How to disconnect your phone from those default apps you never use

Bloatware does not sound nice, but it’s a pretty mild condition: it’s those apps pre-installed on your smartphone that you absolutely did not ask for and probably do not want. They are often used by manufacturers to push their own apps and services on top of (if instead of) what the smartphone offers by default.

The term was originally used to refer to Windows computers, which could come with a long list of utilities and software suites on top of Windows itself, depending on who you bought the computer from. The situation has improved in recent years, but even today you can open a brand new Windows laptop and find yourself with trial versions of half a dozen different apps, utilities, antivirus and office tools.

While the vast majority of bloatware will actually do nothing harmful, these unwanted apps take up storage space and system resources that could be used by apps you actually want to use. They can also be confusing, leaving you with multiple apps on your phone that all do the same task.

From a security and privacy standpoint, it’s a good idea to remove bloatware apps you are not using. How you do this will depend on the phone you are using.

How to remove bloatware on Android

Bloatware is a much more common problem on Android phones because there are so many more phoneme makers exposing Android devices. In some cases, you may find yourself with a dozen or more apps that you do not really want or need (although the manufacturers themselves would like them to try them).

To uninstall any app from your Android phone, bloatware or otherwise, open Settings and select Apps and notifications, doe See all apps. If you are sure that you can do without it, then select the app and choose Remove to remove it.

In some cases, you will not be able to completely uninstall an app due to the way the manufacturer has integrated it into its own version of Android. If so, look for a labeled option Disable instead of Remove– this will at least prevent the app from running, using vital system resources, and getting in your way.

The process may differ slightly depending on the make and model of your phone and the version of Android you are running, but if you go to the main settings app, your apps could be easily removed or disabled, leaving you with a phone that it’s a little less excited by unwanted junk.