Uninstall default apps

I didn’t see you removed bliss. My loading issue happened on Bliss so of course we can’t tell whether any of the other apps you uninstalled would’ve messed with it.

Good thing you said mention it. I like the blisslauncher and I use it too. Nevertheless, I always have two alternatives on the device: Senior Launcher and Rootless Pixel Launcher .

@ChameleonScales and @harvey186 please consider, it was a test of curiosity and to gain experience. My deinstallation test is by no means representative. I also don’t know if it would give the same results on another device. I am already looking forward to a stable /e/ version 1.0 with the possibility of uninstalling the pre-installed apps.

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What is the difference in adb commands between the following?

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0
vs
adb uninstall --user 0

Are both commands the same? does adb shell pm uninstall actually remove the apk from the phone or just the user profile?

thanks in advance.

Yes @zypper, this is the better place to answer your question than here.


"Are both commands the same? "More or less yes. Maybe I misspelled it for a beginner. But this is not ill-will. It’s just routine. It must be direction and completeness

C:>adb devices
List of devices attached
1234eeee56789 device

C:>adb shell
a5y17lte:/ $

a5y17lte:/ $ pm uninstall -k --user 0

For example: a5y17lte:/ $ pm uninstall -k --user 0 foundation.e.weather

“adb uninstall --user 0” requires that “adb shell” has already been executed. Without having executed “adb shell” at least once, the following commands “adb-commandos” will not work.

adb shell - run remote shell interactively
adb shell <command> - run remote shell command

The command “adb shell” allows to enter the interactive shell.

The (system) apps are not completely removed from the system, but only for the current user via parameter –user 0.


See also → Android Debug Bridge (adb) is a command line tool that lets you communicate with an emulator or connected Android device.

Official pm documentation : https://developer.android.com/studio/command-line/adb#pm

As for uninstalling and delete system apps, you may also delete the apk from system partition (remounting it rw from TWRP).

I uninstalled those apps but in the bliss launcher there still are the icons!
How solve?

Solved deleting bliss data

You can uninstall pre-installed Apps. Whether “easily” applies is subjective.

To uninstall Apps permanently …

  • Note the package name of the App in Settings - Apps & notifications - (select the App) - Advanced - (the package name is given at the bottom of the page, e.g. foundation.e.calendar)

  • If not done already, make the Developer options visible by tapping on the Build number in Settings - About phone a few times until you are being declared a developer.

  • If not done already, enable Settings - System - Advanced - Developer options - Android debugging

  • Connect your phone to a computer via USB.

  • If not done already, download the current Android SDK platform tools to the computer and unzip the ZIP file to a folder you can navigate to easily.

  • Open a command line/ terminal and navigate to the folder to which you unzipped the tools. If you are unfamiliar with the command line/ terminal, here’s a really good and short 1 page introduction to everything you need for now … https://tutorial.djangogirls.org/en/intro_to_command_line/

  • Enter the adb devices command to display an ID of the phone to make sure that ADB works with the connected phone (upon first usage the phone should ask you to confirm this access from the computer, there you should also be able to select that the phone remembers that decision, if you want).

  • Uninstall the App with the command
    adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 packagename
    (instead of packagename enter the package name of the App you noted before)

  • If at some point you would want to bring an App back which was uninstalled in this way, use the command
    adb shell cmd package install-existing packagename

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To get rid of a system app it does’t has to be uninstalled.
The app only needs to be diabled with: pm disable-user --user 0 packagename
To bring it back just use: pm enable packagename

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Can Apps which got disabled this way get re-enabled by an OS update?

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The apps i disabled stayed untouched after the last update

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Thanks for the informathion, I have disabled the system apps I don’t like, for purely aesthetic reason I would rather unistal them but until /e/ allows this to be done easily, I think it might be best not to.

Well, why not uninstall dialer and camera? On my phone I have disabled those two and installed some with similar functionality that like better. My attitude is there should be some level of access to the phone that allows you more or less to do anything. It doesn’t have to be easy to get there but it should be there. There could be a warning that you need to know what you are doing before entering this level. However at this level it should be entirely up the user what they do or don’t uninstall. After all if you have no idea what you are doing why are you uninstalling system apps in the first place?

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I hope it doesn’t take too long, but I suppose I had better stick to disabling the ones I don’t want until this arrives.

Am I the only one getting updates from App Lounge for none system apps I have disabled with this command?

pm disable-user --user 0 packagename

I think the significant thing is that the command has only disabled for user 0, that is you; at a system level the app still exists.

I just wanted to share how you can easily find out the names of the default apps.

Enter the shell on your device

adb shell

List default apps

pm list packages | grep -i foundation

with this list of package names you should be able to easily find the desired package to uninstall.

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Ok so skipping the introduction (adb install, dev.-options enable, etc.), which is prereq of course, it would mean:

I would also need some more research, how this differs from just disabling, but it somehow clear that the app is not completely gone from the system (like when you uninstall it). Otherwise bring back approach would mean adb (in normal mode) would have access to a store or so to actually re-install the app (+ within /system).

I think the easter egg app is unimportant enough to test. :wink:

:/ $ pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.egg                                                                                                                
Success

:/ $ pm uninstall com.android.egg                                                                                                                         
Failure [DELETE_FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR]

## it is a system app:
:/ # pm list package -s | grep egg
package:com.android.egg

## and after uninstall that way it stays/still visible in:
:/ $ ls /system/app
...
EasterEgg
...

:/ $ cmd package install-existing com.android.egg                                                                                                       
Package com.android.egg installed for user: 0
## the same as? 'pm install-existing --user 0 com.android.egg'

So it is somehow “gone” and not visible for you in your user context anymore, but not completely gone from the system. Also it would be interesting if it is a difference in regards of updates. Will an OTA bring the App back or is it like one stated for the disable approach and it will stay disabled. We somehow drift away from the initial topic. Maybe a forums admin should split, if needed a this message. :thinking:

No, an OTA update doesn’t bring the App back.

Correct.
You have every right to argue about the technicalities behind it, but the end result is fair enough.

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