Help "Extra" app of suspicious origin

[John_L]

I have a Pixel 3 running Android 11 (latest updates applied), and there is an app listed as using data, whose name does not appear in the list of installed apps (see attached).

I was able to force stop it, and disable background execution; how do I go about uninstalling it?

 

[The_Chief]

I don't own a Pixel but I don't know why any legitimate system app would be named "Victor".That's likely why it's not showing up in you list of installed user apps: it's a system app.

Go to asettings - Apps - (upper right three dots) - Show system apps and scroll down to Victor. There you should be able to disable the app. CAUTION: I urge you to search for this issue online prior to disabling or uninstalling, as it may be a legit system element of another app. Disabling it could have negative effects.

 

[John_L]

Thank you. I did not know to show System Apps. There seems to be exactly 6 instance of this system app, all with the Disable App option unavailable. Some had Force Stop available, and I utilized it. Uninstall is not an option, perhaps due to their system app nature.

Where online might I research this monster? The only information (other than its name) I have is Version 1.0 (presumably a good thing). There is only one legitimate app I use that I can research as a possible origin.

Any direction on uninstalling a system app would be appreciated also.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ocnbrze]

if it is a system, there should really be no worry. it really is not consuming large amounts of data.

 

[Dannydet]

I found this...
https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQue..._source=amp&utm_medium=&utm_content=post_body

 

[ocnbrze]

good find @Dannydet ...yep harmless....no need to worry about it.

 

[John_L]

A little more sleuthing uncovered approximately 100 system apps with similar footprints. Names are colors, person-names, shapes, multi-instance apps, and various system-sounding names. Someone or something has sprayed my phone with system apps. I didn't even consider the com.android... or com.Google... system apps.

Apparently, all just low-level annoyances. It adds up, tho'.

 

[ocnbrze]

Apparently, all just low-level annoyances. It adds up, tho'.

yep....its called android....LOL

this is why i always look for a phone with as much space as possible. the lower end phones just do not allow much room for aything other then a few apps and the android os.

maybe this will help:
https://www.xda-developers.com/disable-system-app-bloatware-android/

 

[John_L]

I found this:

https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/80151227?hl=en

but this doesn't explain why the app is using data over the network.

 

[ocnbrze]

dude its only 45 mb.......that's tiny...... you are wasting your time worrying about such apps. its a system app. if you are really worried about it, i linked you to a way to delete system apps without rooting the phone.

 

[Dannydet]

45mb!!!
Sound the alarm!!
I must be hacked!