Debloating a non-rooted Android device using Android Debug Bridge (ADB) involves removing or disabling unnecessary pre-installed applications (bloatware) to improve performance and free up storage space.

✅ Always back up your data before making any changes with your devices.

Here’s a general guide on how to do it:

⚠️ Use at Your Own Risk ⚠️

I am not responsible for any damage or issues that may arise from using the tools or methods mentioned.

By following the instructions in this post, you acknowledge that you are doing so at your own risk.

Prerequisites

  1. Download and Install ADB:

    • Ensure you have ADB installed on your computer. It’s part of the Android SDK Platform-Tools which can be downloaded from the official Android developer website.
    • If you’re an Android developer, you should get the latest SDK Platform-Tools from Android Studio’s SDK Manager or from the sdkmanager command-line tool.

  2. Enable Developer Options and USB Debugging:

    • Go to Settings on your Android device.
    • Tap on About phone and find the Build number.
    • Tap the Build number 7 times to enable Developer Options.
    • Go back to Settings, then to System > Advanced > Developer options.
    • Enable USB Debugging.

Steps to Debloat

  1. Connect Your Device:

    • Connect your Android device to the computer using a USB cable.
    • On your device, a prompt will appear asking to allow USB debugging. Tap Allow.

  2. Open Command Prompt or Terminal:

    • On your computer, open a Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
    • Navigate to the directory where ADB is installed.

  3. Check Connection:

    • Type adb devices and press Enter. Your device should be listed. This confirms that your device is connected and recognized.

  4. List Packages:

    • To see a list of installed apps, type adb shell pm list packages and press Enter.
    adb shell pm list packages
    • Use adb shell pm list packages | grep ‘app or manufacturer name’ to filter the list (optional).

    For example:

     adb shell pm list packages | grep 'google'

  5. Remove or Disable Bloatware:

    • To remove or disable an app, use the command adb shell pm uninstall –user 0 <package_name> or adb shell pm disable-user –user 0 <package_name>.
    adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 <package_name>

    adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 <package_name>
    • <package_name> is the exact name of the package you wish to remove or disable (e.g., com.example.app).
    • Disabling keeps the app on the device but prevents it from running, while uninstalling removes it completely for the current user.

  6. Reboot Device:

    • After completing the debloating process, reboot your device to apply the changes.

Important Notes

  • Research Before Removing: Ensure you understand what each app does before removing it. Removing essential system apps can cause your device to malfunction.
  • Reversibility: Disabling apps is reversible, but uninstalling them is not unless you factory reset your device.
  • Warranty and Risks: Be aware that modifying your device in this way might void the warranty or cause unexpected behavior.

Remember, each Android device is different, and the names of settings or options might vary slightly.