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I'm using a Samsung I9000 and I have some annoying apps that came pre installed by the phone vendor, like a music store, a custom web browser and other memory leaking apps.

Those crappy apps can't be uninstalled neither by Manage applications tool, nor by editing the apps tiles in the front menu.

I guess I have to be a root user or something to get rid of those apps, but I don't know how.

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4 Answers 4

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Yes, you have to be rooted. To get rooted, see this question: How do I root my Android device?

One of the easiest ways to uninstall system apps after rooting is to use Titanium Backup. You can just click an app and choose Uninstall.

Note: Be careful what you remove! You might want to use Titanium to back them up before you remove them, in case it makes your phone unstable or stop working.

Also note that the bootloader may restore system apps on reboot. If possible, unlock your bootloader; you may also need to install a custom ROM that's deodexed, or to edit the image that is restored by the bootloader. That depends on your particular device, but with the SGS you should have no bootloader-related problems.

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    Important caveat: removing stock apps will usually cause OTA updates from your carrier to fail. You are generally speaking better off to simply use TiBU to "freeze" the apps so that updating is hassle-free.
    – Logos
    Commented Dec 28, 2011 at 5:43
  • Freezing is the best solution even if you don't need OTA updates. Freezing is equivalent to uninstall if you ignore space on ROM. With this, you can revert changes if you need it in future...
    – iOS Enthusiast
    Commented Mar 1, 2012 at 15:04
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You may also use ADB to remove applications, but the application methods are easier. Since use of ADB does not require a market, this will work for users who are rooted but who cannot or do not wish to use Android market or similar marketplaces.

./adb remount #ROOT IS REQUIRED TO REMOUNT /system read-write
./adb shell
cd /system/app

To see what's installed: pm list packages

To remove a package:

rm PackageName.apk
pm uninstall class.name.of.package

CyanogenMod, as far as I can tell, only requires the rm step, not the pm step; if you are running a de-odexed version of Android, you may only need the rm step.

If you are concerned you might need the application in the future (over the air updates), you can use adb pull to copy the apk to your desktop (instead of moving it to another location on your phone) or just mv the apk to your uSD card or USB storage.

See http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/Barebones for more information.

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    adb remount is not an optional step. You need to re-mount your /system partition read-write.
    – Broam
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 23:49
  • I see. thanks. I uninstalled using the Titanium backup app. seems that is safer for removing system/app packages. Anyone who is absolutely sure that he does not want an app can remove packages from the shell as you have shown. Geeky but risky :-)
    – hAcKnRoCk
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 17:44
  • My answer is here because there is a group of Android users that don't have (or don't want) Google's Android market, but do have root access to their devices. It's easy enough to adb pull the apk to your desktop before removing it from the phone. I will add that to my answer.
    – Broam
    Commented Feb 2, 2012 at 13:47
  • I also like pm disable com.package to freeze apps. It is easy to enable them again if something breaks. Use adb shell then su to switch to root.
    – Chloe
    Commented Jun 13, 2013 at 21:29
  • Here's a more in-depth tutorial for those interested: How to Uninstall Carrier/OEM Bloatware Without Root Access
    – brasofilo
    Commented Dec 22, 2018 at 16:01
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You can't remove them without root, they're installed to a directory that cannot be accessed without root. However, you can do the next best thing, close your eyes, stick your fingers in your ears, and go la-la-la-la, pretending they don't exist. The way to do this is to get a launcher (such as ADW if memory serves), that allows you to hide icons. In that case, they will still be installed (and if something triggers them, they'll pop up), but at least you won't have to look at them any more.

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  • ADW is doing the trick more or less. I could not find a way that "hides" the apps, but I'm able to move all the offending app icons into a folder so that they are out of the way. If someone knows how to "hide" them in a more effective way, please let me know.
    – Questioner
    Commented Jul 26, 2011 at 6:25
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    LauncherPro can hide the apps from the app list so that they won't bother you (Menu -> Preferences -> General Settings -> Hidden Apps). But they still show up in search results etc. but this is probably the closest you can get un-rooted.
    – aleksikallio
    Commented Jul 26, 2011 at 11:46
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Yes, you have to root your phone in order to remove preinstalled apps.

See these questions here and here.

Before you remove any applications, MAKE SURE YOU MAKE A BACKUP via Nandroid. You may delete an app that the system relies on (for one reason or other). Do some searching and make sure it is safe to remove the apps you want to remove.

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