Pre-installed Google apps that can’t be uninstalled can be incredibly frustrating. But not everyone can afford a new phone (also not to mention the environmental impact), and rooting your device is not for everyone. The good news is, there is a simple solution for Android users: open-source launchers that let you hide those apps for good. Below, I’ve rounded up some options to help you take back control of your home screen:
Unfortunately, it is not that easy for iOS, but if you have more suggestions, I would love to read them in the comments
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My additional soft degoogle trick includes installing F-droid, from the store installing Rethink VPN and making it the only ethernet interface for all phone traffic. That way you can block whole apps from accessing the network or certain IPs / domains for any app. I have done this because I can’t fucking stand apps like keyboard (gboard) or camera which I don’t need to fetch anything connecting to the internet.
why don’t you use a foss keyboard?
Which do you like?
i use AnySoftKeyboard because it has good multilingual support and i can tweak it exactly to my preferences.
i have heliboard on other machines where i’m not the only user (or i’m not the user). It’s more of a “default keyboard”.
They are both good.
It’s different reasons with each one I tried.
Did you tried HeliBoard with the gesturetyping google library loaded in?
Can you explain what it means to run phone traffic through Ethernet? You mean wifi?
I meant, using VpnService in Android you can sit on 0.0.0.0/0 and capture all traffic from all apps. Rethink can then block access on any level (all app access, any IP for any or all apps). Moreover, if you set VpnService and something goes wrong (Rethink stops working or anything), your phone will simply have no access instead of allowing unfiltered access.
They can be disabled using ADB and App Manager
Shizuku + Canta on f-droid are great for accomplishing this as well, you just start wireless debugging and tick the apps you want to uninstall.
This is the way to go if you do not want connect to a computer. You do not have command like functionality of adb though. So I am not sure google play sevices can be disabled this way.
ADB seems pretty cool, I didn’t know that yet. Thank you for sharing
You can also use UAD-ng (it uses ADB) : https://github.com/Universal-Debloater-Alliance/universal-android-debloater-next-generation
Use at your own risks :D
This works. But do not uninstall google play services, just disable. Otherwise on newer phones it bootloops.
I just started messing around with it myself. It is possible to mess up your phone, so yet disabling services with adb first, see if you run into problems. Wait like a week. Then remind them.
The cool thing is you can remove a ton of bloat via adb without root. It’s pretty amazing
you can easily brick your phone with adb. Just a heads up
I do adb+aud and shizuku+canta. The frist is good for command line or point and click uninstalls, and the other combo is good for not having to connect to a computer. I have both combos and love both.
I have App Manager installed - but how can I disable Google Play Store using that? So I have to use ADB first via connecting the phone to a computer?
You have to use either ADB or Wireless Debugging. There is a user manual if you click on the three dots.
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Getting rid of google play services got my phone stuck in bootloop. You can however, use adb to disable those and Gemini. My issue is that I can only disable Windows Services Link and not remove it. Also, Samsung has a modes and routines feature that I can’t disable. That has got to be a massive security issue. Thinking about just rooting the damned phone to get rid of that, but its probably in there deep.
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i know it’s falling from grace a bit but i still hate how there are no foss launchers as good as nova. :(
I know it doesnt counter surveillance but for Android TV very happy with Projectivy Launcher.
No bombardment of ads for media to buy films music or episodes. Just quiet navigation.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spocky.projengmenu
Hiding the apps does not turn them off. This will do nothing for privacy or security.
that’s not “hiding”
I’m using OP’s phrase. "… open-source launchers that let you hide those apps for good. "
