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Install programs to try out and if you don't like them, simply delete them without leaving residues?

B

Biffos

Android Enthusiast
Would it be possible to install programs on Android to try them out and simply delete them if you don't like them, without leaving residues / "garbage" (as it is with Windows, for example) or without encountering problems / disadvantages? So can programs (in contrast to Windows) be uninstalled without any problems or residues or are there any leftovers / disadvantages?

Install programs to try out and if you don't like them, simply delete them without leaving residues?
 
Generally apps run in a sandbox on Android, so when you uninstall them, all traces are gone. Sometimes they may leave behind some save data in storage, but nothing that would affect the OS or other apps. Just some files you may need to delete.
 
OK, so this means that you can install and uninstall as many programs one wants for testing purposes without causing any problems (apparently quite different from Windows).
 
When you use Uninstall to remove an app, that 'should' remove all traces of the app but the reality is app developers all have different skill level and attitudes so that's not always the case. Some apps do leave behind directories with settings/config data. You might want to get into the habit of:
-- Tap on Force stop, find and tap on Clear data first and then Uninstall.
Using Clear data should manually wipe away everything (the installed app, its cache, and its directory with settings/config files).

Thankfully Android doesn't include something like the Windows Registry. Don't forget with Windows it's not just a matter of entirely removing all traces of some unwanted application using Windows Explorer, there's typically a lot of references buried in the Registry.
 
- Tap on Force stop, find and tap on Clear data first and then Uninstall.
Click to expand...
"Force stop" is under "Apps"? And "Clear" as well? So touch "Force stop", touch "Clear" and finally tap on "Uninstall"? That's it?

Thankfully Android doesn't include something like the Windows Registry. Don't forget with Windows it's not just a matter of entirely removing all traces of some unwanted application using Windows Explorer, there's typically a lot of references buried in the Registry.
Click to expand...
So if on Android are remainings left at all they would / could not make problems / disadvantages like it is on Win (like leftovers in Win's Registry can). The settings/config data would not be used (anymore by Android, after the deinstallation)? So it just would take some space on the internal storage of the Smartphone?
 
Biffos said:
"Force stop" is under "Apps"? And "Clear" as well? So touch "Force stop", touch "Clear" and finally tap on "Uninstall"? That's it?


So if on Android are remainings left at all they would / could not make problems / disadvantages like it is on Win (like leftovers in Win's Registry can). The settings/config data would not be used (anymore by Android, after the deinstallation)? So it just would take some space on the internal storage of the Smartphone?
Click to expand...
Exactly.
 
Well it's not quite the same with Android or Windows. The problem with some idle files/folders being left behind when Uninstalling the app (Android) or application (Windows) is annoying when it does occur but that's something you can often clean up using a file manager (.... with most Android file manager apps you might need to manually enable viewing hidden files/folders. Those are typically 'invisible' be having a period as the first character in their naming.)

The unique and occasionally horrific Registry however is thankfully just a Windows OS matter. It is its own, separate data file and the Windows OS relies upon it as do applications and other utilities. Odds are even when you uninstall some application, there are still going to multiple references to the application remaining in the Registry. Typically it's relatively simple to use its Search option to manually edit out those references (you're only recovering a few bytes or maybe kilobytes of storage space) but don't get too overzealous on what you delete, a corrupted Registry is bad, bad thing.
 
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