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Root [Debloat] Custom Browser.apk

XDieAndGoX

XDieAndGoX

Well-Known Member
** Disclaimer ** I am not responsible for anything that happens to your phone upon using this custom SYSTEM apk file. Though I am positive nothing should go wrong with it, it is always better to be safe. Do this at your risk.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

- An Android File Explorer (e.g. RootExplorer, ES File Explorer, etc.)

----------------------------------------

Okay, so I have been reading the threads in this forum, recommending what apps to remove and which ones to keep. Well, this kind of "Debloating" is a bit different from the ones posted here.

I created a custom Browser.apk file which removes the annoying "undeleteable" MetroPCS bookmark from your bookmark list. I also edited the apk to make Google the default homepage instead of the MetroPCS website. Finally, I re-named the apk so that, instead of being called MetroWeb, it is now named with a standard "Browser". Basically, this custom apk is now Metro-free. :p

Steps for Odexed:


  1. Download the compressed zip file featured in this post to your computer (Or straight to your phone, in which case skip Step 2.)
  2. Copy the downloaded zip to your phone's SD Card.
  3. In Settings > Applications > Manage Applications, look for the stock MetroWeb application and clear its data.
  4. Using a File Explorer, Navigate to wherever you put the compressed zip file and extract it's contents.
  5. Go to "/system/app" and move/delete the "Browser.apk" and "Browser.odex" files from the list. (RECOMMENDED: Have a backup of those files just to be safe.)
  6. Move the extracted "Browser.apk" and "Browser.odex" files from wherever you placed them in your SD Card to "/system/app". DO NOT INSTALL THE APK SINCE IT WILL RETURN A "APPLICATION NOT INSTALLED".
  7. Once placed there, a new icon should appear in your App Drawer.
  8. You are done! Enjoy the Metro-Free browser. :p

Steps for Deodexed:


  1. Download the apk featured in this post to your computer (Or straight to your phone, in which case skip Step 2.)
  2. Copy the downloaded apk file to your phone's SD Card.
  3. In Settings > Applications > Manage Applications, look for the stock MetroWeb application and clear its data.
  4. Using a File Explorer, Go to "/system/app" and move/delete the "Browser.apk" file from the list. (RECOMMENDED: Have a backup of that apk just to be safe.)
  5. Move the downloaded apk file from wherever you placed it in your SD Card to "/system/app". DO NOT INSTALL THE APK SINCE IT WILL RETURN A "APPLICATION NOT INSTALLED".
  6. Once placed there, a new icon should appear in your App Drawer.
  7. You are done! Enjoy the Metro-Free browser. :p

Download Links:

Odexed: Browser.zip [Mirror]

Deodexed: Browser.apk [Mirror]

** Known Bugs **

- Google Bookmark cannot be deleted.
 
nice but I was unable to watch videos from sites that i was previously abled to. did you remove its flash player capability?
 
Odexed file successfully created. :) Now stock and custom ROM users alike can benefit from this costumized Browser. Original post was edited to include the download links. Enjoy!

If there are any issues, post below. If not, hit the Thanks button. :p
 
Thx for this browser it wrks awsm also trying to bump this thread so if anyone is interested in trying this they don't have to look so hard for it (not that its hard to find the op is self explanatory) thx again
 
Tokenpoke said:
Deleting stock browser makes market force close.

Does replacing it with this not cause the same issue.
Click to expand...

No, it does not because this is exactly the same stock apk that came with the phone, just with minor tweaks to it. I believe the reaaon the store crashes is because it looks for the default browser package name which is defined inside the stock Browser.apk's AndroidManifest.xml file.

schemppjr80 said:
Thx for this browser it wrks awsm also trying to bump this thread so if anyone is interested in trying this they don't have to look so hard for it (not that its hard to find the op is self explanatory) thx again
Click to expand...

Eitherway, people simply use different browsers instead of the stock one which is why this tweak is not very popular. Lol I just wanted to give something back to the community, even if it is something so little and not very useful as this. xD
 
I am currently working on freeing the browser from having the first bookmark as Read-Only (Meaning it cannot be deleted). I already found, what I belief is, the culprit. Once the apk is ready, I will upload it. I am still new to editing .smali files instead of .java, so bare with me. :p

Oh, and I am new to Java too. xP
 
:D Thanks dude, easy install and so far I haven't run into any problems. we shall see as i do some more things with my phone. i really like clicking on my browser and not seeing the metro page lol.

anna
 
Hey bud I was trying to do this, wanted to try a few other things with the browser with this, but anyways where do you change that default and bookmark page at?
 
The browser should have a red ribbon type symbol at the right side of the address bar. There you can access the bookmark page. Like I said, the first bookmark (In this case the Google bookmark) cannot be deleted, but I am working on unlocking it for good.

And PlayfulGod...

:p
 
Also when I try to do this and remove the stock browser and go to move debloat browser from SD card/download I can't find it. I don't know what's going on:confused:
 
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