OK to disable Excel, Word and Powerpoint?

[CWinkler]

I don't use Excel, Word or Powerpoint on my S7 so was thinking about disabling them. They're apparently "built in" apps, so unsure if there will be any issues with doing that. I clicked on the Disable for Excel, and it brought up a window that says "Do you want to replace this app with the factory version?" ... only options are OK or Cancel. No clue what that message means. Any suggestions? Any harm with disabling them? Or is it not even possible?

 

[AxlMyk]

I don't have those on my phone, but if you replace with factory version, they'll just update again.
Try an app disabler. I use Package disabler Pro.

 

[chanchan05]

No harm. They're just built in. They aren't system apps.

 

[Hey I Tried]

If you don't need them, then yes, it's safe to disable them.

As for the "factory version" prompt, that's completely normal when you attempt to disable an application that came pre installed.
What it is basically telling you is because Excel was pre-installed on your device, it can't be completely removed. It will has been updated to a newer version (Play Store App Updates), and if you disable it, it will uninstall all the updates, essentially leaving you with the exact same version that came on your device originally.

After you disable it, make sure to Force Stop it, and disable Notifications (all in the same screen). This will stop it from running in the background now, and should remove "App Update available for Excel" notifications.

 

[CWinkler]

So could I just 'force stop' them all?

 

[chanchan05]

You could actually just disable them. No need to force stop.

 

[Hey I Tried]

You don't have to force stop it, I just prefer doing it after disabling the program, to clear it out of the memory right away.
If I disabled something, that means I don't want to use it, so it doesn't need to be still running in the background.

 

[Hey I Tried]

Side note. Force stop is a thing to use if you want to see if an application being disabled is going to cause immediate issues with your phone.
The next reboot, they will be running again.

But, if you are planning on disabling apps beyond the Word / Excel / PowerPoint programs, make sure to search the forums prior to doing anything.
Search for your device and Android version, then search for your device and cellular carrier.
You should get a good list of what is safe to disable.
But, just because it's safe to disable, doesn't mean that everything will be perfect for you.
A lot of the stuff you find in those lists are what make the Samsung S7 the Samsung S7.

 

[Hey I Tried]

I don't have those on my phone, but if you replace with factory version, they'll just update again.
Try an app disabler. I use Package disabler Pro.

Some Samsung devices have it pre-installed. My wife's Galaxy Tab A came with it preloaded.

And yes, Package Disabler Pro is an awesome program to disable a lot of the Samsung junk thrown into our phones, but if they are asking if it's safe to disable an Office Product and the Factory Version, it's safe to assume they are still new to disabling pre-installed applications, and are trying to understand it.

Having them immediately jump into Package Disabler would be like giving someone a grenade to kill a mouse.... Something is going to get blown up.

 

[AxlMyk]

Having them immediately jump into Package Disabler would be like giving someone a grenade to kill a mouse.... Something is going to get blown up.

Good description.

 

[chanchan05]

You don't need package disabler when there is a nice disable button there.

 

[CWinkler]

Thanks for all your responses. Sounds like if I disable them and go to the factory versions, they'll just update again anyway. So might just as well leave them well enough alone and not start causing potential issues with the phone, which seems to be working well for me (knock wood). Still waiting for the N update, and don't know when USCC will be sending out. Hope things keep working well after that comes through.

 

[Hey I Tried]

If you disable, uninstall the updates, then force stop, it shouldn't I update at all.
You shouldn't even see it listed in your Play Stores available updates.
I tested it this morning on my wife's Tab A, and after I did the disable / uninstall updates / force stop, it didn't show in the play store updates.