How to Stop Realme Bloatware?

Stopping Realme bloatware involves identifying pre-installed, often unnecessary applications and either disabling or, in some cases, uninstalling them to free up storage, improve performance, and enhance privacy.

Realme devices, like many Android phones, often come with pre-installed applications from the manufacturer or third-party partners. While some are useful, others, known as bloatware, can consume valuable storage, RAM, and even battery life without offering much benefit to the user.

1. Disabling or Uninstalling Apps Natively

The simplest and safest way to manage bloatware is directly through your phone's settings. Not all apps can be uninstalled, but many can be disabled, which prevents them from running in the background and appearing in your app drawer.

Steps to Disable/Uninstall Apps:

Open Settings: Go to your Realme phone's Settings menu.
Navigate to Apps: Tap on Apps (or App Management, Apps & Notifications, depending on your Realme UI version).
Access App List: Select App list or See all apps.
Show System Apps (if needed):
- If you don't see the app you're looking for, especially pre-installed system apps, look for a three-dot menu button located at the top right of the screen.
- Tap this menu button and then select the 'Show system apps' option. This will reveal all apps, including those deeply integrated into the system.
Select the App: Tap on the specific app you want to manage. A new screen will appear with app details.
Uninstall or Disable:
- If the app can be removed, you will see an "Uninstall" button. Tap it to remove the app completely.
- If "Uninstall" is grayed out or unavailable, you will likely see a "Disable" button. Tapping this will stop the app from running, hide it from your app drawer, and prevent it from consuming resources.

What's the difference?

Uninstalling removes the app and its data entirely from your device.
Disabling stops the app from running and hides it, but it remains on your device and can be re-enabled later. This is the common option for core system apps that cannot be fully removed.

2. Using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) for Deeper Removal

For more stubborn bloatware that cannot be disabled through the native settings, Android Debug Bridge (ADB) offers a powerful solution. ADB allows you to connect your phone to a computer and execute commands to uninstall or disable system apps. This method requires some technical familiarity and should be used with caution, as removing essential system components can cause instability or even brick your device.

Prerequisites for ADB:

Enable Developer Options: Go to Settings > About phone and tap on Build number multiple times until "You are now a developer!" appears.
Enable USB Debugging: In Settings > System > Developer options, toggle on USB debugging.
Install ADB Tools: Download and install the ADB platform tools on your computer. You can find these from the Android Developers website.
Connect Phone: Connect your Realme phone to your computer via a USB cable and authorize the connection when prompted on your phone.

Basic ADB Commands for Bloatware Removal:

Find Package Name: Open a command prompt or terminal on your computer and run adb shell pm list packages to see a list of all installed packages. You'll need to identify the exact package name of the bloatware (e.g., com.realme.calculator).
Uninstall for Current User: To uninstall an app for the current user (which effectively hides it and stops it from running, similar to disabling but more thorough):
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 <package_name>
Replace <package_name> with the actual package name (e.g., adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.realme.calculator).

Important Considerations for ADB:

Research: Always research the package name before uninstalling to ensure it's bloatware and not a critical system app.
Backup: Back up your device data before proceeding.
Reversibility: While ADB uninstall often removes only for the current user and can sometimes be reversed, it's best to proceed with caution.

3. Identifying Bloatware vs. Essential System Apps

It's crucial to distinguish between true bloatware and essential system components. Removing the latter can cause your phone to malfunction.

Category	Examples of Potential Bloatware (Often Safe to Disable/Uninstall)	Examples of Essential System Apps (DO NOT Disable/Uninstall)
Productivity	Realme Browser, Theme Store, Phone Manager (if not used), Weather	Google Play Services, Android System Webview, Phone (Dialer App)
Entertainment	App Market, Games app, Realme Music, Video Player	Messages, Contacts, Camera
Utilities	Calculator (if using Google's), Clock (if using Google's), Compass	System UI, com.android.providers.*, com.android.settings
Social/Other	Pre-installed social media apps (Facebook, TikTok), Glance	com.android.vending (Google Play Store), com.google.android.gms

4. General Tips for Managing Bloatware

Review Regularly: Periodically check your app list for apps you don't use and consider disabling them.
Disable Notifications: For apps you can't uninstall but still send bothersome notifications, disable their notifications through Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Notifications.
Stay Updated (Selectively): While system updates often bring improvements, they can sometimes re-introduce bloatware or new unwanted features. Exercise caution after updates.
Avoid Unknown Sources: Be mindful of where you download apps from. Stick to the Google Play Store to minimize unwanted software.

By following these methods, you can significantly reduce the amount of bloatware on your Realme device, leading to a cleaner, faster, and more private user experience.