Shizuku: How to freeze unwanted apps and bloatware on your Android phone or tablet (2024)

The Android mobile operating system doesn't have many limitations or restrictions, but there are a few drawbacks. You can customize your device as much as you want except for one key area: the preinstalled apps from device manufacturers and wireless carriers. Grabbing one of the most affordable Android tablets doesn't allow you to escape the problem. Big manufacturers like Samsung include bloatware in their devices. This guide shows you how to remove these preinstalled apps on your Android smartphone or tablet.

What exactly is bloatware?

Purchasing a new device from a local wireless carrier's store may be convenient, but there's a catch they don't talk about. These devices are typically loaded with unwanted, preinstalled apps from the device manufacturer or the wireless carrier. When these apps serve little purpose, are unwanted, or go unused by most people, they are known as bloatware.

Part of what people love so much about Android is that you can pick and choose the apps you want. There's an endless supply of great productivity apps, utilities, and file managers. You can also customize your device's look and feel with one of the best Android launchers.

The problem with bloatware is that manufacturers and wireless carriers lock the apps in place, preventing you from removing them, even if you use another app. Android's base operating system also comes with many core apps, and you can end up with two similar apps installed simultaneously, one from Google and the other from your device manufacturer or wireless carrier.

Some devices are more notorious than others regarding bloatware, but it's a common practice in the mobile industry. For example, your smartphone manufacturer might include its custom web browser, messaging app, and calculator. These apps take up extra storage space and rarely have a built-in way to uninstall them.

Those preinstalled apps are mostly untouchable because they are added to the base Android system before it's compiled and become part of the core operating system. This is known as being "baked in" by independent Android developers. Still, there are some cases where you can deactivate or hide a few of them from the app drawer to unclutter things a bit.

Why does my phone have bloatware?

The bloatware answer to why you find different preinstalled apps for the same phone sold by two separate carriers is simple: for monetary reasons.

Bloatware, preinstalled apps, potentially unwanted programs (PUP), or whatever you want to call them, make manufacturers and carriers money. Many smartphone manufacturers ship devices with apps you might use (such as Facebook, Amazon, Netflix), but carriers may not be as conscientious. Manufacturers often use bloatware to remain competitive in markets with razor-thin margins. Pop a new SIM into your phone, and there's a chance you'll notice dozens of new and unwanted apps. Carriers use PUPs to upsell their services and subsidize trade-in deals and promotions.

What's the story with excessive bloatware?

In the past, we had the Google Play edition program, which lasted only a short time. These were official and certified Android devices that launched without unnecessary bloatware. They only came with the core Google apps, such as the Google Play Store.

After this program was discontinued, the bloatware situation got out of control again. The user lost control of that aspect of their devices because there were no ground rules to limit how much bloatware was too much. At worst, you might have ended up with dozens of unwanted apps that couldn't be uninstalled.

Google has enforced stricter rules to reduce how much bloatware manufacturers and wireless carriers can include on their devices. Although this benefits everyone, the bloatware situation today isn't perfect. Independent Android developers sometimes root devices and create custom firmware, but there's no guarantee your phone is one of them. The Shizuku service discussed in this guide can help you without replacing the entire OS with custom firmware.

Shizuku is a unique on-device modding tool that uses ADB commands and system APIs, allowing you to debloat and freeze bloatware using a compatible app called Ice Box. It doesn't require root access like a lot of custom firmware, and you can use it on almost any Android device, giving you more flexibility over what you get from stock.

Why should you freeze an app?

When you freeze an app on Android, it's temporarily suspended from your device but not removed entirely. This allows you to restore the app to its original state quickly. Uninstalling removes an app. It can't be recovered under normal circ*mstances.

Freezing a system app, for example, is safer than uninstalling it. The risk factor of corrupting or messing up your system files is less, which is the primary goal of Shizuku and Ice Box. Freezing an app hides it from your app drawer, helping you clear the icon clutter.

Install and activate the Shizuku service

Before you can freeze apps or bloatware on your Android device, you must activate the Shizuku service. It constantly runs in the background for the apps that rely on it, so keep this part in mind going forward, and after you get things up and running, make sure not to uninstall it.

This means you'll need to manually start the Shizuku service after every reboot because it only runs on your system temporarily. This shouldn't be an issue since you likely won't need to restart your device much. If you have full root access, set the service to start automatically with your device to enhance and simplify your experience.

To get the Shizuku service up and running, follow these steps:

1. Install the Shizuku app from the Google Play Store.
2. Open Shizuku and go to the Start via Wireless debugging section.
3. Tap the Pairing button.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to pair your device with the Shizuku app.
5. Return to the main screen for Shizuku and tap the Start button.

   

   

6. The Shizuku service runs in the background.

   

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Set up Ice Box and pair it with the Shizuku service

Since the Shizuku service is running in the background now, you'll need a way to manage the apps and bloatware you don't want. The Ice Box app freezes and hides installed apps, including built-in system apps. Combining Shizuku with Ice Box gives you a simple yet effective solution to freeze common device bloatware.

To get Ice Box working with Shizuku, check out the following steps:

1. Install the Ice Box app from the Google Play Store.
2. Open Ice Box.
3. Run through the short intro by swiping from right to left.
4. Select the Shizuku Manager option.

   

   

5. Tap the Allow all the time button to give Ice Box access to Shizuku.
6. Tap OK to dismiss the notice about Shizuku.
7. Tap the flashing Apps tab to begin the freezing process.

   

   

How to freeze the bloatware on your device

Now that Ice Box is set up and has the proper Shizuku permissions, you can move on to the fun part: freezing your apps and bloatware. To begin that process, do the following:

1. Scroll through the Apps tab and check the boxes next to the apps you want to freeze. Each app is sent to the Frozen list when you check its box. The free version of Ice Box allows you to freeze up to 10 apps. Purchase the premium version if you need more.
2. Tap the System tab and check the box next to the apps you want to freeze. The System tab is where you'll find most preinstalled bloatware. You can only continue after tapping Got It to accept the risk, so be careful about which apps you freeze.

   

   

3. Return to the main Ice Box screen using the back arrow or gesture.

If you want to unfreeze an app later, tap the app icon on the Frozen list to unfreeze it temporarily and open it. You can long press the app icon and select Freeze to suspend the app again. At the same time, choosing the Remove From List option sets the app to its original state and takes it off the Frozen list.

How to remove all apps from the Frozen list

If you want to defrost and restore all of your apps from the Frozen list, there's a convenient feature to help you out. To get started, check out these steps:

1. Open Ice Box so you're on the main app screen.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the lower-right corner.
3. Go to Settings.
4. Under the Misc section, tap the Defrost All option.

   

   

5. Check the Also disable Auto Freeze box, then tap OK to continue. This ensures apps don't automatically freeze again later, saving you multiple steps.

   

6. All apps are now removed from the Frozen list and restored to their original state.

Freezing bloatware is the way to go

In the earlier days of Android, after the Google Play edition program ended, bloatware became a problem. Without root access, it was difficult to manage these unwanted apps. Unless independent Android developers unlocked the bootloader, manufacturers usually restricted root access. You likely couldn't even hide bloatware from your app drawer or home screen.

But now, with the power of Shizuku and Ice Box, you can use temporary on-device ADB commands as a proper alternative solution. It lets you quickly freeze any system app or bloatware with a few taps. The risk of messing up your device or system files is minimal, making it perfect for people just getting into modding their devices.

With the help of the Shizuku service, you can also do things like back up and restore your Android device using Swift Backup. It's a powerful tool that offers many of its best features without requiring root access.