Duo keeps installing itself on my Home screen. How can I stop it?

[cchidzey]

Hi Guys, wondering if you can help me?
Sony XZ1 G8341 running Android 9.
Last week, Goole Duo installed itself on my phone, I didn't ask for it, and it wasn't already loaded on my phone from new.
I uninstalled the app from home screen, which didn't delete it, just reset it to factory. It showed in my apps as disabled.
6 hours later its back on my home screen.
So far I have:
'Ask every time' for downloads and 'don't auto update apps' in Play Store settings,
Deleted all connected apps, turned off App Preview Messages, in the Google App settings,
Removed phone number from Google account,
Cleared cache, denied all permissions, forced stop and disabled the Duo app,
Disabled Google Carrier Services.

Still, Duo come back on my home screen every few hours.

This wasn't a pre-installed app on my phone, it's been forced on me by (I presume) Google Play Store.

Is there a way to delete this permanently, or at least stop it reactivating itself every few hours?

Thanks, Cieran

 

[cchidzey]

Of course, Google won't respond to help requests, and it appears my phone is no longer supported by Sony.

 

[mustang7757]

Looks like more and more Android phones have this backed in , never had it in my message app or phone dialer on my Samsung but now its there, just keep it disabled and turn notifications off for it .

 

[mustang7757]

Long press it , deny premmission, notifications etc.

 

[cchidzey]

Thanks Mustang, I have denied all permissions, turned off background data, notifications etc, but it keeps enabling itself, and coming back on my home screen.
I have noticed, in the app settings under the Open By Default tab it says Some Defaults Set, but its greyed out so I can't click / select it.

If I routed the phone I guess I could completely remove the app, but would this stop it coming back, as I never installed it in the first place?

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks Mustang, I have denied all permissions, turned off background data, notifications etc, but it keeps enabling itself, and coming back on my home screen.
I have noticed, in the app settings under the Open By Default tab it says Some Defaults Set, but its greyed out so I can't click / select it.

If I routed the phone I guess I could completely remove the app, but would this stop it coming back, as I never installed it in the first place?

You can uninstall it completely?

 

[cchidzey]

Ah my bad, that's a question rather than a statement! If I routed the phone, could I remove it completely?
But removing it is no guarantee of it not just being installed again by whichever service is installing it?

I can't uninstall the app as it stands, just disable it, but something keeps enabling it again every few hours. Auto updates are turned off.
Thanks, Cieran

 

[mustang7757]

Ah my bad, that's a question rather than a statement! If I routed the phone, could I remove it completely?
But removing it is no guarantee of it not just being installed again by whichever service is installing it?

I can't uninstall the app as it stands, just disable it, but something keeps enabling it again every few hours. Auto updates are turned off.
Thanks, Cieran

So you disabled it , and it goes automatically on home screen? Try this in safe mode

 

[cchidzey]

Hi, I rebooted in safe mode and the Duo app still came back on my home screen, checked in the app settings and it was enabled.

Cleared cache, force stopped and disabled again, then signed out of Google Play account. App stayed away, but signing out if Google Play affects other apps I use.
Just now I signed back into Google Play, and Duo has come back on my home screen, enabled again.

Ironically, on Google Play I found their 'Unwanted Software Policy' as part of the Play Protect policy, the actions of the Duo app seems to violate most of their own policy: https://www.google.com/about/unwanted-software-policy.html

Thanks, Cieran

 

[Forgewizard]

When doing updates from Google play unchecked the Duo app. Other than that, put the app in hide mode after denying it all permissions and forget the same thing is there.

 

[B. Diddy]

Keep in mind that Duo is essentially becoming the way to have stock video calling on Android phones, so it's not exactly the same as forcing something like Google+ on a phone.

Which carrier are you on -- T-Mobile? They have a sneaky little AppSelector app that might be responsible.

 

[mellandroid]

I had a similiar problem. I do not have google duo installed on my phone and an update appeared for google duo. I did not install the update and it later disappeared.

The update suggests my phone had it installed which I didn't or at least it did not show in the Apps or system apps.

I can you tell me how you think google Duo instaled itself on your phone? No app should self install unlesss it was part of an Android update.

 

[B. Diddy]

I had a similiar problem. I do not have google duo installed on my phone and an update appeared for google duo. I did not install the update and it later disappeared.

The update suggests my phone had it installed which I didn't or at least it did not show in the Apps or system apps.

I can you tell me how you think google Duo instaled itself on your phone? No app should self install unlesss it was part of an Android update.

Your question was addressed in one of the other threads you participated in: https://forums.androidcentral.com/s...s-been-integrated-into-samsung-phone-app.html