Tip of the Week: How to Take Back Your Android Device from Bloatware

Smartphones are filled with all sorts of nifty apps. In fact, some of the most useful applications come pre installed on the device. However, not all apps are worth your time. These unwanted applications are called “bloatware,” and can impede the device’s ability to perform to your specifications.

Bloatware is not only annoying, but it can also be threatening to your device’s wellbeing. For instance, Lenovo’s pre-installed Superfish software caused quite the security scare several months back. Furthermore, it can take up space on your device and affect the amount of data you can store on it. In order to get the most out of your Android smartphone, you want to remove as many junk apps as you can. Of course, you should always approach this kind of project with caution. You don’t want to accidentally get rid of a core function of your device and render it inert.

There are several ways to remove or hide bloatware from your device. TechRepublic suggests five apps to do so. Some require that your device is rooted (i.e. you have Superuser control over your phone’s core files and OS), while some simply hide the bloatware from you.

TechRepublic’s Top Anti-Bloatware Apps

• NoBloat Free: This app allows you to view bloatware on your device, and completely remove it. All you have to do is locate it under the System apps listing, tap it, and then select what you want to do with it from the listed options.
• System App Remover: As explained by TechRepublic, System App Remover “is a free bloatware removal tool (with ads) that makes removing system apps and bloatware go much faster. Simply open the app, grant root access, check off all the apps you want to remove, and tap the uninstall button.”
• Root App Deleter: Here’s yet another app that can delete your bloatware from your phone. However, unlike the others, you can choose to either hide it or delete it completely. Hiding it doesn’t clear up any space, so you can go that route if you don’t want to risk deleting something important.
• Disable Bloatware: If you don’t want to remove bloatware completely, you can choose to hide it with Disable Bloatware. As a non-rooted application, you can take advantage of it even if your phone isn’t rooted. This hides your bloatware so it doesn’t distract you, but it doesn’t free up any space on your device.
• System Apps: This is Android’s built-in application hiding function. With it, you don’t have to download an app to hide your bloatware. As previously mentioned, this doesn’t free up any space on your device, but it does prevent your bloatware from being a nuisance.

If you want to optimize your mobile devices for productivity and efficiency, but don’t want to risk your device’s integrity, you can give XFER a call at 734-927-6666 / 800-GET-XFER. We’ll help you clean up your devices so that they’re nothing but productivity machines.