Can I get some help with some Google settings questions?

[Richard Feynman]

Google Settings Questions

Hello, I am setting up a couple of new Nexus 6P's and have a few questions about Google settings. One of the reasons I purchased the Nexus 6P was so that I could only install what I want, and avoid a bunch of apps and bloatware I have no interest in.

However as soon as I log into the Google Play store, the phone starts automatically downloading and "restoring" applications, even though I do NOT have "automatically back up device data" selected and don't want it to be installing Google + etc.

Is there any way to stop this? I know that certain applications such as Play are of course unavoidable, but I didn't think it was going to force me to install G+ or anything that wasn't on the phone out of the box?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[SpookDroid]

Re: Google Settings Questions

When you first fired up the phone and set it up with your Google account it should have prompted you to restore apps or not. If you selected the first option, that's why it's trying to automatically restore the app downloads based on the Google account you set it up with. Not sure you can 'turn that off' after the initial set up other than manually cancelling the installs when they start.

If these are new phones, you can always do a factory reset and start over, making sure that you do select the 'no automatic app download' option.

 

[Richard Feynman]

Re: Google Settings Questions

Thanks. It did prompt me, and I specifically selected NO ("back up my data"), that's why this is driving me crazy. On top of it I selected to NOT back up and sync my photos in the Photo app, yet it also appears to be downloading thousands of photos into the photos app that I don't want on the phone, just because I logged onto Google.

I also did a factory reset once, making sure the next time I set up the phone to not turn on "back up my data", since that's what seemed to trigger the apps download the first time, though I think it may have been the mere act of logging into Google. Is there a setting somewhere else I am missing? I see options for auto updating apps in the Play app, but I assumed that is only for apps already on the phone.

Thanks again.

 

[Richard Feynman]

Re: Google Settings Questions

Reading through this now, hopefully my answer is here.

Prevent Google Play from reinstalling apps after factory reset - Android Enthusiasts Stack Exchange

 

[anon(847090)]

Re: Google Settings Questions

Hello, I am setting up a couple of new Nexus 6P's and have a few questions about Google settings. One of the reasons I purchased the Nexus 6P was so that I could only install what I want, and avoid a bunch of apps and bloatware I have no interest in.

However as soon as I log into the Google Play store, the phone starts automatically downloading and "restoring" applications, even though I do NOT have "automatically back up device data" selected and don't want it to be installing Google + etc.

Is there any way to stop this? I know that certain applications such as Play are of course unavoidable, but I didn't think it was going to force me to install G+ or anything that wasn't on the phone out of the box?

Many thanks in advance!

you actually checked the option to restore thats why its downloading.
when you do the next setup use do not retore and it wont restore.

 

[qnet]

Re: Google Settings Questions

When you set up your phone - the first time or after a factory reset - do you select set up as a new phone or retore from previous phones? If you choose set up as new phone, it will only download some stock Google apps.

I've never selected not to back up my stuff when factory resetting, so I'm not sure what Google downloads if you do that in conjuntion with setting up as a new phone. It seems like it wouldn't download much. I factory rest my Nexus 6P and set up as a new phone, and it only dowloaded a few apps. I don't remeber the number but it was under twenty I believe, mostly Goolge apps.

 

[Richard Feynman]

Re: Google Settings Questions

you actually checked the option to restore thats why its downloading.
when you do the next setup use do not retore and it wont restore.

Sorry but no I didn't . In fact I just did another factory reset and this time went through the setup wizard which allowed me to deselect the option to restore settings from my previous phone and selected "set this up as a new device". All was going well until I agreed to the terms for Google Now, at which point it started downloading all the google apps again.

My take on it is that it's going to force me to install the google apps whether I want them or not, but the good news is it at least looks like I can uninstall them.

It's also impossible for me to stop from seeing all my cloud photos even if I select "don't backup and sync". Whether that means it's actually downloading all of them or just downloading thumbnails I don't know. However by selecting "remove this account" from the Google Photo settings, I was able to stop that.

Oh well, at least Google seems to be giving users a way to get around it.

Thanks

 

[Richard Feynman]

Re: Google Settings Questions

When you set up your phone - the first time or after a factory reset - do you select set up as a new phone or retore from previous phones? If you choose set up as new phone, it will only download some stock Google apps.

I've never selected not to back up my stuff when factory resetting, so I'm not sure what Google downloads if you do that in conjuntion with setting up as a new phone. It seems like it wouldn't download much. I factory rest my Nexus 6P and set up as a new phone, and it only dowloaded a few apps. I don't remeber the number but it was under twenty I believe, mostly Goolge apps.

OK, thanks, this confirms exactly what I'm experiencing and the main reason it was bothering me was a. I don't want them and b. based on the selections I was making it seemed like they shouldn't be downloading. But since that's just how it is, I'm happy.

 

[SpookDroid]

Re: Google Settings Questions

The pictures shouldn't be downloading, just the thumbnails... Check your Gallery settings, maybe it's set to show your Picasa albums (which are the same as Google Photos). I know that's an issue with Samsung phones, not sure if the option is there on Nexus devices though.

If you selected not to sync/backup your pictures in Google Photos, any new pictures you take shouldn't be uploaded to your cloud storage.