Remove These 5 Pre-installed Apps From Your New Phone
You just unboxed your shiny new phone, and the excitement is real. Then you scroll through the app drawer and see it—a pile of apps you never asked for. Facebook, TikTok, random games, and some "optimizer" tool you'll never open.
This isn't just annoying. These apps are quietly draining your battery, eating your storage, and in some cases, even putting your privacy at risk .
Let's fix that. Here are 5 pre-installed apps you should remove or disable immediately.
1. Facebook (and Meta Services)
Facebook is one of the most common pre-installed apps on Android phones—and one of the worst offenders when it comes to background activity .
Why remove it:
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It constantly updates in the background, draining battery and using data
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It's a notorious storage hog
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On some budget devices, pre-installed apps from Facebook have been found to have deep system access and privacy risks
What to do: If you use Facebook, just use the mobile website. It works fine and doesn't run background services. Uninstall the app and related Meta services (com.facebook.katana, com.facebook.appmanager, com.facebook.system) .
2. TikTok
TikTok is fun, but it's also a battery vampire. Pre-installed on many Android models, it runs background processes that suck power even when you're not scrolling .
Why remove it:
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Video streaming apps consume more battery than most others
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It runs background services even when not in use
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You can always reinstall it from the Play Store if you actually use it
What to do: Uninstall it. If it's a system app that won't let you uninstall, disable it via Settings → Apps .
3. Free "Utility" Apps (Cleaners, Boosters, Battery Savers)
This one is especially important. Those "phone cleaner" and "battery booster" apps are often worse than useless—they're actually harmful .
Why remove them:
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Android already has native storage management and battery optimization built in—you don't need third-party tools for this
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These apps run intrusive background services that drain battery and slow down your phone
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The worst-case scenario: Some utility apps have turned into adware or even click-fraud engines after being updated
What to do: Uninstall any third-party cleaner, booster, or optimizer app immediately. Android's built-in tools (like Files by Google) handle this better.
4. TikTok, Instagram, and Multiple Navigation Apps
This one is more about clutter and background drain than outright danger. Having multiple navigation apps (Google Maps AND Waze) or multiple social media apps that you rarely use is a waste .
Why remove duplicates:
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Navigation apps constantly check GPS, Bluetooth, and network data in the background
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You don't need three map apps. Pick one
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Social media apps (like Instagram, which also comes pre-installed on many phones) have the same battery-draining behavior as TikTok
What to do: Keep your one favorite navigation app. Uninstall the rest.
5. Manufacturer-Specific Junk (Mi Video, Mi Music, Xbox Games, etc.)
Every manufacturer adds their own "value-add" apps. For Xiaomi, it's Mi Video and Mi Music . For Samsung, it's Samsung TV Plus, AR Emoji, or Bixby-related apps . For Windows PCs, it's Spotify, TikTok, Xbox, and consumer weather widgets .
Why remove them:
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You probably already use better alternatives (YouTube, Spotify, Chrome)
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They take up storage and often run background services
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On Windows, these apps make a professional workstation look cluttered and unprofessional
What to do: Uninstall or disable them. On Xiaomi, you can safely remove/disable Mi Video, Mi Music, Mi Browser, GetApps, and MSA (Mi Ads) . On Samsung, you can remove Spotify, LinkedIn, and many game-related services . On Windows 11, tools like Win11Debloat can help clean these out in bulk .
How to Remove or Disable These Apps
On Android (Easy Method)
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Go to Settings → Apps (or Apps & Notifications)
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Find the app you want to remove
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Tap Uninstall (if available) or Disable
Why disable instead of uninstall? Some system apps can't be fully uninstalled. Disabling hides the app, stops it from running, and prevents updates—without breaking your phone .
On Android (Advanced Method - ADB)
For apps that won't let you disable them, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to remove them without root access. This is safe, reversible, and doesn't void your warranty .
Brief steps:
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Enable Developer Options and USB Debugging
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Connect your phone to a PC and run
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 [package-name] -
Tools like the UIBloatwareRegistry can automate this for specific brands
On Windows 11/10
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Go to Settings → Apps
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Find the app and click Uninstall
For bulk removal, tools like Win11Debloat (open-source PowerShell script) can remove pre-installed apps like Xbox, TikTok, and Spotify in one go .
What NOT to Remove
Be careful not to disable or remove core system apps like:
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Phone/Dialer
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Contacts
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Settings
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Google Play Services
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Your manufacturer's account app (Mi Account, Samsung Account, etc.)
Removing these can break your phone's basic functions or cause crash-loops . When in doubt, disable instead of uninstalling. You can always re-enable it later.
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