Is there a way to prevent all of my apps from installing whenever I get a new device?

[gyroslice]

Whenever I get a new device I have to spend the first hour just letting all of my apps install from the Play Store. Then I spend the next 30 minutes uninstalling all those old unused apps from 2010. Is there a way to choose which apps I want to install?

 

[B. Diddy]

In Settings>Backup & Reset, you can uncheck Automatically Restore. I believe this will prevent all of those apps from automatically installing, but the thing that I'm not sure of is how to uncheck it on a brand new phone before finishing the Setup Wizard--I don't think there's an option during the wizard to automatically restore. So once you finish the Setup Wizard, you may just have to go to Settings>Backup & Reset immediately, and uncheck Automatically Restore.

It's possible that unchecking it on your other devices may prevent it from happening on the new phone as well, but I've never tested it.

 

[Mooncatt]

I think there is an option to skip auto-restoring on apps when activating a new device. I don't remember exactly what the option was, but I was able to prevent it when I activated my M8 in the store.

To find your apps and install at will, go into Play > My Apps > All tab. The down side is that will show every app you ever installed, including ones you subsequently uninstalled. That's a huge list to sort through for me, so what I do instead is write down the apps I currently have on my old device that I want to install on the new one. Then on the new device, I do a search for those apps and install individually. That's actually less hassle than searching the All Apps tab when it gets long. There doesn't seem to be any logic to its sorting method, so you won't find your wanted apps grouped together.

 

[B. Diddy]

I think the sorting for the All Apps history is chronologic, with the most recently installed listed first.

 

[raptir]

You can skip the restore entirely if you wait to add your Google account until after the setup process. Just tap "Skip for Now" then go to your account settings when you have gotten to the home screen.

Android 5.0 has improved the process so that you can choose which apps install when you setup a new phone.