Question Are Uninstallers and Cleaner Apps Recommended?

[mccmw]

Admittedly, I have never used an uninstaller app or cleaner/optimizer on any of my past Android devices. I was always under the impression that, unlike Windows, Android didn't leave behind a bunch of orphan/leftover entries/files/settings (registry, system folder, other folders, etc.). Is this still true? Is there any benefit to periodically running CCleaner (or recommended alternative) and an uninstaller app if trying out applications and uninstalling what I don't like? System performance and storage degradation is the priority...and doing factory resets after a while is a pain. Thanks for advice/recomendations/experience.

 

[methodman89]

Admittedly, I have never used an uninstaller app or cleaner/optimizer on any of my past Android devices. I was always under the impression that, unlike Windows, Android didn't leave behind a bunch of orphan/leftover entries/files/settings (registry, system folder, other folders, etc.). Is this still true? Is there any benefit to periodically running CCleaner (or recommended alternative) and an uninstaller app if trying out applications and uninstalling what I don't like? System performance and storage degradation is the priority...and doing factory resets after a while is a pain. Thanks for advice/recomendations/experience.

Not recommended, imo, or needed.
Additionally, if you do a search, glitches and problems have been experienced after downloading some of these things.
Clear your cache if it is an option.
Reboot weekly.
Good luck

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! I agree with methodman89, especially for modern Android devices. It might have been more helpful in the old days of Android, but the OS has become much more refined and efficient since then, such that these kinds of apps are unnecessary, and could even negatively impact performance if used regularly. And of course, there will be many shady devs out there who cram these kinds of apps with adware or possibly worse.

 

[mccmw]

Thanks...just wanted to make sure apps weren't leaving leftovers when uninstalled.

 

[magenta]

SD Maid is a good and reliable cleaner

 

[IsHacker]

Admittedly, I have never used an uninstaller app or cleaner/optimizer on any of my past Android devices. I was always under the impression that, unlike Windows, Android didn't leave behind a bunch of orphan/leftover entries/files/settings (registry, system folder, other folders, etc.). Is this still true? Is there any benefit to periodically running CCleaner (or recommended alternative) and an uninstaller app if trying out applications and uninstalling what I don't like? System performance and storage degradation is the priority...and doing factory resets after a while is a pain. Thanks for advice/recomendations/experience.

NEVER use CCleaner, not even on PC! Everyone says it's totally bloatware, maybe even spyware. BTW most of these "cleaner" apps do absolutely nothing, they just have a cute UI which just says "X GB cleaned" to impress you. Most of these apps are also spyware (remember Clean Master?). It is also a myth that your device will slow down if you have less storage space, so I don't think you would need any of these apps even if they were legit.

 

[B. Diddy]

remember Clean Master

Oh God, that name is triggering some PTSD in me! What an awful product and awful company.