Are you also annoyed by those unnecessary pre-installed apps on your Android smartphone or tablet that seem unremovable? Think for example of Boekenbol, SoundHound or Google+. Fortunately, there are ways to "freeze" these apps so that they don't burden your phone unnecessarily, or even uninstall them completely. We will show you how this works using the Root Uninstaller app so that you no longer have to tolerate these unwanted apps.
1. Download Root Uninstaller
Find Root Uninstaller in Google Play on your Android phone. There is a Pro version that currently costs 1.49 euros, but the free version allows you to freeze and restore an app a total of three times. Make sure you download the correct app, the one with the yellow star and blue letters 'RU' as the icon, and the one with 'Root Uninstaller' as the creator. Google Play also contains another app with the same name. click on To download and open the app. If you have a rooted phone (see box), the app will ask for root access.
Risks
Before you enthusiastically start rooting your Android smartphone, you should be aware that applications with root access are no longer restricted, so they can also cause more damage to your phone. So only give root permissions to applications you trust! In addition, when rooting, you should follow the instructions for your phone carefully. On the website XDA-Developers.com you can find all kinds of information about rooting various Android smartphones.
root
In Android, many things are protected from the user by default for security reasons. This prevents you from accidentally deleting critical system apps, for example. In order to gain access to advanced functions, you must obtain so-called 'root rights'. This requires you to root your phone, similar to jailbreaking the iPhone. Read more about this in the article Avoid restrictions with root access in Android.
2. All your apps
You will now see the list of all your apps. System apps are shown in red, other apps in white. Click at the top ALL to see only specific types of apps, such as system apps, third party apps, apps on the SD card, backed up apps or apps that are frozen. You can also sort the apps by name or size here. If you click on the magnifying glass at the top, you can filter by the name of the app. This will quickly show you an app based on its name.
3. Freeze
In the list of apps you see, click the app you want to freeze or remove. You now have several options. You choose freeze, then you 'freeze' the app: the app will remain on your system and you will still get updates, but the app will no longer run, even in the background. Later you can 'defreeze' it here (Defrost). Of Launch/Freeze launch a frozen app and it will be frozen back immediately after you close it. This functionality does require a rooted phone.
4. Backup and Delete
Freezing can always be rectified, but deleting an app is permanent. Therefore, to avoid unforeseen problems, it is recommended that you always make a backup of the app before deleting it, even if you are sure that you will never need the app again. So always click first backup, after which a copy of the .apk file will be saved to your SD card. Then choose Uninstall and if your phone is rooted, the app will be completely removed from the system, even if it is a system app.
5. Recovery
If you have changed your mind about a uninstalled app and have backed it up, just go to the list of apps where the uninstalled app is still among the installed apps. Click on the app and then Restore. If for some reason this does not work, you can always click on the green Android icon at the top. You will then be presented with a list of all .apk files on your SD card. Each app will show whether it is already installed or not. If you click on the .apk file of the backup of your deleted app, the app will be installed.
6. More possibilities with Android 4.0
Google has become a bit more helpful in Android 4.0. In this latest version of the mobile operating system, you can now also disable unwanted apps whether you have root access and whether they are system apps or not. You do this by going to Institutions to go, apps select the app you want to disable in the overview and click the Switch off to push. Also, be careful not to disable important system processes, as this can also make your Android system unstable.
