Smartphones Samsung Galaxy based Android over time are filled with dozens of applications - from useful utilities to unnecessary games and duplicate services. Even after uninstallation, many apps leave behind caches, temporary files and entries on the system, which continue to take up precious space. In this article we will look at all possible ways to remove applications on devices Samsung —from standard methods to hidden functions for experienced users.

The peculiarity of phones Samsung is that they run on proprietary shell One UI, which modifies the standard Android. This means that some system applications (for example, Samsung Health, Bixby or Galaxy Store) cannot be completely removed - they can only be disable or hide. We will show you how to distinguish such apps from ordinary ones and what to do in each case.

It is important to understand: simply clicking “Delete” in the application menu is not always enough. For example, some games save data in a internal drive folder, and system utilities can be restored after a reboot. Therefore, in the article you will find not only basic instructions, but Android/obb, and system utilities can be restored after a reboot. Therefore, in the article you will find not only basic instructions, but also advanced methods for complete cleaning.

1. Standard removal through the app menu

The easiest way to get rid of unnecessary software is to use the built-in tools One UI. This method is suitable for user applications (installed from Google Play or Galaxy Store), but will not work for pre-installed system utilities.

Instructions:

  • 📱 Open application menu (swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen).
  • 🔍 Find the application you want to delete and press its icon for 1-2 seconds.
  • 🗑️ In the context menu that appears, select “Delete" (or "Uninstall»).
  • ✅ Confirm the action by clicking “OK».

If instead of the “Delete” button you see “Disable" or "Hide", then the application system cannot be completely removed (more on this in the next section. Also note that some apps). (for example, Facebook or Netflix) may be preinstalled by the manufacturer —they also cannot be deleted in the standard way.

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If the application is not uninstalled, check if it is device administrator. To do this, go to Settings → Biometrics and security → Other security settings → Device administrators and uncheck unnecessary software.

2. Removing system applications: what is possible and what is not

Phones Samsung come with dozens of pre-installed apps - from Samsung Pay to AR Emoji. Most of them cannot be completely removed, but they can disable or hideso that they do not interfere with work and do not take up RAM.

How to distinguish a system application from a regular one:

  • 🔧 There is no "Delete" button in the uninstallation menu, only "Disable" or "Hide».
  • 📦 In Settings → Applications in the information about the app it is indicated “System».
  • 🔄 After disabling the application disappears from the menu, but remains in the list of all apps (in Settings → Applications).

To disable a system application:

  1. Go to Settings → Applications.
  2. Select the desired app (for example, Bixby).
  3. Click "Disable" (or "Disable»).
  4. Confirm the action.
What will happen if you disable system application?

Disabled apps stop working and are not updated, but their data remains on the device. For example, if you disable Samsung Health, all saved workouts and statistics will remain in the phone’s memory, but access to them will be blocked. To completely delete data, you need to use ADB (section 5).

Attention! Do not disable system services with names com.sec., com.samsung.android. or android.* - this can lead to unstable operation of the phone or complete loss of functionality (for example, access to mobile network or camera).

3. Uninstalling through phone settings (alternative method)

If the application cannot be removed through the menu, try doing it through the "Applications" section in the settings. This method is suitable for most user apps and some system utilities (for example, Samsung Free or Samsung Global Goals).

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Open Settings (icon gears).
  2. Go to the "Applications section».
  3. In the upper right corner, click on the three dots (⋮) and select "Sort by size" - it’s easier to find heavy ones apps.
  4. Select the desired application from the list.
  5. Click "Delete" (or "Uninstall»).

In the same section you can see how much space the application takes up, including cache, data and updatesFor example, Google Chrome may weigh 200 MB, but after clearing the cache its size will be reduced to 50. MB. To free up additional space:

  • 🧹 Click “Clear cache" (this is safe and will not delete important data).
  • 🗃️ Click “Clear data" (this will delete all settings and app files, including accounts).

Social networks (Facebook, Instagram)|Games|Pre-installed Samsung software|Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram)|Other-->

4. Complete removal with cleaning of residual files. Many applications are left on the device after uninstallation. For example, games like

Many applications remain on the device after uninstallation temporary files, cache And data folders. For example, games like Call of Duty Mobile or Genshin Impact save gigabytes of files in folders Android/obb and Android/data. To delete them completely, you need to manually clear these directories.

How to find and delete residual files:

  1. Connect your phone to your computer via USB cable (or use file manager on your phone, for example, My Files).
  2. Go to the folder Internal drive → Android.
  3. Open folders obb and data —data of deleted applications is stored here.
  4. Delete folders with the names of unnecessary apps (for example, com.activision.callofduty.shooter for Call of Duty Mobile).

Attention! Do not delete the folders of current applications - this will lead to their inoperability. Also, do not touch files with the extension .odex or .vdex - they are needed for the system to function.

File type Storage folder Can I delete
Application cache Android/data//cache Yes (safe)
Game data (additional files) Android/obb Yes (only for deleted games)
Settings and saves Android/data/ Yes (but progress and accounts will be lost)
System files .odex, .vdex system/priv-app or system/app No (risk of system damage)

5. Uninstalling system applications via ADB (for advanced users)

If you want completely remove the system application (and not just disable it), you will need to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method is only suitable for users who understand the risks and are prepared for possible consequences (for example, loss of warranty or unstable operation of the phone).

What you will need:

  • 🖥️ A computer with Samsung drivers installed and ADB.
  • 📱 Enabled USB debugging on the phone (in Settings → About phone → Build number press 7 times, then return to Settings → Developer options → USB debugging).
  • 🔌 USB cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

  1. Connect the phone to the computer and enable debugging (a request will appear on the phone screen).
  2. Open command line (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) and enter:
adb devices

(The name of your device should appear - this means that the connection is established.)

  1. To see a list of all applications, enter:
adb shell pm list packages
  1. Find the name in the list package of the desired application (for example, com.samsung.android.bixby.agent for Bixby).
  2. Delete it with the command:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.samsung.android.bixby.agent

Important: some system applications (for example, Samsung Knox or Secure Folder) when deleted via ADB can lead to malfunctions of the phone, including loss of access to banking applications or corporate mailboxes.

Install Samsung drivers on PC|Enable USB debugging on your phone|Download and unpack ADB Tools|Create a backup copy of important data|Check the application package name-->

6. Using third-party uninstallation apps

If standard methods do not help, you can use third-party utilities to remove applications. They offer advanced features, for example batch deletion, search for duplicates or cleaning residual files. However, be careful: some apps may contain advertising or malicious code.

Popular utilities for removing applications:

  • 🛠️ App Inspector - shows hidden system applications and allows you to disable them.
  • 🧹 SD Maid - clears the cache, residual files and duplicates.
  • 🔍 Package Disabler Pro —specializes in disabling system apps Samsung.

How to use SD Maid:

  1. Download and install the app from Google Play.
  2. Run it and provide administrator rights (if required).
  3. Go to the "CorpseFinder" section - residual files of deleted applications are displayed here.
  4. Select unnecessary files and click "Delete».

Attention! Some utilities (for example, Package Disabler) require root access to completely remove system applications. Getting root can cancel the warranty increases the risk of virus infection. If you are not sure of your actions, it is better to use standard methods.

7. How to return a deleted application (if something went wrong)

If, after deleting a system application through ADB or third-party utilities, the phone began to work unstable (for example, notifications stopped coming or the mobile network disappeared), you can try restore the app. To do this:

Recovery methods:

  • 🔄 Reset to factory settings — will return all system applications, but delete all user data. Do this only as a last resort!
  • 📥 Reinstalling via ADB —if you know the name of the package, you can try installing the application again:
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.samsung.android.bixby.agent
  • 🔧 Software update —sometimes system applications are restored after updating One UI via Settings → Software update.

If none of the methods helped, contact Samsung service center - specialists will be able to reflash the phone while maintaining the warranty (if it is still valid).

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Always create a backup copy of your data before deleting system applications. To do this, use Samsung Smart Switch or the built-in function Settings → Accounts and Backup → Backup and Restore.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about deleting applications on Samsung

Is it possible to remove Bixby from your phone Samsung?

Completely uninstalling Bixby can only be done through ADB (section 5), but this may lead to malfunctions of the voice assistant and some functions One UI. It’s safer to just disable application in the settings or hide its icon from the main screen.

Why does it appear again after deleting the game?

This happens if you deleted only shortcutand not the application itself. Also, some games (for example Candy Crush) can be preinstalled by the manufacturer and restored after a software update. To remove them permanently, use ADB or disable automatic updating in Galaxy Store.

How to remove a virus application if it is not deleted?

If the app behaves suspicious (shows ads, consumes traffic), but is not removed in the standard way:

  1. Boot the phone into safe mode (press the power button → "Safe Mode").
  2. Try to remove the application again.
  3. If it doesn’t work, use antivirus (for example, Malwarebytes) or reset the phone to factory settings.
How much space will be freed up after deleting applications?

Depends on the type of apps:

  • 🎮 Games (for example, Genshin Impact) - up to 15–20 GB (including cache and additional files).
  • 📱 Social networks (Facebook, TikTok) - 200–500 MB.
  • 🔧 System utilities (Samsung Health, AR Zone) - 50–300 MB.

To find out exactly how much space an application takes up, open Settings → Applications → [app name] → Memory.

Can Google Play Services be removed?

No, Google Play Services is a critical system component responsible for many functions, including Google Play, notifications and security updates. Removing it will lead to phone malfunction. The maximum that can be done is to disable automatic updates in Settings → Applications → Google Play Services → Three dots → Disable updates.