I already know I can turn of the My Magazine functionality by removing the option to open the app with the Home button. However, My Magazine will still open if you swipe up from the button of the device. I want to disable that (and Flipboard) completely.

notethreeuser said:
I have disabled many of the bloatware or other unwanted software within my Note 3. However, I cannot find the specific system apps to disable Flipboard and My Magazine. Does anyone have an idea as to which system apps should be disabled?
As a side note, I already know I can turn of the My Magazine functionality by removing the option to open the app with the Home button. However, My Magazine will still open if you swipe up from the button of the device. I want to disable that (and Flipboard) completely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will only be able to disable them if you are rooted. If you are you can either freeze them with Titanium Backup (or similar app) or uninstall them completely. Be aware however that removing My Magazine (I'm not sure if this happens when freezing) will break Samsung Keyboard. They are integrated into each other as Samsung has done with most of their apps to prevent pirating.
If you like having the option of using the S Pen keyboard when using your pen there is an alternative. For my normal keyboard I use SwiftKey, but you can use whatever you like. What you'll need to download from the Play Store is Stylus Beta (It is a pretty nice alternative to Samsung's writing keyboard) as well as SPenBoardSwitcher (requires root). The switcher app allows you to set which keyboard activates when the S Pen is Inactive and Active so you don't have to switch them yourself.
I hope this wasn't more info than you wanted. Good luck.

notethreeuser said:
I have disabled many of the bloatware or other unwanted software within my Note 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
kinstre11 said:
Be aware however that removing My Magazine (I'm not sure if this happens when freezing) will break Samsung Keyboard. They are integrated into each other as Samsung has done with most of their apps to prevent pirating,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, kinstre11. My device is already rooted. I didn't explicitly state that fact; however, since NoBloat Free requires root, I presumed people would infer my device is rooted.
In all the forums I have read about My Magazine, you are the first person to reference anything about the default Samsung keyboard being integrated with My Magazine. That being said, I am not trying to remove My Magazine. I am simply trying to disable it. I have used NoBloat Free to disable various apps such as all Amazon apps, Knox, Gear (will not get the watch), all the Google Play apps except the Google Play Store, OTA updates, and the default browser. I can always go back in and enable whatever app I want.
Can anyone corroborate Kinstre11's statement regarding My Magazine and the keyboard? Will this only come into play when My Magazine is removed or simply disabled?

notethreeuser said:
Thank you, kinstre11. My device is already rooted. I didn't explicitly state that fact; however, since NoBloat Free requires root, I presumed people would infer my device is rooted.
Will this only come into play when My Magazine is removed or simply disabled?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have actually never heard of the app so I didn't know the requirements.
As for your last question you can always simply test it. If it breaks the keyboard when disable simply reinable it.

Facebook app cant be uninstalled?

Why the hell can i not uninstall the facebook app? I only received the phone like an hour ago but so far iam very happy! No issues etc I was just uninstalling some apps however and was quiet please that theres very little bloatware but the one remaining app i want to delete 'Facebook' cannot be deleted! Why? The facebook app was always an app that was up to the user wether they wanted it or not! After all..... not everyone uses facebook and not everyone wants to use the app so why force it on us with no option to uninstall?

Blaalad12 said:
Why the hell can i not uninstall the facebook app? I only received the phone like an hour ago but so far iam very happy! No issues etc I was just uninstalling some apps however and was quiet please that theres very little bloatware but the one remaining app i want to delete 'Facebook' cannot be deleted! Why? The facebook app was always an app that was up to the user wether they wanted it or not! After all..... not everyone uses facebook and not everyone wants to use the app so why force it on us with no option to uninstall?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's odd, mine came without Facebook installed. Are you on any provider-customized phone?

joeyvanhummel said:
That's odd, mine came without Facebook installed. Are you on any provider-customized phone?
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Click to collapse
No mine is factory unlocked! Ironically theres very little bloatware on this device in comparison to previous devices! Iam impressed!! Facebook is probably the only app pre installed that i don't want but sadly i cannot uninstall it

I think Facebook is part of operating system installed on the phone, so it's kind of permanent, but you can disable it and that was the first thing I did on my phone. However for some strange reason facebook installation manager is used by Oculus to install it's VR applications and since my kids use VR to play sometimes, I had to enable it back, but facebook application itself can be disabled.

pete4k said:
I think Facebook is part of operating system installed on the phone, so it's kind of permanent, but you can disable it and that was the first thing I did on my phone. However for some strange reason facebook installation manager is used by Oculus to install it's VR applications and since my kids use VR to play sometimes, I had to enable it back, but facebook application itself can be disabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats strange! I guess its no big deal! Id rather have it uninstalled but i will just disable it and download an alternative for facebook instead! Are you saying that if i want to use VR that i have to enable it again though??

Blaalad12 said:
No mine is factory unlocked! Ironically theres very little bloatware on this device in comparison to previous devices! Iam impressed!! Facebook is probably the only app pre installed that i don't want but sadly i cannot uninstall it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost all samsung apps were indeed uninstallable this time around, which impressed me, too. I think if you really wanted to get rid of FB, you'd have to root your phone and delete the APK from the system partition.

just disable it, it's better than nothing

Yeah I was pretty puzzled too. Weird that they have Facebook as a system app.

Blaalad12 said:
Thats strange! I guess its no big deal! Id rather have it uninstalled but i will just disable it and download an alternative for facebook instead! Are you saying that if i want to use VR that i have to enable it again though??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are 2 Facebook apps on my phone: Facebook app installer and Facebook app manager, you can disable manager but keep the installer for Oculus to work. BTW you won't see the installer until you enable system apps.

I rarely use facebook, but when I do I use it on either chrome or the samsung browser. I use it in facebook mobile mode, but when I want to check any messages I have to switch over to desktop mode as mobile mode will prompt to install facebook messenger. Bottom line, you don't need the facebook app to use facebook, use chrome or samsung browser (lately I am finding I like samsung internet better as it seems to make text the proper size to be more easily readable and also you can add an extension to sync your chrome bookmarks and history to the samsung internet browser) - anyway, use one of these browsers in mobile mode. The facebook app has too many permissions and location following for my tastes. Eff that. I disable it with package disabler pro.

Facebook is needed to do VR. If it's not enabled oculus doesn't launch.
Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

I can still uninstall it completely.

Can not lot into fb or messenger on brand new s8+ but can log into them on other devices. ..any tips how to log into them on my s8+

I use fb so it's no big deal for me BUT SKYPE? Why does it have to be installed...

NeedleGames said:
I use fb so it's no big deal for me BUT SKYPE? Why does it have to be installed...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because Samsung gets a back hander from them
Sent from my SM-G955F using XDA-Developers Legacy app

surfer1000 said:
Because Samsung gets a back hander from them
Sent from my SM-G955F using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It looks like Samsung made deals with companies which are kinda like enemies to each other. For example messaging apps:
Google - CHECK
Facebook - CHECK
Microsoft- CHECK
Samsung - CHECK

Blaalad12 said:
Why the hell can i not uninstall the facebook app? I only received the phone like an hour ago but so far iam very happy! No issues etc I was just uninstalling some apps however and was quiet please that theres very little bloatware but the one remaining app i want to delete 'Facebook' cannot be deleted! Why? The facebook app was always an app that was up to the user wether they wanted it or not! After all..... not everyone uses facebook and not everyone wants to use the app so why force it on us with no option to uninstall?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A friend called me using facebook on pc and asked me to help him call a taxi to his home and he told me the address cos his phone was dead and he couldnt call. I ended the FB call and called my usual taxi number (gsmcall) . Ususally, someone picks up and asks where you want the taxi... But instead i get computer voice saying "press 3 if you need taxi for "my friend's address" I didnt give anyone the address and it wasnt even written. but somehow the computer knew where i wanted to call taxi for. I ended the call without speaking to anyone cos it was strange and later i received sms that taxi was waiting. A taxi lady called to tell me my taxi was waiting then i asked her how they sent taxi to me without me giving her the address. she ignored my question and told me taxi is waiting.. then the taxi guy left.
It was scary..
So i went to my facebook app and messenger app to check the app permissions (there are so many permissions granted to facebook without your permission and you dont have access to disable it.. "like record your calls without your knowledge, and many more.."
i found this paid appp "advanced permission remover" it helps u view all those permissions you dont have access to and dissable them, the app creates new apk and the you uninstall the one you have before installing the new app.
But i get error message that "app cant be installed because its conflicting with app that have the same name" both fb and messenger...
I found a way to unistall facebook from system using computer without rooting my Note 8 which i can tell you but it didnt help. After uninstalling, I still cant install my modified fb app. It still says app is conflicting and when i install from playstore, atleast to have it as user app not system app. the facebook app installs itself back to system and you cant uninstall. So you have to do the whole process again using pc if you dont want it
i dont know why FB has to be a system app and the rate at which facebook spys on you is ridiculous.. if you having a discussion about someone and your phone is close to you. after a period of time, that person shows up as friend suggestion..
pls suggest a good third party app to use instead of the main facebook app
Uninstalling system app using pc
use this tutorial on this link
http://en.miui.com/thread-709494-1-1.html

Blaalad12 said:
Why the hell can i not uninstall the facebook app? I only received the phone like an hour ago but so far iam very happy! No issues etc I was just uninstalling some apps however and was quiet please that theres very little bloatware but the one remaining app i want to delete 'Facebook' cannot be deleted! Why? The facebook app was always an app that was up to the user wether they wanted it or not! After all..... not everyone uses facebook and not everyone wants to use the app so why force it on us with no option to uninstall?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have an unlocked S8 or a sim-locked one?
If the latter, Facebook app could be part of the bloatware installed by your carrier.

Download BK package disabler (samsung ) from the play store. The app can remove system apps without root. Btw Facebook wasn't system app on my S8 I can easily delete from my phone.

AT&Tsucks said:
Download BK package disabler (samsung ) from the play store. The app can remove system apps without root. Btw Facebook wasn't system app on my S8 I can easily delete from my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I know which version of the S8 comes with Facebook and similar apps pre-installed?

Facebook System Apps

Why do we need all the Facebook apps?
I have never had a mobile phone before thats had all these additional apps installed. I have always just installed the Facebook app.
So what exactly are these needed for?
They can only be disabled and not uninstalled.

Darkat70 said:
Why do we need all the Facebook apps?
I have never had a mobile phone before thats had all these additional apps installed. I have always just installed the Facebook app.
So what exactly are these needed for?
They can only be disabled and not uninstalled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I call that trash just like the rest of the bloatware since i got the snapdragon version no root for me i used package disabler pro to disable that i think you can use adb as well to uninstall it

Yep its all trash, according to some Google searching it appears that Samsung and Facebook struck a deal. Which is why they are system apps. I think we should still have the option for removal though , for those who don't use Facebook.
Maybe it should have a prompt when first setting up or a clean reset asking if you would like to install Facebook.