Turning Off Bloat Apps On The Verizon Note 3. No Root Required!

[DroidModderX]

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It has become normal place for carriers to release a phone with more than half of the available memory jacked by bloatware apps. These bloatware apps add to the carrier's bottom line. Bloat ware clutters your phone, slows it down, and eats up your memory. There is a simple way to "turn off" any app you want in Android. The below method will not remove the apps from your phone completely which is good because if you needed to update your phone over the air you would need to turn the apps back on. This method also does not require root or any sort of hacks.

Step one: Go To Settings
Step two: Go To App Manager
Step three: Go To The All Tab
Step four: Select the application you wish to turn off
Step five: click "turn off"

Via Xda

 

[TheOldFart]

I don't think that the bloatware apps take up over half of the memory. I believe that the apps on my HTC One took up less than 1GB. The total memory used by all apps, including the ones I've installed, is only 1.18GB on my One. I also don't think that the disabled apps have to be enabled before an update. I had a lot of deactivated apps on my Galaxy Tab 3 when it updated from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2.

 

[DroidModderX]

I don't think that the bloatware apps take up over half of the memory. I believe that the apps on my HTC One took up less than 1GB. The total memory used by all apps, including the ones I've installed, is only 1.18GB on my One. I also don't think that the disabled apps have to be enabled before an update. I had a lot of deactivated apps on my Galaxy Tab 3 when it updated from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2.

The apps do need to be present on the phone so this method is good for disabling apps if you want to update later. If you were to root your phone and remove the apps all together you would be screwed when it was time to update.

 

[bkdodger]

Thank you for posting...Also you can freeze with Titanium Backup if rooted...I always recommend not deleting apps y'all...

 

[johnomaz]

You can also look in the app drawer, find the ones you don't want and long press on them. At the top, disable will appear. Faster and easier IMO.

 

[hradek422]

This should have the disclaimer that it does not work on all bloat apps, such as MyMagazine. I have the Note 3 and already went through and turned off a lot of the bloat, but there is still a lot left that can't be turned off.

 

[Batman8]

I turned off a few unwanted apps the day I got my Note 3, but I have yet to find them afterwards (in case I wanted to turn some of them back on). Have any of you been able to turn any back on? and if so, how?

Thanks.

 

[hradek422]

I turned off a few unwanted apps the day I got my Note 3, but I have yet to find them afterwards (in case I wanted to turn some of them back on). Have any of you been able to turn any back on? and if so, how?

Thanks.

You have 2 options. Option 1) Go into your app drawer> hit your menu button> hit "show disabled apps". Or option 2) Go one section further to the right from ALL in the app manager, and it's your Turned Off Apps

 

[Batman8]

Thanks so much for the info Hradek422!

 

[johnomaz]

This should have the disclaimer that it does not work on all bloat apps, such as MyMagazine. I have the Note 3 and already went through and turned off a lot of the bloat, but there is still a lot left that can't be turned off.

I finally rooted my Note 3 with the method that doesnt' trigger Knox and am looking for a way to kill My Magazine. I have no use/want for it and it is annoying as hell.

 

[hradek422]

I finally rooted my Note 3 with the method that doesnt' trigger Knox and am looking for a way to kill My Magazine. I have no use/want for it and it is annoying as hell.

If you're rooted, you should be able to download Root Explorer. From there, you can open the app, and from the root directory, look for a folder called "System." Once in System, you'll look for "App." When you're in there, be sure that you click the Mount R/W button towards the top, then look for "MagazineHome.apk." Long-press MagazineHome.apk and select rename. Change the name to MagazineHome.bak. That will disable the app and leave it on your phone. Looks like Lounge.apk has the same icon as MyMagazine, so they may be related. Before doing that, I'd suggest waiting for a [Root] Safe to Disable Apps list for the Note 3. I'd say one will probably be out there somewhere within a couple weeks. Basically what I mean is, you can disable the app that way, but I have no way of knowing what adverse effects it will have, so I'm not responsible if it breaks something. I don't know what other things MyMagazine is tied to in the OS. Theoretically, it shouldn't break anything, but until that's confirmed in a Safe to Disable Root list, it's proceed at your own risk.

 

[Tonik]

This should have the disclaimer that it does not work on all bloat apps, such as MyMagazine. I have the Note 3 and already went through and turned off a lot of the bloat, but there is still a lot left that can't be turned off.

Sometimes you can't disable because the app has been updated. Try uninstalling updates. And sometimes you can't disable them because they and VZ suck.

 

[AECRADIO]

I use TB as my main backup, and apps I rarely use, get 'frozen', so they do not use up memory simply by being available for 'future' use.
Apps I never use, I wipe and delete.

 

[hradek422]

Sometimes you can't disable because the app has been updated. Try uninstalling updates. And sometimes you can't disable them because they and VZ suck.

On the Note 3, if the app has been updated, the "Turn Off" button is still functional, and it simply uninstalls the updates and disables the app when you press it.

 

[TheOldFart]

The apps do need to be present on the phone so this method is good for disabling apps if you want to update later. If you were to root your phone and remove the apps all together you would be screwed when it was time to update.

This is somewhat different than what you originally said. You said that they have to be turned on before update. I did not have to turn on any of the apps that I turned off before the update from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2 on my Tab 3 7.0 and they were still turned of after the update.