Samsung phones generally ship with a long list of pre-installed apps. Deleting these apps frees up storage and reduces background activity, which makes the system lightweight. So, in this guide, I have covered seven ways to delete apps on Samsung phones. From basic long-press method to disabling, archiving and removing bloatware via ADB, I have included all the ways to uninstall apps on Android. On that note, here is how to delete apps on your Samsung phone.
Delete Apps on Samsung From the Home Screen or Apps Screen
This is the fastest way to delete an app on a Samsung phone and it works for any app you have installed.
- First off, swipe up on the home screen to open the Apps screen or locate the app on your home screen.
- Now, long-press the app icon and a pop-up menu will appear.
- Next, choose Uninstall and tap on OK when asked to confirm and that's it.
On the home screen, the pop-up menu also shows a Remove option, but it doesn't uninstall the app. The Remove option only clears the icon from the home screen page and the app remains installed on your phone. If you want to clean up your home screen, here is how to organise apps on Android with folders and pages.
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Uninstall Apps From Samsung Settings
The Settings app shows every app installed on your Samsung phone including hidden apps on Android. It also shows how much storage each app is taking up so you can easily decide what to delete.
- Go ahead and launch Settings on your Samsung phone and open the Apps menu.
- Now, scroll through the list and tap on the app you want to delete. It will open the App info page.
- Here, hit the Uninstall button in the bottom bar and tap on OK. The app will be deleted from your Samsung phone.
If your phone keeps showing storage warnings, go ahead and check out our 10 ways to free up space on your Samsung phone. Along with app deletion, you can also get back a lot of space.
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Delete Multiple Apps at Once Using the Play Store
Deleting apps one by one can become tedious if you want to remove multiple apps in one go. Thankfully, the Google Play Store lets you bulk uninstall apps on your Samsung phone. Here is how to do it.
- Open the Play Store app and tap on your Google account profile at the top-right.
- From the menu, select Manage apps and device and then move to the Manage tab.
- Now, enable the checkboxes next to all the apps you want to delete.
- Finally, tap on the delete (bin) icon in the top-right corner and confirm the action.
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Uninstall Apps From the Galaxy Store
If you have downloaded apps from Samsung's Galaxy Store, such as Good Lock modules or some exclusive games, you can uninstall them from the store itself.
- Open the Galaxy Store app on your Samsung phone.
- Search for the app you want to delete and open it.
- Now, tap on Uninstall and confirm the action. You are done.
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Disable Pre-installed Samsung Apps You Can't Delete
Some of the Samsung apps are essential parts of One UI, so Phone, Messages, Contacts, Gallery and My Files have no Uninstall option at all. Some other pre-installed apps don't have an Uninstall button either, but you can choose to disable them. This way, the disabled app will stop running and will not receive updates. In addition, they will disappear from your app drawer.
- Open the Settings page and move to Apps.
- If you can't find the app, tap on the filter icon and turn on the Show system apps toggle.
- Here, choose the pre-installed app you want to disable.
- Now, tap on Disable at the bottom and then choose Disable app to confirm.
Note that disabling apps that other features depend on can break things. So only turn off bloatware apps that you don't recognise or use such as AR Zone or Samsung Kids. Do not touch core components like Android System WebView as many apps rely on it to load web content.
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Archive Apps on Samsung to Free Up Storage
If you want to free up space on your Samsung phone, but don't want to delete your login state and app data, archiving is the better option than deleting the app. Here is how to go about it.
- Head to Settings > Apps and pick the app you want to archive.
- Now, tap on Archive on the App info page and that is it.
The app's installation files will be removed, but the icon appears on your phone and your personal data is kept intact. When you need the app again, simply tap its icon and the app will be downloaded again with all your data in place.
And if you would rather not remove or archive any app, try to clear the cache on Android first. It only wipes temporary files and leaves your login data and settings alone.
Remove Samsung Bloatware Using ADB
As mentioned above, some pre-installed Samsung apps have neither an Uninstall nor a Disable button. For these apps, ADB is the way to go as it lets you remove system apps from a computer without rooting your Samsung phone. This method needs a bit of caution, so only remove apps you are absolutely sure about. Go through the methods below.
Turn On USB Debugging on Your Samsung Phone
- First off, open Settings > About phone > Software information.
- Here, tap on Build number seven times quickly. You will be asked to enter your PIN.
- A new Developer options menu will show up at the bottom in Settings. You can follow our guide on how to enable Developer options on Android for more details.
- Next, go to Settings > Security and privacy > Auto Blocker and turn it off. Samsung's Auto Blocker blocks commands sent over a USB cable, so it's better to turn it off.
- Finally, head into Developer options and enable the USB debugging toggle.
Uninstall Samsung Apps With ADB Commands
- Next, download Google's SDK Platform Tools (Windows / Mac / Linux) on your computer.
- After that, connect your Samsung phone with a USB cable and tap on Allow on the USB debugging prompt that appears on your phone.
- Next, launch Terminal (macOS or Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows) and enter the following command. If your phone is connected properly, you will see its serial number.
adb devices
- After your Samsung device is detected, install the Package Name Viewer (visit) app on your phone. It shows every app on your phone with the package name.
- Once you have the package name, type the following command. Replace com.package.name with the app's actual package name. You will see a "Success" message once the app is deleted.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.package.name
This way, you can delete stubborn system apps via ADB from your Samsung phone. Once you are done, I strongly recommend turning on Auto Blocker and disabling USB debugging to protect your Samsung phone against malicious attacks. And if you ever run into any issue, you can reset your Samsung phone to factory settings which will bring back all the removed apps.
And that is how you can delete apps on Samsung phones, whether they are apps installed from the Play Store or pre-installed bloatware. If you want to dig into hidden One UI tools, go ahead and check out our complete list of Samsung secret codes. These codes can be pretty handy for diagnosing your phone. Finally, you can learn how to lock apps on Samsung phones to keep them away from prying eyes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting an app on Samsung also delete its data?
Yes, uninstalling an app deletes its local data including its cache, settings and files. However, data synced to the cloud are not deleted.
Does uninstalling an app cancel its subscription?
No, deleting an app from your Samsung phone doesn't cancel any paid subscription. You need to cancel it separately from the Play Store under Profile > Payments and subscriptions > Subscriptions.
How do I reinstall an app I deleted on my Samsung phone?
Open the Play Store, tap on your profile picture and go to Manage apps and device > Manage. Now, change the filter from "Installed" to "Not installed". Here, you will see all the apps you have downloaded before on your Google account. Simply select the app and tap on Install.
Why do some Samsung apps not have an Uninstall option?
Apps like Phone, Messages, Contacts, Gallery, My Files and Settings are part of One UI and your Samsung phone needs them to function properly. That is why Samsung doesn't let you uninstall them. Some of the other pre-installed apps can be removed and you can use the ADB method to delete them.
Is it safe to remove Samsung bloatware with ADB?
It's safe as long as you only remove apps you know, such as preloaded social media apps or other apps you never use. Removing core packages like One UI Home, System UI or Samsung Keyboard (without another keyboard installed) can break your phone. So double-check every package name before running the command.
