Hello guys,
Introduction
Today is my first step in the android development world. And I'm starting with something very little. I've created this tool for myself but I thought I could share it, as it could be useful to you as well and you could help me to improve it.
Big announcements
1) Officially supported custom ROMs:
-OmniRom
-LiquidRemix
-Skydragon
-ArrowOS
-AEX
What can you expect from flashing my script?
I think my script is interesting because its utility is completely complementary with a custom ROM or kernel: what it does has nothing to do with the kernel, so it doesn't interfere at all. And it's concrete stuff, not some supposed-to-be optimization where you're not even sure it's going to do something. I'm usually not a huge fan of these apps / modules.
-You'll get more privacy: I've removed Qualcomm telemetry, OnePlus telemetry as well as some Google Telemetry (but you can't expect too much as long as you use gapps)
-You'll get better battery life: less apps running in the background, less wakelocks, less services communicating with servers to send telemetry.
-You'll get better performance: for the same reasons. Don't expect a huge difference as our phone is very smooth already.
-The feeling of having a clean device. And this has no price.
As a proof, see this (both screenshots were taken after a fresh boot):
Extreme script: 19 system apps running, for a total of of 31 services running. I'm not counting Google Play services as the number of services running keep changing.
No script: 36 apps running, for a total of 60 services running! I find the difference quite huge.
What does it do?
The point is to be very very basic. Obviously I don't intend to to share something as powerful and exhaustive as xXx. My objective is to only focus on bloatwares, not features.
Also, I wanted to make a script simple enough so anybody can use it, understand it and modify it depending on your needs.
I think I can call myself a flasholoic, as I flash ROMs quite often, even when I'm happy with the current one. There are many time consuming and boring tasks when it comes to clean flash a new ROM. However, for most of them, there's a solution. For example, Titanium Backup, to mention just one.
With this script, you'll be able to skip the very boring process of removing/freezing all the system apps you don't use.
You can use this script with no worries whenever you flash your new ROM.
Why don't i Freeze apps instead of removing them?
Ideally, I would prefer to only freeze apps so the setup can stick after an update or a dirty flash, however, I don't know how to do it from recovery. Freezing works with the command from package manager "pm disable {package_name}", however, it's only available when the phone is running.
What version should I install?
-Invisible script: Install it, enjoy. I basically removed only apps related to telemetry or that don't have any function. You should still have all the apps you're using and all the features you like.
-Light Script: Invisible + apps that I consider rarely use (because they're useless or because alternatives are much popular). It should fit to 80% people without any change to make.
-Extreme script: Invisible + light + a few Google Apps (most of them can be reinstalled) and features that are not absolutely necessary but useful for some people, like face unlock for example. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who hasn't check the .txt file first. The light script is almost as good anyway.
How to Install?
Simply reboot to TWRP, flash the zip, reboot and enjoy.
If this doesn't work, you can try three different things:
-Try to use blu spark Recovery instead of other ones.
-Try to mount system in recovery before flashing my .zip.
-Try to install Magisk and this module: https://github.com/Magisk-Modules-Repo/busybox-ndk
-Try to install the script on both slots
At least one of these options should fix things for you.
Known incompatibilities
-If the script doesn't do anything, check installing instructions.
-If an app keeps force closing when you try to open it (for example the Google app, gmail, amazon, etc.), it's because you don't have any webview selected. You can select one in the developer settings and if you don't have any you can install one from the play store (Android System Webview).
-If some apps are remaining, it's because it's system apps you updated and they became user apps. You can just uninstall them like any other user apps and it will completely disappear.
-If an app that is included in the script freezes, but it's also available in the playstore, uninstall it with Titanium Backup, reboot and reinstall the app from play store.
-If you're using substratum, you must edit my script and remove this line: "/system/system/app/OpSkin",
-If your bank app doesn't work, you can try to add back Stk (sim toolkit), as the app helps for authentication.
-In general, search this thread if you want more details / understand why.
F.A.Q.
-I don't want to use this debloater anymore or it broke something I miss, how can I go back to normal?
=> Dirty flash your current setup (ROM, twrp, reboot to twrp, magisk, kernel, anything else you want)
-Does this script work for X or Y ROM? Can you make a debloater for X or Y ROM?
=> If you understand how my tool work, then you will understand that my scripts can potentially work on any ROMs, but each ROM has its specific apps so some bloatware won't be removed, most likely. I won't support any new ROM except if I end up trying it myself. I prefer to avoid to create new scripts blindly especially if I've never experienced the ROM.
-I flashed your deblaoter and now some apps keep force closing
=> "If an app keeps force closing when you try to open it (for example the Google app, gmail, amazon, etc.), it's because you don't have any webview selected. You can select one in the developer settings and if you don't have any you can install one from the play store (Android System Webview)."
Where can I get more info?
Check the .txt file in the download section. It lists all the apps included in the different scripts AND all the apps not included (so you can see what apps you want to potentially add, it's much easier to work like that)
How are the apps sorted in the .txt file?
-First, by categories (each category starting with #) (invisible, light, extreme, etc.)
-Then, they're sorted by their type (reserve / app / priv-app / other)
-Then, simply by alphabetic order.
-At the end of the document file, there are some explanations about some apps that can sound... mysterious about whether it's safe or not to delete them.
How to edit the script and make it work? (TUTORIAL)
Downloads, risks, credits, Information
Introduction
Today is my first step in the android development world. And I'm starting with something very little. I've created this tool for myself but I thought I could share it, as it could be useful to you as well and you could help me to improve it.
Big announcements
1) Officially supported custom ROMs:
-OmniRom
-LiquidRemix
-Skydragon
-ArrowOS
-AEX
What can you expect from flashing my script?
I think my script is interesting because its utility is completely complementary with a custom ROM or kernel: what it does has nothing to do with the kernel, so it doesn't interfere at all. And it's concrete stuff, not some supposed-to-be optimization where you're not even sure it's going to do something. I'm usually not a huge fan of these apps / modules.
-You'll get more privacy: I've removed Qualcomm telemetry, OnePlus telemetry as well as some Google Telemetry (but you can't expect too much as long as you use gapps)
-You'll get better battery life: less apps running in the background, less wakelocks, less services communicating with servers to send telemetry.
-You'll get better performance: for the same reasons. Don't expect a huge difference as our phone is very smooth already.
-The feeling of having a clean device. And this has no price.
As a proof, see this (both screenshots were taken after a fresh boot):
Extreme script: 19 system apps running, for a total of of 31 services running. I'm not counting Google Play services as the number of services running keep changing.
No script: 36 apps running, for a total of 60 services running! I find the difference quite huge.
What does it do?
The point is to be very very basic. Obviously I don't intend to to share something as powerful and exhaustive as xXx. My objective is to only focus on bloatwares, not features.
Also, I wanted to make a script simple enough so anybody can use it, understand it and modify it depending on your needs.
I think I can call myself a flasholoic, as I flash ROMs quite often, even when I'm happy with the current one. There are many time consuming and boring tasks when it comes to clean flash a new ROM. However, for most of them, there's a solution. For example, Titanium Backup, to mention just one.
With this script, you'll be able to skip the very boring process of removing/freezing all the system apps you don't use.
You can use this script with no worries whenever you flash your new ROM.
Why don't i Freeze apps instead of removing them?
Ideally, I would prefer to only freeze apps so the setup can stick after an update or a dirty flash, however, I don't know how to do it from recovery. Freezing works with the command from package manager "pm disable {package_name}", however, it's only available when the phone is running.
What version should I install?
-Invisible script: Install it, enjoy. I basically removed only apps related to telemetry or that don't have any function. You should still have all the apps you're using and all the features you like.
-Light Script: Invisible + apps that I consider rarely use (because they're useless or because alternatives are much popular). It should fit to 80% people without any change to make.
-Extreme script: Invisible + light + a few Google Apps (most of them can be reinstalled) and features that are not absolutely necessary but useful for some people, like face unlock for example. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who hasn't check the .txt file first. The light script is almost as good anyway.
How to Install?
Simply reboot to TWRP, flash the zip, reboot and enjoy.
If this doesn't work, you can try three different things:
-Try to use blu spark Recovery instead of other ones.
-Try to mount system in recovery before flashing my .zip.
-Try to install Magisk and this module: https://github.com/Magisk-Modules-Repo/busybox-ndk
-Try to install the script on both slots
At least one of these options should fix things for you.
Known incompatibilities
-If the script doesn't do anything, check installing instructions.
-If an app keeps force closing when you try to open it (for example the Google app, gmail, amazon, etc.), it's because you don't have any webview selected. You can select one in the developer settings and if you don't have any you can install one from the play store (Android System Webview).
-If some apps are remaining, it's because it's system apps you updated and they became user apps. You can just uninstall them like any other user apps and it will completely disappear.
-If an app that is included in the script freezes, but it's also available in the playstore, uninstall it with Titanium Backup, reboot and reinstall the app from play store.
-If you're using substratum, you must edit my script and remove this line: "/system/system/app/OpSkin",
-If your bank app doesn't work, you can try to add back Stk (sim toolkit), as the app helps for authentication.
-In general, search this thread if you want more details / understand why.
F.A.Q.
-I don't want to use this debloater anymore or it broke something I miss, how can I go back to normal?
=> Dirty flash your current setup (ROM, twrp, reboot to twrp, magisk, kernel, anything else you want)
-Does this script work for X or Y ROM? Can you make a debloater for X or Y ROM?
=> If you understand how my tool work, then you will understand that my scripts can potentially work on any ROMs, but each ROM has its specific apps so some bloatware won't be removed, most likely. I won't support any new ROM except if I end up trying it myself. I prefer to avoid to create new scripts blindly especially if I've never experienced the ROM.
-I flashed your deblaoter and now some apps keep force closing
=> "If an app keeps force closing when you try to open it (for example the Google app, gmail, amazon, etc.), it's because you don't have any webview selected. You can select one in the developer settings and if you don't have any you can install one from the play store (Android System Webview)."
Where can I get more info?
Check the .txt file in the download section. It lists all the apps included in the different scripts AND all the apps not included (so you can see what apps you want to potentially add, it's much easier to work like that)
How are the apps sorted in the .txt file?
-First, by categories (each category starting with #) (invisible, light, extreme, etc.)
-Then, they're sorted by their type (reserve / app / priv-app / other)
-Then, simply by alphabetic order.
-At the end of the document file, there are some explanations about some apps that can sound... mysterious about whether it's safe or not to delete them.
How to edit the script and make it work? (TUTORIAL)
Downloads, risks, credits, Information
Last edited:
