In this guide, we will show you a nifty method to disable, freeze, and suspend apps on your Android device without using ADB Commands or PC. There might be a few apps installed on your device that is constantly running in the backend and is hogging all the precious system resources.
Although uninstalling those apps is an obvious option, but if you plan on using them in the near future, then re-installing them and setting them up calls for unnecessary time and effort. So in such cases, your best bet is to disable those apps. While they will still remain on your device but all their activity and processes will be frozen and hence they won’t be able to hog system resources from your device.
One of the most standard ways through which you could disable or freeze apps on your Android device is by executing ADB Commands, which in turn, requires a PC. Isn’t there any other easier way out? Well, turns out there is one that doesn’t require any of these two prerequisites. So without further ado, let’s check it out.
Table of Contents
Difference Between Disable, Freeze, and Suspend
Before you proceed ahead and carry out any one of these three tweaks on the app, it is extremely important that you understand what are the differences between these three.
Disable
It will disable the app on your device and it won’t be visible in the app drawer either. You can access it from Settings > All Apps wherein it will be shown as Disabled.
Hide
It will hide the app from everywhere- launcher, Settings menu, etc. The only way to get hold of it is to unhide it using the same tweak that you used to hide the app. Do note that while the app will be hidden, its application data and the actual package file will not be removed from the device.
Suspend
Suspended apps will have their icons shown in grayscale in the device’s launcher [the app notification will not be shown in this state as well]. When the app is in this state, One important thing to keep in mind is that Suspend only prevents the user from interacting with the app, it does NOT prevent the app from running in the background.
Working Mode
There exist numerous modes of implementing these tweaks, as shown below. Out of this, we will be using the Shizuku (adb) Mode.
| Privilege | Force Stop | Disable | Hide | Suspend | Uninstall/Reinstall (System Apps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Device Owner | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Privileged System App | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Shizuku (root)/Sui | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shizuku (adb) | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dhizuku | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Island/Insular | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
A Note on Hiding Apps
Hiding apps now requires administrative-level access. So you can opt for Root, Shizuku (Root), or Device Owner [non-root method]. While the first two are self-explanatory [explained below as well], in the third one, you’ll first have to remove your Google account from your device and then execute the below command in the CMD window opened in the platform-tools folder:
adb shell dpm set-device-owner com.aistra.hail/.receiver.DeviceAdminReceiver
NOTE: If you are using this method and if ever a need arises to uninstall the app, then make sure to first remove the Hail app as the Device Administrator and only then uninstall the app. Or if you don’t want to take this route, then Root and Shizuku (Root) methods are always there at your disposal [though you’ll then have to pass Play Integrity].
How to Disable/Freeze/Suspend Apps on Android
- To begin with, install and set up Shizuku on your device. For suspending and disabling app, you can simply set up Shizuku via Wireless Debugging.
- However, if you want to hide an app, then root your device, open Shizuku, and tap Start under Start (for rooted device).
- Then download and install the Hail app on your device.
- Now launch Hail, go to Settings, and select Working Mode.
- Select the Shizuku option according to your choice, namely:
Shizuku Disable Shizuku Hide Shizuku Suspend
- You’ll now get a Shizuku prompt, select Allow all the time.
- Then go to Apps and select the desired apps from the list.
- Now go to Home and tap on the Freeze icon at the bottom right.
- Your chosen mode out of Disable, Hide, and Suspend will now be applied.
How to Re-Enable/Unfreeze Apps
If you wish to revert the change and re-enable or unfreeze the apps, then here’s what you need to do:
- Launch Hail and go to its Home tab.
- Then select the desired app from the list.
- Now tap on the overflow icon and choose Unfreeze.
That’s it. These were the steps to disable, suspend, and freeze apps on your Android device without using ADB Commands or PC. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
