Every time you turn on your smartphone, an animated image of the manufacturer's logo appears in front of you. For some users, this is a pleasant sign of brand recognition; for others, it’s an extra few seconds of waiting before starting work. The question of how to remove the splash screen on Androidbecomes especially relevant for owners of devices with slow system loading or custom firmware, where the animation is looped.
It is not always possible to completely remove this element using standard system tools, since manufacturers often block access to system files responsible for visual design of loading. However, there are several effective ways to get around these restrictions, from standard developer settings to more advanced methods using a computer.
This guide covers all basic scenarios, including working on devices with and without rooted rights. We will look at technical nuances that will help you speed up the startup of the device and get rid of the annoying picture.
Why the screensaver appears and whether it can be turned off
The loading screen, often called boot animation, is part of the system partition of your smartphone. It is programmed to start immediately after the Bootloader is initialized and runs until the user interface (Launcher) is completely loaded. The main purpose of this element is marketing: it reminds the owner of the brand Samsung, Xiaomi or Huawei every time it is turned on.
From a technical point of view, it is simply a sequence of images or a video file that plays in a loop. In the standard Android configuration, the user does not have access to the file system at this stage of boot, so there is no “turn off” button in the regular settings menu. Disabling the screen saver This is only possible by interfering with system files or changing debug settings.
Some manufacturers allow you to speed up the process by disabling the animation, but not the logo itself. This creates the illusion of faster operation of the device. It is important to understand that completely deleting the animation file may result in a black screen at boot if the system is unable to correctly switch to the desktop.
⚠️ Attention: Any manipulation of system files requires extreme caution. Improper removal of critical components can lead to the device becoming bricked when it stops turning on.
Before making any changes, be sure to create a full backup of your data (Nandroid backup) if you have access to Recovery, or save important files to the cloud.
Standard methods through developer settings
The safest and most accessible way to influence the loading speed and display of graphic elements is to use the developer menu. While this method rarely removes the manufacturer's logo itself, it does allow you to disable system animations that often come with the welcome screen, making logging in instant.
First, you need to activate the hidden section. Go to Settings → About phone and find the item Build number (or MIUI version, Shell version). Quickly click on this item 7-10 times in a row until a notification appears that you have become a developer.
After activation, return to the main settings menu. Depending on the model of your smartphone, the new item may be in the section or directly in the main list. Find the section Android-smartphone, the new item may be in the section System, Advanced or immediately in the main list. Find a section For developers. Here we are interested in the animation scaling parameters.
- 📉 Find the item "Window animation scale" and set the value to "No animation" or "0.5x".
- 📉 Similarly, change the "Transition Animation Scale" setting.
- 📉 Disable the "Animator Duration Scale".
These actions will not delete the brand image when the power is turned on, but will significantly reduce the time the system spends drawing transitions after the logo appears. For many users, this solves the problem of a slow start without the risk of damaging the system.
Using ADB to disable animation
If the standard settings do not give the desired result, you can use the debugging tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer via a USB cable and installing drivers. It allows you to send commands to the system without going through the GUI.
First make sure that the option is enabled in the developer menu USB debugging. Connect your phone to your PC, download the Platform Tools package from the official Google website and extract it. Open a command line or terminal in the tools folder.
Enter the command to check the connection:
adb devicesA window should appear on the smartphone screen asking for debugging permission. Confirm it. Now you can try to disable the screensaver programmatically. The command depends on the version of Android and the shell, but the universal option often looks like this:
adb shell settings put global window_animation_scale 0A more radical method involves trying to disable the screensaver service if it is included in a separate package. This works on pure Android and some custom firmware:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.bootanimation⚠️ Attention: Shell interfaces (MIUI, OneUI, ColorOS) are constantly updated. Commands that work today may not be relevant after the next security update. Always check the compatibility of commands for your specific software version.
☑️ Preparing to work with ADB
Deleting the screensaver if you have root access
Having superuser rights (Root) allows full access to the system partition /system. This is the only way to ensure that the animation file is permanently deleted. However, this method voids the warranty and requires unlocking the bootloader, which can lead to data loss.
You will need a file manager that supports Root access, for example Root Explorer or MT Manager. After granting access rights, go to the directory /system/media/. This is where the file is stored bootanimation.zip. In some cases, it may be located in /system/product/media/ or /oem/media/.
Do not delete the file right away! First, make a copy of it and save it to your internal memory or computer. Then rename the original file by adding the extension .bak (for example, bootanimation.zip.bak). Reboot your device. If the phone turns on without a picture, the task is completed. If a black screen appears, return the original file name.
| File location | Probability of success | Risk of failure | Required rights |
|---|---|---|---|
/system/media/ |
High | Average | Root |
/product/media/ |
Medium | Low | Root |
/oem/media/ |
Low | High | Root + unlock |
| Via ADB without Root | Low | Minimum | USB debugging |
Remember that in modern versions of Android the partition /system is often mounted read-only. You may need a command in the terminal to remount the partition into recording mode:
mount -o rw,remount /systemWhat to do if the phone does not turn on after deletion?
If after deleting a file the device hangs on a black screen, you need to boot into Recovery mode (usually the power button + volume up) and use the file manager in Recovery to return the file to its place, or reset the settings (Wipe Data) if the backup impossible.
Custom loaders and themes
An alternative to complete removal is to replace the standard splash screen with a black image or simplified animation. This is often implemented through the installation of custom themes or modified bootloaders. Device users Xiaomi and Samsung have more opportunities in this regard thanks to an active community of modders.
To replace animations without root access, you can sometimes use special applications from the store Google Playthat require a connection via ADB to grant permissions. They replace the system display process at the boot stage, if the Android version allows it.
Installing a custom Recovery, such as TWRPallows you to flash ZIP archives with modified files bootanimation.zip. There are ready-made “Black Bootanimation” or “No Bootlogo” packages on the Internet, which simply replace the color image with a black background, creating the effect of no screensaver.
- 🎨 Download the archive with a black screensaver for your device model.
- 🎨 Drop the file into the root of the internal memory or onto an SD card.
- 🎨 Boot into TWRP and install the archive as a regular mod.
This approach is less risky than completely deleting it, since the file is physically present on the system, it’s just visually empty. The system will not display a file missing error, and the download will proceed normally.
Replacing a file with an “empty” analogue is safer than completely deleting it, since it keeps the structure of the system files intact.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
In the process of experimenting with the screensaver, you may encounter a number of difficulties. The most common is endless loading (bootloop). This happens when the system is waiting for an animation to complete that is no longer there, or when a critical system file is corrupted.
If your phone turns on but the screen remains black for longer than usual (more than 2-3 minutes), the boot process is most likely stuck. In this case, a forced reboot by pressing the power button for 10-15 seconds will help. If this does not help, you will have to reset the device to factory settings via Recovery mode.
Another problem is the appearance of the inscription “System UI stopped” immediately after the logo. This means that tampering with system files has compromised the integrity of the interface. The only solution is to flash the device through the manufacturer's official tool (for example, Odin for Samsung or Mi Flash for Xiaomi).
⚠️ Attention: If your device is encrypted, any manipulations with the bootloader may make it impossible to decrypt the data. Before starting work, make sure that you have an unlock password and a backup copy.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will removing the screensaver speed up the phone's startup?
There will be no significant acceleration. The delay is a fraction of a second because the animation file is already loaded into RAM. Most of the time is spent on initializing the equipment and loading the system kernel, which is not affected by the screen saver.
Is it possible to remove the logo on Samsung without Root?
Using standard means - no. You can only disable animation through the developer settings. Complete removal of the logo requires unlocking the bootloader (which triggers Knox and voids the warranty) and superuser rights.
Is it safe to use apps to change the screensaver?
Most applications from the Play Market only work as launchers or change the wallpaper, but not the actual screensaver when turned on. Apps that require ADB are relatively safe as long as you trust the developer. Avoid dubious utilities.
What is bootanimation.zip?
This is an archive containing a sequence of frames (images) and a configuration file that tells the system how often to show them. It is this file that is responsible for the visual support of Android loading.
Will the screensaver return after updating the system?
Yes, when updating the firmware over the air (OTA), the system partition is overwritten with factory files. All changes made manually to /systemwill be lost, and the standard splash screen will return.