How to Debloat Any Android Phone With or Without Claude Code

You need a computer and a USB cable, plus a paid Claude plan if you use Claude Code. Nothing needs root or an unlocked bootloader, and every app you remove can be brought back.

Step 1: Install Claude Code

Step 2: Turn on USB debugging and plug in your phone

1. 1.

   Turn on USB debugging

   Step 2 of the do-it-yourself guide below shows where to find it on every brand. On a OnePlus:

   

   

2. 2.

   Plug the phone into your computer with a USB cable and unlock it

Step 3: Start Claude Code in a new folder

1. 1.

   Make a folder for this job and start Claude Code in it

   The first time, it opens your browser so you can sign in.

   mkdir debloat-phonecd debloat-phoneclaude

2. 2.

   Claude asks before it runs each command

   Read what it wants to do, then approve it. If anything looks wrong, say no and ask why.

Step 4: Set up ADB and save your app list

1. 1.

   Paste this

   Paste into Claude CodeCopy

   Check whether ADB is installed on this computer. If it isn't, install Android SDK Platform-Tools for me. Then run adb devices and tell me if my phone is connected. If it says unauthorized, tell me what to tap on my phone. Once it's connected, save a list of every app on my phone to apps-before.txt in this folder, so we can undo everything later.

2. 2.

   When your phone asks, tick Always allow from this computer and tap Allow

   

3. 3.

   Claude confirms your phone is connected

   

Step 5: Find the bloat

1. 1.

   Paste this

   Paste into Claude CodeCopy

   Find the apps my phone maker and carrier preinstalled. Sort them into three groups: safe to remove, remove only if I don't use it, and leave alone. Never put Google Play services, the Play Store, Settings, the phone and SMS apps, my launcher, my keyboard or anything that handles system updates in the first two groups. Show each package name with a plain-English description. Don't remove anything yet.

2. 2.

   Read the list and tell Claude about any app you want to keep

   Here's what Claude found on a OnePlus 13.

   

Step 6: Remove it in small batches

1. 1.

   Paste this

   Paste into Claude CodeCopy

   Remove the safe group with pm uninstall --user 0, five apps at a time. After each batch, list what you removed and wait for me to check my phone before you continue.

2. 2.

   Claude stops after every batch

   

3. 3.

   Want the second group gone too? Ask for it the same way

Step 7: Check what runs in the background

1. Paste this

   Paste into Claude CodeCopy

   Show me which apps are running in the background right now and which ones use the most memory and battery. Point out any app I probably didn't install myself or that has unusual permissions, and explain why in plain words. Don't change anything without asking me.

   

Step 8: Block ads and speed it up

1. Paste this

   Paste into Claude CodeCopy

   Turn on Private DNS with dns.adguard-dns.com to block ads, set all three animation scales to 0.5, clear the app caches and restart my phone. Then tell me how to undo each change.

   

Step 9: Undo anything

1. 1.

   If something stopped working after a batch

   Paste into Claude CodeCopy

   Something stopped working after the last batch. Bring back the apps you just removed with cmd package install-existing.

2. 2.

   To put everything back

   Paste into Claude CodeCopy

   Undo everything: bring back every app that's in apps-before.txt but missing from my phone now, and turn Private DNS off.

Step 1: Install ADB

Step 2: Turn on USB debugging

1. 1.

   Open the build number

   Phone	Where to find it
   Samsung	Settings > About phone > Software information > Build number
   Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO	Settings > About phone > OS version (MIUI version on older phones)
   OnePlus, OPPO, realme	Settings > About device > Version > Version No. (Build number on older phones)
   vivo, iQOO	Settings > About phone > Software version
   Pixel, Motorola and others	Settings > About phone > Build number

2. 2.

   Tap it seven times and enter your PIN

   The phone tells you developer options are now on. Here's the path on a OnePlus:

   

   

   

3. 3.

   Search Settings for Developer options, open it and turn on USB debugging

   On a OnePlus it's under Settings > System & update.

   

   

Step 3: Connect your phone

Step 4: Save a list of your apps

1. Run this once

   You'll need this file if you ever want to undo everything at once.

   adb shell pm list packages > apps-before.txt

Step 5: Learn the two commands

1. 1.

   Remove an app

   It disappears for you, but a copy stays on the phone, so it can always come back.

   adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 PACKAGE.NAME

2. 2.

   Bring it back

   adb shell cmd package install-existing PACKAGE.NAME

3. 3.

   Do five to ten apps at a time, then restart and check the phone

   Make a call, send a text, open the camera and unlock with your fingerprint.

4. 4.

   Never remove these

   Package	Why
   com.google.android.gmscom.google.android.gsf	Apps stop signing in and updating
   com.android.vending	Play Store
   com.android.settings	Settings
   com.android.systemui	Status bar, notifications and navigation
   com.android.phonecom.android.providers.telephony	Calls, texts and mobile data
   Anything with launcher in its name	Your home screen
   Your keyboard, like com.samsung.android.honeyboard or com.google.android.inputmethod.latin	You need it to type your PIN after a restart
   Anything with update, updater, ota or sau in its name	System updates
   Anything with packageinstaller or permissioncontroller in its name	Installing apps and app permissions

Step 6: Remove the bloat

Step 7: Block ads with Private DNS

1. 1.

   Turn it on

   Works on Android 9 or newer, on Wi-Fi and mobile data.

   adb shell settings put global private_dns_mode hostnameadb shell settings put global private_dns_specifier dns.adguard-dns.com

2. 2.

   If an app or Wi-Fi login page stops loading, turn it off

   adb shell settings put global private_dns_mode off

Step 8: Make it feel faster

1. 1.

   Shorten the animations

   adb shell settings put global window_animation_scale 0.5adb shell settings put global transition_animation_scale 0.5adb shell settings put global animator_duration_scale 0.5

2. 2.

   Clear every app's cache

   Your logins, photos and downloads stay.

   adb shell pm trim-caches 999G

3. 3.

   Restart the phone

   adb reboot

Undo anything

1. Undo one change

   To undo	Run
   An app you removed	adb shell cmd package install-existing PACKAGE.NAME
   Private DNS	adb shell settings put global private_dns_mode off
   Animations	The Step 8 commands with 1 instead of 0.5

2. Undo everything on Mac or Linux

   This uses the file from Step 4.

   adb shell pm list packages > apps-now.txtgrep -vxFf apps-now.txt apps-before.txt | cut -d: -f2 | tr -d '\r' | while read p; do adb shell cmd package install-existing "$p" < /dev/null; done

3. Undo everything on Windows (PowerShell)

   $now = adb shell pm list packagesGet-Content apps-before.txt | Where-Object { $now -notcontains $_ } | ForEach-Object { adb shell cmd package install-existing ($_ -replace 'package:','').Trim() }

4. Still stuck? A factory reset brings every app back

Troubleshooting

1. Problem	Fix
   adb devices shows nothing	Try another cable or port and set the phone's USB mode to File transfer. On Windows, install your phone maker's USB driver.
   adb devices says unauthorized	Unlock the phone and tap Allow. No prompt? Tap Revoke USB debugging authorizations in Developer options and plug in again.
   A command fails with another error	Your phone maker protects that app. Skip it.
   Something stopped working	Bring back your last batch with adb shell cmd package install-existing PACKAGE.NAME
   Apps came back after an update	System updates can restore them. Run your commands again.
   Phone stuck on the logo	Plug it in and run adb devices. If it shows up, bring back your last batch. If not, a factory reset from recovery mode will fix it, but it erases the phone.