Deleting Apps

[deadl1fter]

Question. If you download and try many apps and launchers then delete them will they leave residual files? Will this eventually slow down a modern Android device?

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I use an app called unapp. It removes an app completely

 

[mustang7757]

Question. If you download and try many apps and launchers then delete them will they leave residual files? Will this eventually slow down a modern Android device?

Hi welcome to AC!
If you go to my file app then internal storage if you see any folders associated with those apps just delete the folder

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Some apps do leave behind some folders, typically in the /Android/data directory. I periodically use a file manager to look through the directories and delete any that are clearly from an app I uninstalled. Keep in mind that sometimes it may be worth leaving the folders, since it may make it easier to resume using the app the way you were before if you ever reinstalled it.

Leftover folders would be highly unlikely to bog your phone down. If you're really close to the phone's storage limit, it might have an impact, but typically the amount of data left behind is very little.

 

[J Dubbs]

Question. If you download and try many apps and launchers then delete them will they leave residual files? Will this eventually slow down a modern Android device?

Yes they will over time leave stray files behind, that will take up space and start to slow your phone down. Use a good file explorer and keep track as best you can what files a new app installs, then delete the stray files an app leaves behind. ES File Explorer does a good job of describing app files by name to help you remove leftovers. Don't remove a file if you're not 100% sure you know what it is....... it's better to leave some strays you're not sure of then remove a crucial file and break your phone.

The majority of apps are pretty good about removing everything.... and it takes a lot of leftover files to start affecting the phone, so don't get too crazy about it

 

[B. Diddy]

Yes they will over time leave stray files behind, that will take up space and start to slow your phone down. Use a good file explorer and keep track as best you can what files a new app installs, then delete the stray files an app leaves behind. ES File Explorer does a good job of describing app files by name to help you remove leftovers. Don't remove a file if you're not 100% sure you know what it is....... it's better to leave some strays you're not sure of then remove a crucial file and break your phone.

The majority of apps are pretty good about removing everything.... and it takes a lot of leftover files to start affecting the phone, so don't get too crazy about it

I agree, but my only suggestion would be to avoid ES File Explorer. At some point they were acquired by DO Global, a company that has a checkered reputation: https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/...lay-store-possibly-part-of-do-global-scandal/. If you're looking for a good and safe 3rd party file manager, I suggest Files by Google (since it's by Google themselves) or Total Commander (a venerable but reliable app that has remained totally free and ad-free, developed by Christian Ghisler)

 

[Javier P]

The best way to avoid leftovers is doing a complete uninstall each time:

Settings - apps - select app to be uninstalled - Force stop - Storage & Cache - Clear storage - Uninstall.

Some apps, like SD Maid, have an option to detect and delete that kind of files.

 

[J Dubbs]

I agree, but my only suggestion would be to avoid ES File Explorer. At some point they were acquired by DO Global, a company that has a checkered reputation: https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/...lay-store-possibly-part-of-do-global-scandal/. If you're looking for a good and safe 3rd party file manager, I suggest Files by Google (since it's by Google themselves) or Total Commander (a venerable but reliable app that has remained totally free and ad-free, developed by Christian Ghisler)

I could be wrong on the name of the file explorer....it may not be ES. I was responding late in the evening and it didn't sound right. I'll check tomorrow and verify. I scanned it with Virus Total and it was clean, and it's the paid version. Whichever one it is it's one of the few that show the full names of all the files and which apps they belong to with an image, which makes it super simple to remove junk files without having to guess what the name applies to. I also have Files by Google installed, but it just gives the generic file name which often makes it difficult to know which files and folders belong to what.

 

[J Dubbs]

The best way to avoid leftovers is doing a complete uninstall each time:

Settings - apps - select app to be uninstalled - Force stop - Storage & Cache - Clear storage - Uninstall.

Some apps, like SD Maid, have an option to detect and delete that kind of files.

That's basically how I remove my apps, except I clear the cache, then data, then force stop and uninstall. I'm going to try your way, because force stopping first makes more sense, and when you clear the data the cache clears as well. Plus I'm going to take the advice of a pro

I haven't had much luck with junk file cleaners on pc or android, they always tend to break things by removing files that aren't junk. I always seemed to have to remove things manually in the end anyways. I've heard SD Maid mentioned alot, is it pretty good?

 

[Javier P]

That's basically how I remove my apps, except I clear the cache, then data, then force stop and uninstall. I'm going to try your way, because force stopping first makes more sense, and when you clear the data the cache clears as well. Plus I'm going to take the advice of a pro

I haven't had much luck with junk file cleaners on pc or android, they always tend to break things by removing files that aren't junk. I always seemed to have to remove things manually in the end anyways. I've heard SD Maid mentioned alot, is it pretty good?

In general I don't recommend using cleaner apps, most are crap. The only exception is when users, like OP here, want to get rid of files left behind after uninstalling apps. For this SD Maid is quite good, install the free version, run the Corpse Finder feature and uninstall it