Pre-installed apps on Android can be vital, but some are just useless. Here's how to remove them.

All smartphones come with a number of pre-installed apps. Some are essential, such as those used to manage messages, calls, the web browser, etc. That being said, in an attempt to differentiate themselves from the competition, some Android manufacturers decide to include their own apps.

This operation aims to make the devices more attractive to the general public, with exclusive applications and features, but unfortunately very often these applications are of little or no use. After all, if you need this or that service, you'd definitely be better off finding what suits you yourself than having some application imposed on you.

Without specifying that these applications take up space on the phone's storage. If you need to free up as much storage on your device as possible, here's how to get rid of those pre-installed apps.

Remove pre-installed apps via Settings

One of the methods to remove pre-installed apps is to go to your phone's Settings menu. Usually, in the Settings, there is an option to manage applications, just as it is possible to view the space that each takes up and delete them directly.

1. Go to the settings and then to the Applications section.
2. Select the app you want to remove and tap Uninstall.

It should be clarified that some smartphone manufacturers have moved the settings of applications. But generally speaking, you should quite easily find a list of apps installed on your phone with the option to delete them.

What if you can't uninstall these apps?

Some pre-installed apps can be removed like normal apps, but others can't. Unless you want to root your phone, which is not the subject of this article. If you prefer not to engage in this operation, then the best option would be to simply disable them.

1. Go to Settings, then to the Applications section.
2. Select the app you want to disable, then tap Permissions and Disable.

The system will then warn you that disabling this application could affect the operation of other applications. Sometimes that might be true, but most of the time you won't have a problem. If you find apps that start acting weird or no longer work as they should, this may be the cause. Otherwise, no worries.

Uninstall apps via Google Play

If you don't want to go through Settings on your smartphone, uninstalling apps via Google Play is a very viable alternative. The main difference is that Google Play shows you the apps you have downloaded from the Play Store while Settings shows you all the apps installed on your phone.

In other words, it can be useful if you are trying to uninstall apps from the Play Store or if you want to reinstall them from the Play Store.

1. Launch the Google Play Store app then tap on your profile picture and select Manage apps & device, then the Manage tab.
2. Choose the app(s) to remove and when you're ready, tap the trash can icon.
3. Confirm the operation and you're done.