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Root List of apps safe to remove

These apps can safely be removed from the LG Optimus M.

Just because an app is listed here does not necessarily mean that it is useless or that you will want to remove it. It only means that it can safely be removed without damaging anything else.

If you remove an .apk, then you can also remove the corresponding .odex. Not all apps will have an .odex.

Apps safe to remove:

  • AnalogClockWidget.apk - Analog Clock widget
  • Boingo_Wi-Fi.apk - Boingo WiFi
  • Calculator.apk - Calculator
  • Calendar.apk - Calendar App
  • CalendarProvider.apk - Supports the calendar. Remove only if Calendar.apk and CalendarWidget.apk have been removed.
  • CalendarWidget.apk - Calendar Widget
  • CarHome.apk - Car Home - Remove CarHomeLauncher.apk if this is removed.
  • CarHomeLauncher.apk - Car Home Launcher - Linked to CarHome.apk
  • ClockWeatherWidget.apk - Clock Weather Widget
  • DeskClock.apk - Clock app
  • DigitalAlarmWidget.apk - Alarm Clock widget
  • DualClockWidget.apk - Dual Clock widget
  • Email.apk - Email app - Safe to remove if you use Gmail or some other email app
  • GoogleQuickSearchBox.apk - Google Search widget and app
  • Homeselector.apk - Home Selector - Will not work if LGHome.apk is removed
  • LG-MS690_MetroBackup_1.27_PRODBuild_10082010.apk - MetroBackup
  • LGHome.apk - LG Home launcher - Safe to remove only if another launcher is installed. Home Selector will not work if this is removed.
  • LGMS690_MetroNavigator_4.9.1_Build_57_10222010_rel_signed_PROD.apk - MetroNavigator
  • LGMS690_MetroPCS_EasyWiFi_V4.0.90.apk - EasyWiFi
  • LiveWallpapers.apk
  • LiveWallpapersPicker.apk
  • Loopt_Android_2.4.1_Oct.13.2010.apk - Loopt
  • MagicSmokeWallpapers.apk
  • Metro411.apk - Metro411
  • metroappstore-v1.3a.apk - MetroPCS App Store
  • MobileBanking.apk - Mobile Banking
  • MobilePosse.apk - MyExtras
  • Mocospace-1.2.4.apk - Moco Space
  • MPCS-MobileIM-0.4.24.2.apk - MobileIM
  • Music.apk - Music Player
  • MVC.MetroPCS.android02.apk - Virtual Card
  • PEX-3.1.1.1-metro-rc.apk - Pocket Express
  • PGA_Android.apk - Free Games
  • Protips.apk - Tips widget
  • RSSViewerWidget.apk - RSS Reader
  • SNS.apk - LG Facebook and Twitter app
  • Talk.apk - Google Talk
  • thinkdroid.apk - Think Free Office
  • UNO_DEMO_LG_MS690_EN_NONIGP_MetroPCs_TS_307.apk - UNO Game
  • YouTube.apk - YouTube video player
  • z7-android2x.apk - Mail@Metro


These apps SHOULD NOT be removed:

  • Browser.apk - MetroWEB - Required for Android Market
  • Phone.apk - Phone app/dialer
  • Settings.apk - Settings menu
 
These are apps that I have not tried to remove, or I am not sure what they do.

Unknown Apps:
AccountAndSyncSettings.apk
ApplicationsProvider.apk
BookmarksWidget.apk
BrcmBluetoothServices.apk
Camera.apk
CameraApp.apk
CDGHiddenMenu.apk
CertInstaller.apk
Contacts.apk
ContactsProvider.apk
DefaultContainerService.apk
DownloadProvider.apk
DrmProvider.apk
DunServer.apk
ExternalMemoryTest.apk
Gallery3D.apk
Gmail.apk
GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.apk
GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
GoogleFeedback.apk
GooglePartnerSetup.apk
GoogleServicesFramework.apk
HTMLViewer.apk
LatinIME.apk
LgHiddenMenu.apk
LGSetupWizard.apk
Maps.apk
MarketUpdater.apk
MediaProvider.apk
MediaUploader.apk
MemoWidget.apk
MessageWidget.apk
MetropcsHiddenMenu.apk
Mms.apk
MoviePlayer.apk
Mvpdm.apk
NetworkLocation.apk
OPP.apk
PackageInstaller.apk
PhotoWidget.apk
PicoTts.apk
PowerOff.apk
SettingsProvider.apk
SetupWizard.apk
SoundRecorder.apk
Stk.apk
Street.apk
Swype.apk
TelephonyProvider.apk
TtsService.apk
UserDictionaryProvider.apk
Vending.apk
VisualizationWallpapers.apk
VoiceDialer.apk
VoiceSearch.apk
VpnServices.apk
WapService.apk
 
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These apps can safely be removed from the LG Optimus M.

Apps safe to remove:
Boingo_Wi-Fi.apk - Boingo WiFi
Browser.apk - MetroWEB - Safe to remove only if another browser has been installed
Email.apk - Email app - Safe to remove if you use Gmail or some other email app
LG-MS690_MetroBackup_1.27_PRODBuild_10082010.apk - MetroBackup
LGMS690_MetroNavigator_4.9.1_Build_57_10222010_rel_signed_PROD.apk - MetroNavigator
LGMS690_MetroPCS_EasyWiFi_V4.0.90.apk - EasyWiFi
Loopt_Android_2.4.1_Oct.13.2010.apk - Loopt
Metro411.apk - Metro411
metroappstore-v1.3a.apk - MetroPCS App Store
MobileBanking.apk - Mobile Banking
MobilePosse.apk - MyExtras
Mocospace-1.2.4.apk - Moco Space
MPCS-MobileIM-0.4.24.2.apk - MobileIM
MVC.MetroPCS.android02.apk - Virtual Card
PEX-3.1.1.1-metro-rc.apk - Pocket Express
PGA_Android.apk - Games
SNS.apk - LG Facebook and Twitter app
thinkdroid.apk - Think Free Office
UNO_DEMO_LG_MS690_EN_NONIGP_MetroPCs_TS_307.apk - UNO Game
z7-android2x.apk - Mail@Metro


These apps SHOULD NOT be removed:
Phone.apk - Phone app/dialer
Settings.apk - Settings menu
Talk.apk - Google Talk - Android Market will not work without it.

I've removed all of those, plus:

Calculator = Sure it's convenient but if I ever want to add anything up I can usually do it in my head or just download an alternative one.

ClockWeatherWidget = I have Beautiful Widgets installed which provides a much nicer looking clock and weather.

GoogleQuickSearchBox = I can use a browser to search google

Music = I use doubleTwist as my music player

RSSViewerWidget = Don't care about RSS Feeds

Youtube = Dolphin HD browser as well as the Default browser plays Youtube videos just fine
 
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These apps can safely be removed from the LG Optimus M.

Apps safe to remove:

  • Boingo_Wi-Fi.apk - Boingo WiFi
  • Email.apk - Email app - Safe to remove if you use Gmail or some other email app
  • LG-MS690_MetroBackup_1.27_PRODBuild_10082010.apk - MetroBackup
  • LGMS690_MetroNavigator_4.9.1_Build_57_10222010_rel_signed_PROD.apk - MetroNavigator
  • LGMS690_MetroPCS_EasyWiFi_V4.0.90.apk - EasyWiFi
  • Loopt_Android_2.4.1_Oct.13.2010.apk - Loopt
  • Metro411.apk - Metro411
  • metroappstore-v1.3a.apk - MetroPCS App Store
  • MobileBanking.apk - Mobile Banking
  • MobilePosse.apk - MyExtras
  • Mocospace-1.2.4.apk - Moco Space
  • MPCS-MobileIM-0.4.24.2.apk - MobileIM
  • MVC.MetroPCS.android02.apk - Virtual Card
  • PEX-3.1.1.1-metro-rc.apk - Pocket Express
  • PGA_Android.apk - Games
  • SNS.apk - LG Facebook and Twitter app
  • thinkdroid.apk - Think Free Office
  • UNO_DEMO_LG_MS690_EN_NONIGP_MetroPCs_TS_307.apk - UNO Game
  • z7-android2x.apk - Mail@Metro


These apps SHOULD NOT be removed:

  • Phone.apk - Phone app/dialer
  • Settings.apk - Settings menu
  • Talk.apk - Google Talk - Android Market will not work without it.


I agree with the list that you can uninstall the items you listed.

I would add a caveat. 99% you do want to uninstall -- quickly and with haste, to get a better phone experience. But two items on the list ARE useful:


  • Easy Wi-Fi gives you free access to over 500,000 wi-fi hot spots nationwide. Just might need it sometime. One of those "can't hurt/might even help" apps.
  • Also "Think Free Office" lets you view and edit Word, Excel, Powerpoint documents someone might send you. It's quite useful! Another "just in case" app you should probably keep. It was actually nice this included this, preinstalled. See more here: ThinkFree Mobile for Android Smartphones

The rest? Yeah, trash.
 
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...am very new to droid and smartphones. I have rooted my phone. Now, how do I remove these apps?

download and install Root Explorer.

Open it. You should be in the main OS folder.

go to the system/app sub-folder. You will see all the list of apps, with extensions like ".apk".

up at top of the phone display (in Root Explorer), click on "r/o" (read only) to change it to "r/w" (read/write). this give you permission to change stuff instead of just looking.

click the left hardware button down at the bottom of the phone. this will bring up a Root Explorer software menu that covers the lower portion of the screen. It has several choices.

choose "multi-select". this will put blank checkmarks on the right side beside every item in the "app" folder.

then scroll through the apps folder, touching each app you wish to choose. this will put a green checkmark beside the app.

when you finish checkmarking the apps -- and you double check your list! -- then on the bottom software menu where you chose "multi-select", now choose "delete".

done.

(when you delete Boingo it will protest and put up error messages. Wrestle it to the ground by forcing a Power Off of the phone. Turn phone back on, Boingo gone.)
 
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Any. Body know how to remove Facebook and twitter for LG? ?? Not the ones downloaded from the market? Its not on the system/app...

YES it is in the system app folder. Go at the list again. Look for LG Facebook, LG Twitter.

You posted before actually reading the list. ;)

At the top of this thread, it has the list of apps that can be removed.
Left side is the file name, right side is what it's called by us.
Now go look over the list carefully. OK, I'll even post the list again here:

These apps can safely be removed from the LG Optimus M.

Apps safe to remove:

  • Boingo_Wi-Fi.apk - Boingo WiFi
  • Email.apk - Email app - Safe to remove if you use Gmail or some other email app
  • LG-MS690_MetroBackup_1.27_PRODBuild_10082010.apk - MetroBackup
  • LGMS690_MetroNavigator_4.9.1_Build_57_10222010_rel_signed_PROD.apk - MetroNavigator
  • LGMS690_MetroPCS_EasyWiFi_V4.0.90.apk - EasyWiFi (useful, don't delete)
  • Loopt_Android_2.4.1_Oct.13.2010.apk - Loopt
  • Metro411.apk - Metro411
  • metroappstore-v1.3a.apk - MetroPCS App Store
  • MobileBanking.apk - Mobile Banking
  • MobilePosse.apk - MyExtras
  • Mocospace-1.2.4.apk - Moco Space
  • MPCS-MobileIM-0.4.24.2.apk - MobileIM
  • MVC.MetroPCS.android02.apk - Virtual Card
  • PEX-3.1.1.1-metro-rc.apk - Pocket Express
  • PGA_Android.apk - Games
  • SNS.apk - LG Facebook and Twitter app
  • thinkdroid.apk - Think Free Office (potentially useful, don't delete)
  • UNO_DEMO_LG_MS690_EN_NONIGP_MetroPCs_TS_307.apk - UNO Game
  • z7-android2x.apk - Mail@Metro


These apps SHOULD NOT be removed:

  • browser.ap (and .odex))
  • Phone.apk - Phone app/dialer
  • Settings.apk - Settings menu
  • Talk.apk - Google Talk
 
Upvote 0
After deleting Browser.apk, whenever I tried to install an app from the market, it would download and then crash without installing. The error message was "The process android.process.media has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again." The app would eventually install after I restarted Android Market several times. Replacing Browser.apk fixed this.
 
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I agree with the list that you can uninstall the items you listed.

I would add a caveat. 99% you do want to uninstall -- quickly and with haste, to get a better phone experience. But two items on the list ARE useful:


  • Easy Wi-Fi gives you free access to over 500,000 wi-fi hot spots nationwide. Just might need it sometime. One of those "can't hurt/might even help" apps.
  • Also "Think Free Office" lets you view and edit Word, Excel, Powerpoint documents someone might send you. It's quite useful! Another "just in case" app you should probably keep. It was actually nice this included this, preinstalled. See more here: ThinkFree Mobile for Android Smartphones

The rest? Yeah, trash.
I agree that many people will find those apps useful. I was am really just trying to get a complete list of which apps can safely be deleted without damaging anything else, regardless of how useful they may be.
 
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After deleting Browser.apk, whenever I tried to install an app from the market, it would download and then crash without installing. The error message was "The process android.process.media has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again." The app would eventually install after I restarted Android Market several times. Replacing Browser.apk fixed this.

Thanks for the update. I went back and edited any posts where I quoted your list, so that the browser package was not mentioned. Thank you for compiling this list. It's the most complete I've seen yet.

I agree that many people will find those apps useful. I was am really just trying to get a complete list of which apps can safely be deleted without damaging anything else, regardless of how useful they may be.

I understand and I was not criticizing you for listing those two apps -- "Easy Wi-Fi" and "Think Free Office". It's just I know people get enthusiastic and what *can* be removed should not be confused with what *should* be removed. ;) I was just adding some context that not everything on the list is bloatware. :)
 
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Many of these apk's sync with the OS or other apks using shared id's. Pulling one from the circle can break others or disturb the process of the OS. Lg w/ MPCS have made it nearly impossible to modify its contents, going as far as even using encryptions on even their pictures (.png's) inside the apk's... Sorry to be the bearer of the bad news...
 
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Greetings, I have been perusing this site and all I can see is recommendation to buy "Root Explorer" in order to remove bloatware on our Optimus M. Why buy an app when it can easily be done on a ROOTED phone? ASSUMING your phone is ROOTED, and you have the proper USB driver loaded on your PC with Android SDK You will have c:\sdk\tools folder Start\Run\cmd cd\ cd sdk\tools this will take you to: c:\sdk\tools type in: adb shell (this will take u to $ prompt) su (superuser) ---> will take u to # prompt #mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system #cd /system/app #ls ---> this simply lists the files in the /system/app subdirectory You will see a listing of all the .apk and corresponding .odex files Simply type: #rm filename.apk (please do not type "filename.apk") then, remove any corresponding .odex file, if any #reboot That's it, for those of you that are looking for instant gratification without the desire to learn, please feel free to download Root Explorer or Android Mate from market to accomplish this. Good luck.
 
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ma2ga, you are right about not needing root explorer. You can also the terminal emulator, which is available free in the market. I have not purchased root explorer, and have used only adb shell and terminal emulator to remove apps, but I have been using Linux for years, and such things are easy for me. Some people may prefer to use a graphical file manager.
 
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Greetings, I have been perusing this site and all I can see is recommendation to buy "Root Explorer" in order to remove bloatware on our Optimus M. Why buy an app when it can easily be done on a ROOTED phone? ASSUMING your phone is ROOTED, and you have the proper USB driver loaded on your PC with Android SDK You will have c:\sdk\tools folder Start\Run\cmd cd\ cd sdk\tools this will take you to: c:\sdk\tools type in: adb shell (this will take u to $ prompt) su (superuser) ---> will take u to # prompt #mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system #cd /system/app #ls ---> this simply lists the files in the /system/app subdirectory You will see a listing of all the .apk and corresponding .odex files Simply type: #rm filename.apk (please do not type "filename.apk") then, remove any corresponding .odex file, if any #reboot That's it, for those of you that are looking for instant gratification without the desire to learn, please feel free to download Root Explorer or Android Mate from market to accomplish this. Good luck.


While what you said is absolutely true, I still believe root explorer is an invaluable tool. I use it all the time as I'm not always sitting at a computer with my phone plugged in. If you only want to get rid of the bloatware and don't want to buy (or try to find it for free) then you can certainly do as stated above. Also, as you stated, using root explorer is an easy way to get rid of all the garbage for those who are not comfortable using adb.
 
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I agree with both of you guys. I actually love root explorer especially since I did not have to pay for it. A search on our favorite engine of the apk name and version number is what worked for me. That being said as a person that grew up with dos being able to do command line stuff on our phones is awesome and a great way to get stuff done.

And since no one responded to my other posting, I have seen all over that talk.apk cannot be removed without affecting the market functionality. I removed it and have had zero issues with the market as I have downloaded 10 apps since then no problem. Anyone know if talk.apk is now no longer needed or what? My curiosity must be quenched.
 
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