Almost every Android phone out there comes with a set of apps preinstalled by the manufacturer, carrier, or even advertisers, and more often than not, you can’t get rid of them. These apps are usually intended to showcase the phone’s features, promote partner services, or simply lock you into a particular ecosystem.
Personally, this always annoyed me, especially after spending nearly $1,000 on my Samsung phone. That’s when I decided it was time to take control and debloat it. The process was surprisingly satisfying, and I now wish I had done it much sooner.
Uninstalling certain system apps can lead to unexpected issues, including loss of essential functionality, app crashes, or overall system instability. So, if you try the following method, make sure to research each app before removing it.
Why I wanted to remove preinstalled apps in the first place
The bloatware problem on Android
Bloatware is a common problem with Android devices, but Samsung Galaxy phones in particular seem to take it to another level. Between Samsung’s own suite of apps, duplicate Google services, carrier add-ons, and even Microsoft apps from their partnership, my Galaxy phone felt cluttered from day one.
Now, some of these apps can be easily uninstalled, but even after doing that, I was still staring at a long list of apps I didn’t need. Apps like Bixby, Galaxy Store, Smart Switch, Samsung Cloud, Samsung Messages, Samsung News, Weather, and the list just kept going.
It wasn’t that these apps were all bad, but I didn’t use them, yet they appeared in my app drawer, updated in the background, and occasionally pushed notifications I never asked for. The best I could do with these apps was disable them. But disabling isn’t the same as removing, since they still take up storage space.
The apps that made debloating possible without root
Meet Shizuku and Canta
Once I decided to debloat my Samsung phone, I started looking for options. Typically, removing preinstalled apps on Android requires root access, which gives you deep control over the system. While that’s great, it also comes with serious drawbacks—it voids your warranty, can make your phone fail safety checks, and often breaks key apps like banking and payments. So, rooting wasn’t worth the risk for me.
The next option was using ADB (Android Debug Bridge). It’s an official tool from Google that lets you connect your phone to a computer and issue commands directly. It’s effective, but I wasn’t too excited about plugging in cables and typing lines of code. I wanted something simpler, something I could do entirely from my phone without needing a laptop nearby.
That’s when I came across Shizuku and Canta. These two apps changed everything. Shizuku acts as a kind of bridge—it lets other apps run ADB-like commands locally on your device. Canta, on the other hand, gives you an easy interface to actually remove or disable system apps safely using that power.
How I used them to safely debloat my phone
Setting up Shizuku and Canta was easy
Debloating an Android phone with Shizuku and Canta requires Wireless Debugging, a feature hidden in Developer Options. If you haven’t already, the first step is to enable Developer Options. On most phones, you do this by going to Settings > About phone > Software information, then tapping Build number seven times.
Next, install the Shizuku app from the Play Store. Open it and tap Pairing. Then, go to Developer Options and turn on USB debugging and Wireless debugging. Go to Wireless debugging > Pair device with pairing code, and you’ll see a six-digit code. Shizuku will prompt you to enter this code. Once entered, the pairing is successful. Head back to the Shizuku app and tap Start to get it running.
After Shizuku is ready, download Canta Debloater from the Play Store. Open it, and you’ll see a complete list of apps installed on your phone, including system apps. Canta labels apps as Recommended, System, Expert, or Unsafe, so you don’t delete anything critical. To be safe, I only stuck with apps that I knew were safe to remove. Doing so was as simple as selecting it, tapping the trash icon, and allowing Canta app permission to access Shizuku. You can even uninstall multiple apps at once.
Once an app is removed, it disappears from your app drawer and no longer takes up storage or runs in the background. If you ever want it back, Canta’s Deleted section lets you reinstall apps with a single tap.
The difference it made and why I’d do it again
Why it’s worth the effort
After finishing the debloat process, the difference was immediate and surprisingly satisfying. My phone felt lighter, faster, and less cluttered. Opening the app drawer no longer felt like navigating a crowded mall. I gained more storage for the apps I actually wanted, and even my phone’s battery seemed to last a little longer without all the unnecessary background processes running.
Beyond the tangible improvements, there was a psychological boost. It’s amazing how much peace of mind comes from knowing your phone only has the apps you actually use.
I’ve always loved the idea of a clean, organized phone, but my Samsung Galaxy felt anything but that. Thankfully, both Shizuku and Canta make the debloating process quick and easy. If your phone feels weighed down by apps you never use, this is the most convenient way to get rid of them.