Sony Xperia Z3 How to remove the Whats New and/or Small Apps from the Home Button Launcher

[erasat]

**(Thanks to ikon8 from XDA) **

No root necessary.

For those of you who wants to block the annoying Whats New from the Home Button launcher (when swiping up from the Home icon) use the following: (you must open an ADB Conenction to the phone, if don't what I'm talking about, just look for ADB on Google)

adb shell
pm block com.sonymobile.advancedwidget.entrance
exit
adb reboot


If you want to also remove the Small Apps ( I love them, but for those of you who hate them):

Make sure to reboot before proceeding if you're removing both items.

adb shell
pm block com.sony.smallapp.launcher
pm block com.sony.smallapp.app.widget
exit
adb reboot

 

[punyweakling]

Hey man, a quick note to say THANK YOU. Smallapps are find and all, but sicking them in the multitasking view is a massive fail. Was the number one hangup with my new Z3 and now solved. Thanks again.

 

[sjenehzdv]

Hello guys, thank you so much for this litlle thread, it was very useful. But I wanted to mention, for futur users, that the "Block" Command does not work for me (on Lollipop). So what I tried instead was to replace the word "Block" with "Hide", and it worked !

So, for example, if you wanna delete the small apps launcher on Lollipop, you'll have to do this :

adb shell
pm hide com.sony.smallapp.launcher
exit
adb reboot

 

[Lu99ke]

Hello guys, thank you so much for this litlle thread, it was very useful. But I wanted to mention, for futur users, that the "Block" Command does not work for me (on Lollipop). So what I tried instead was to replace the word "Block" with "Hide", and it worked !

So, for example, if you wanna delete the small apps launcher on Lollipop, you'll have to do this :

adb shell
pm hide com.sony.smallapp.launcher
exit
adb reboot

Bam!! Awesome thanks!! HATED those small apps!!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[RafaelLVX]

Hello guys, thank you so much for this litlle thread, it was very useful. But I wanted to mention, for futur users, that the "Block" Command does not work for me (on Lollipop). So what I tried instead was to replace the word "Block" with "Hide", and it worked !

So, for example, if you wanna delete the small apps launcher on Lollipop, you'll have to do this :

adb shell
pm hide com.sony.smallapp.launcher
exit
adb reboot

I had no idea I could do this kind of stuff with ADB. The pm hide command worked here (Z3 Compact on Lollipop).

Perhaps someone can answer a few questions:

Does this work like disabling apps, or what's difference? I suppose what is important sometimes is to keep apps like these from occupying precious RAM space, so does this process help with that?

Does this work with any app, only needed to know the app reverse-domain-name in question?

Also how to bring apps back?

 

[xd1936]

Does this work like disabling apps, or what's difference? I suppose what is important sometimes is to keep apps like these from occupying precious RAM space, so does this process help with that?

Does this work with any app, only needed to know the app reverse-domain-name in question?

Also how to bring apps back?

Disabling apps does just that; Totally disallows them from being allowed to start, or do anything. `pm hide` only hides them away. They can still run in the background and stuff.

This should work with any app, yes. Some common ones:

com.microsoft.office.onenote
com.microsoft.skydrive
com.skype.raider
com.whatsapp
com.instagram.android
com.facebook.orca
com.twitter.android

Bring apps back with `pm unhide` in the same way.

EDIT: You can also use `pm disable` to disable apps. See here for more info:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z3/general/uninstalling-disabling-bloat-lollipop-t3078243

 

[vaderag]

I know this is old, but i wanted to say thank you! Exactly the same method worked for my Z5

 

[Schiman]

Disable work only on rooted devices, hide works for others, thanks - Xperia Z3+

 

[vaderag]

So I followed this trick and it worked until yesterday on my Z5. I tested out Ultra Stamina mode and after reboot it's back.... any way to not have to run this every time i run Ultra Stamina mode?

 

[Emad Mohamed]

Thanks so much man , it worked but I used "hide" instead of block and I was running Marshmallow!!