tips Archives - Tech News, How to Guides, Cheats and More..

How to remove bloatware and preinstalled Android apps without root

You want to get rid of annoying pre-installed apps on your smartphone? We’ll tell you how it works without root.

Apps and games that are already preinstalled on your Android smartphone (also known as bloatware) are not only annoying, but also consume a lot of storage space. It is usually not easy to remove them. Often such apps can only be deactivated and thus hide, but are still available in the system. Here’s an explanation of how to effectively turn off these bloatware and put it off forever without rooting for your phone.

Attention : The method described in the article not only removes unwanted software but also important system components! So be careful with the uninstall process and research if necessary, if certain software for your Android system is necessary.

How to remove preinstalled apps without root

Follow our step-by-step guide or watch the quick start guide .

Step 1:

First, download the software Minimal ADB and Fastboot to your PC. Be sure to take the latest version , otherwise problems may arise.

2nd step:

After downloading the .zip file, open the file location . Usually this is the folder “Downloads”. Now you have to extract the file by right-clicking on it and selecting it from the “Extract all …” list .

3rd step:

Then select a suitable file location . To make it easier for you in the next steps, select the C: drive and then click ” Extract “.

4th step:

Now pick up your smartphone . You must now enable the developer settings. To do this, open the smartphone settings , scroll down to “about phone” and open the “Software Information”.

5th step:

how to enable developer options on your android

There, tap on “Build number” several times until the message “Developer mode has been activated” appears.

6th step:

Now look in the settings for “developer options” and open them. There you scroll down to “USB debugging” and activate the switch. Then connect your smartphone to your PC with a USB cable and allow access to phone data .

Also Read: How to Create a Mobile Hotspot with an Android Phone

7th step:

Switch back to your PC . There you have to open the command prompt of Windows. To do this, use the key combination [Windows] + [R] . Enter “cmd” in the new window and press [Enter] .

8th step:

Now enter the file path of the just downloaded and unzipped file. Since you saved the file to the C: drive , your input should be: cd C: \ Minimal ADB and Fastboot . Then press [Enter] .

9th step:

You are now in the previously downloaded folder. Now enter the following to start the Android Debug Bridge (ADB): “adb”

10th step:

You will now see a variety of commands that you should not worry about. Enter the “adb devices” command to verify that your smartphone is connected to AMD. In that case, you should see a message on your mobile phone that you confirm with “OK”. If you enter the “adb devices” command again, you should see the device number with the status “device”. This means that the mobile phone is connected and ready for use.

11th step:

Now enter the command “adb shell” to enter the interactive shell.

12th step:

If you enter the command “pm list packages”, you will see all installed packages. These include not only Android-visible apps, but also system components that must not be deleted under any circumstances! Hang -3 to the command, so “pm list packages -3” will only see third-party apps . You do not accidentally delete important system apps, such as the calendar, that works with and is needed for other apps.

13th step:

To uninstall an app , enter the command “pm uninstall -k –user 0” followed by the name of the application . For example, pm uninstall -k –user 0 com.weheartit to uninstall the app “WeHeartIt”.

14th step:

After successfully removing the app you should see the message “Success”.

quick start Guide

Download the latest version of Minimal ADB and Fastboot software to your computer.
After downloading, open the file location , usually “Downloads”, and unpack the file. To do this, right-click on it and select ” Extract All … “.
For file storage, select the C: drive to make it easy for you later . Then click on “Extract”.
Now take your smartphone and open the settings . Scroll down to “Phone Info” and then select “Software Information”.
Tap on “Build number” several times until the message “Developer mode has been activated” appears.
Then look in the settings for “developer options” and open them. There you scroll to “USB debugging” and activate it. Then connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable and allow access to phone data .
Now go back to your PC and open the Windows Command Prompt by pressing [Windows] + [R] and entering ” cmd “.
Now enter the file path of the previously downloaded file. If you have saved them as described in C :, your input should look like this: cd C: \ Minimal AMD and Fastboot .
Then enter the “adb” command to start the Android Debug Bridge.
You see several commands that you can ignore. Verify that your smartphone with AMD connected , is by the command “amd devices enter”. You should then see a message on your smartphone that you confirm with “Ok”. If you enter “amd devices” again , the device number with the status ” device ” should appear. Your device is connected and ready to use.
To enter the interactive shell, enter “amd shell”.
The pm list packages command displays all installed packages. Enter the pm list packages -3 command to see only third-party apps . So you are on the safe side and do not unintentionally uninstall important system apps, such as the calendar needed for other apps.
Now uninstall an app with the command ” pm uninstall -k –user 0 ” followed by the name of the app , eg pm uninstall -k –user 0 com.weheartit .
If the app has been successfully uninstalled, you will receive the message ” Success “.

How To See Instagram Stories Anonymously-view Instagram stories

If you watch an Instagram story, it will be noted and the creator of the story will be notified. However, if you want to view the story anonymously, there are some free tools that you can use. With their help, it is sometimes even possible to download a story and save.

Also Read: how to download facebook photos all at once

How to watch someone’s Instagram story without them knowing

It’s usually not possible to view stories on Instagram anonymously. However, there are free tools that do just that.

An option to anonymously look at Instagram Stories is StoriesIG. The tool is easily accessible via your browser without having to install or download anything. In the search box on the webpage, enter the username of the user from whom you want to view the stories. You will then get an overview of the available stories and can look at them or even download them. The website is also available on the smartphone.
Another option is the Google Chrome extension “Chrome IG Story“. After installing the add-on, you can view stories from other users anonymously. Chrome IG Story also makes it possible to download content. Unlike StoriesIG, the use of Chrome IG Story is limited to the home computer because the add- works only in the desktop version of Chrome.

Look at Instagram stories anonymously

The stories of private profiles can not be viewed with the help of the tools. Also, keep in mind that the tools use loopholes to allow anonymous viewing. That’s why Instagram will probably end this whole thing soon.

how to download facebook photos all at once

If you would like to download a complete photo album from Facebook, this works in different ways. The important thing is who uploaded the pictures. If it is your own album, a download on the Facebook website is possible without any problems. In the albums of others you need the help of special tools.

Download your own Facebook photo albums

You can easily download your uploaded pictures and albums on Facebook in your photo-secured version.

Go to the Facebook page in your browser and log in if necessary.
Click on your name in the upper left corner to access your profile.
Select “Photos” in the navigation.
Switch to the “Albums” view there.
In the overview, select the album you want to download and call it with the left mouse button.
Click the gear icon in the top right corner and select “Download Album”.

Also Read: 20 Useful Windows Commands You Should Know

Facebook then prepares the pictures for download, which may take some time, depending on the number and size of the pictures. The album will then be downloaded as a ZIP file and saved on your computer.

download all facebook photos of someone

To download the photo albums of friends on Facebook, you need the help of a tool. Facebook itself does not offer this possibility. For example, the tools “Pick & Zip” and “Photograbber” are two great options that you can use to download pictures from Facebook.

20 Useful Windows Commands You Should Know

The Windows Command Prompt, also called cmd.exe, contains more than 280 commands. Here are the 20 most important ones.

The Windows command prompt can be a very useful and, above all, powerful tool – if you know how to handle it. There are countless commands that you can not possibly remember. Therefore, we have put together for you the 20 most important commands in our tips article for you.

Also Read: how to restore deleted photos from sd card

The 20 most important CMD commands in Windows

To enter commands, you must first open the command prompt. Simply press the keys [Windows] + [R] simultaneously and enter ” cmd “. Then press [Enter] and you’re ready to go.

/? The help command contains a list of all commands. You can also enter it after a command to get more information about the command.
&& This allows you to execute several commands at the same time. Enter && between two commands.
color Use this command to change the colors of the text and background in the command prompt window.
clip The clip command copies the output of any command to the clipboard.
doskey / history Once entered, you will see all the commands you used in the current command prompt session.
taskList tasklist displays a list of applications, services, and the process ID that is currently running on your computer.
taskkill This command terminates a running task. It’s the equivalent of stopping a process in Task Manager.
assoc The assoc command displays or modifies the file type associated with a particular file extension.
driver query The driverquery command displays a list of all installed drivers.
ipconfig The ipconfig command displays detailed IP information for each network adapter that uses TCP / IP. It can also be used to share and renew IP addresses on systems configured to receive through a DHCP server.
ping Upon input, an ICMMP Echo Request packet is sent to a specified remote desktop to verify IP-level connectivity.
netstat The netstat command is used to display all open network connections.
system info The systeminfo command displays basic Windows configuration information for the local computer or a remote desktop.
powercfg The powercfg command is used to manage Windows power settings from the command line.
sFC The sfc command checks and replaces important Windows system files. Depending on the operating system, the sfc command is also called a “System File Checker”.
chkdsk The chkdsk command , often referred to as a “check disk”, is used to detect and resolve specific hard disk errors.
regedit This command opens the registry, which you can then edit and change.
schtasks The schtasks command runs specified programs or commands at specific times. In addition, scheduled tasks can be created, deleted, queried, modified, executed, and stopped.
del / q / f / s% temp% \ * After entering all temporary files of the current user will be deleted.
exit This command exits the command prompt.

how to restore deleted photos from sd card

If you have prematurely deleted pictures from your SD card, or if they are gone because of a card error, you can restore them. We’ll show you how to get your files back with a simple tool.

Restore images from the SD card for free with Recuva

Thanks to the free tool “Recuva” you can restore your pictures from the camera or SD card without problems:
First, you need to download the Recuva tool and install it on your PC.
When the installation completes successfully, you can start Recuva directly.
You will be accompanied by the following process. Start with “Next” and then specify the file type, in this case “Pictures”.
After that you have to specify the file path of the lost pictures. Select the second item “On my memory card”.
Now you can start the verification process with “Start”.
After a short wait, you will see all the pictures you can restore. Simply mark the desired images and click on “Restore …”.
Finally, you must specify in which directory the images should be restored.

Also Read: Deleted Photos Recovery: How to Recover Deleted Photos in Windows

how to recover deleted pictures from sd card

Deleted Photos Recovery: How to Recover Deleted Photos in Windows

Deleted files such as images can usually be easily recovered. There are also free programs that thoroughly scan your hard drive or storage device and retrieve the deleted files. In our practical tip, we will show you how to get your photos back.

How can I recover deleted pictures for free?

When you delete a file on your PC, it first ends up in the trash.

Double- click the recycle bin icon .
Search for the deleted files.
Right-click on the file and select “Restore”.
The file is then in the folder on your PC from which it was deleted.
To restore multiple pictures, hold down the Ctrl key and click on each picture.
Then follow the recovery steps above.

Also Read: I dropped my iPhone in water – how to prevent water damage?

Restore deleted images from the recycle bin

When you delete pictures from a usb drive, SD card, or external hard drive, they usually do not end up in the trash. Even if you have emptied the trash, you can restore the images in many cases.

Download the free program ” TestDisk & PhotoRec ” and run the file “exe” file in the directory.
First, select the volume in the list where the images were located.
Click on “Browse” and select a folder in which the program should save the recovered photos.
Click on “File Formats” and select the file types to save the program. Typical image files are JPEG, GIF, PNG and TIF.
Click on “Search” to start the recovery.
The deleted pictures appear in the selected folder during the process.

Alternatively you can also use “Recuva” to restore the deleted files .

I dropped my iPhone in water – how to prevent water damage?

If your iPhone or other phone has fallen into the water, it’s worth trading fast. With our tips, you may still be able to save your cell phone. We explain in this practical tip what you need to do.

iphone fallen into the water – what to do?

If your device is still on, turn it off immediately.
Open the back cover.
If possible, remove the battery, memory card and SIM card and place them on a dry cloth.
Carefully dry visible water on the back of the phone with a cloth.
Take a bag full of rice (uncooked and dried) and gently insert your phone. Close the bag and leave it for one or two days. The rice absorbs the moisture.
Then test if your phone works again.

**Your cell phone fell into the water? This is how you can save your device**

iPhone dropped into the water

Remove the iPhone from the water source as soon as possible and switch it off if necessary.
Dry your phone from the water by gently blotting it with a dry cloth.
Put your iPhone in an airtight bag of rice and leave it in there for at least 48 hours.

Also Read : How old is my iPhone? check iphone age

You can do that wrong

Unfortunately, in the zeal of your rescue attempt, you can do a lot wrong. Here are some things you should not do:

Do not dry your smartphone or parts with the hair dryer, heater or the like and protect it from direct sunlight. Excessive heat can destroy the device or only distribute the water more in the hardware.
Do not start your mobile. Otherwise you risk a short circuit.

Water damage is not a breeze, and no guidance on the Internet is a guarantee that a fallen into the water smartphone works again. A mobile phone repair shop can help you in any case. Take an outdoor smartphone to prevent natural hazards.

How old is my iPhone? check iphone age

Sometimes it helps to know the age of an iPhone, for example, if you want to sell your iPhone or buy a used iPhone . But regardless of a purchase or sale, the iPhone age may be of interest. If you wonder how old your iPhone is, we’ll show you how to find out! read below article if you wanna know How old is my iPhone?

iPhone age determined by the serial number

Settings → General → Info → Serial number
To find out the iPhone age, you need first of all the serial number of your iPhone. These can be found in the “Settings” app under “General” → “Info” → “Serial number” .

Based on the serial number, there are now two ways to determine the age of the iPhone. The first way is through an Apple support page , where you can check the warranty status of your Phone.

Use Apple warranty query

Apple’s “Cover Check” website allows you to determine the age of the device based on the expiration date of the iPhone warranty:

First, open the “Check Cover” website on your iPhone, PC or Mac.
Enter the serial number of your iPhone (see above) in the input field, confirm the code and click on “Next”
On the next page, in addition to various support information, you will also see the “Expected Expiration Date” of the iPhone warranty . Based on the warranty period can now easily find out the iPhone age. Since Apple always grants a one-year manufacturer’s warranty on its products, you will have to recalculate one year from the expiration date specified here. Now you know when the iPhone was purchased and can determine the exact age.

Of course, if your iPhone is older than a year, you will not see any expiration date at this point. In that case, however, you can use the following online tool.

Also Read : Slow Internet with Windows 10? Here’s how to fix it

We tested the tool with an iPhone X and an iPhone 7 Plus. While we were able to find out the age of the “tens” in this way, we were the iPhone 7 Plus the crucial data is not displayed. So it is quite possible that there are differences in the information played on the respective models. Nevertheless, we can only recommend you to try the tool yourself.

Slow Internet with Windows 10? Here’s how to fix it

If Internet slows down through Windows 10 , this can get really annoying. In the following tip, we’ve put together a few settings that can help you get your Internet access back up.

Check if the internet arrives slowly

First, you should check if the transfer rate of your internet connection is according to your contract. So there are several websites where you can do a so-called speed test. For example, you can do this on the website of speedtest.net . Just click on the following link and press “GO”, After a few seconds, the download and upload rates will be displayed. Usually the upload rate is always lower than the download rate. Here you can now estimate whether your Windows 10 Internet is slow or if you have the full speed. If the value deviates from your contract, we have put together some tips below. You can then always check after your implementation if your speed has increased.

Disable the energy-saver mode

By default, Windows 10 puts the computer into standby after 15 or 30 minutes of inactivity. You can change this at any time:

To do this, open the Control Panel on your computer.
In the Hardware and Sound category, click Power Options. A new window is opening up.
In the left column, you decide for the entry “Change energy saving mode”.
Here you can see one or two columns for battery operation (for notebooks) and network operation (for notebooks and desktop PCs).
In “Energy-saving mode after:” in the respective columns, select the entry “Never”.
Finally, save your new settings with “Apply changes”. Windows 10 will not switch to standby mode.

Check if the Windows 10 update settings are correct

First open the settings. To do this, click on the Windows icon at the bottom left of the screen and click on the gear on the left edge. A new window opens with the settings.

Now click on “Update and Security” and then on “Advanced Options” in the menu ” Windows Update “. Now click on the text “Select delivery of updates”. It opens a window in which you now set the slider to “off”, so that Windows 10 no longer provides the update for other users to download. Close all windows again. With this option, you prevent updates from being transmitted to other users, thus reducing your Internet speed.

Here are the steps in the short overview: “Settings”> “Windows Update”> “Advanced Options”> “Submit Updates”> “Off”.

Also Read : 7 Ways To Unlock Your Android Device Screen If You Have Forgotten The Password

Check if there are background processes

Again, you only need to go into the settings and disable the apps. Open the settings again (as described above). Now click on “Privacy” and select “Background apps” on the left. Windows 10 now loads a list of your apps that are allowed to run in the background. Often, these apps also download information from the Internet or upload information in the background. Disable as many apps as possible to save your data transfer rate.

Now the whole steps again as an overview: “Settings”> “Privacy”> “Background apps”> all on “Off”.

Check if you really need the cloud services

OneDrive (Microsoft), Google Drive, iCloud (Apple), Dropbox and Co. can really be Internet eaters. The cloud services, which are online storage for your files, are very convenient, but also require a lot of upload and download speeds. Finally, all files in the corresponding folders are uploaded and downloaded. It can quickly come together, especially if you want to synchronize photos and videos between your smartphone and the PC. You should check if you have the cloud service installed and really need it. Otherwise you should uninstall it or stop OneDrive.

To stop OneDrive, right-click on the OneDrive icon in the notification area (bottom right corner of the screen) and select “Settings” from the menu. In the new window, remove the checkmark “Automatically start OneDrive when logging in to Windows” and then click on “OK”.

You should also check which files to sync. If you do not need this file in the cloud storage, just move it to a local folder from your Windows 10 PC.

The whole thing now at a glance: Uninstall cloud programs, disable OneDrive (OneDrive cloud> “Settings”> “OneDrive when logging on Windows automatically start” disable> “OK”), check files.

Check if your Windows 10 Internet is slow when you reinstall the driver

Click the Windows icon at the bottom left to open the Start menu. Enter the search “Device Manager” and select it. Select the network card via “Network Adapter”. Right click on the network card and click on “Uninstall”. For reinstalling you now only need to restart your PC.

7 Ways To Unlock Your Android Device Screen If You Have Forgotten The Password

If you’ve forgotten the pattern, PIN, or password that blocks your Android device, you might think you’re out of luck and locked forever.

There are several ways to hack a locked Android smartphone or tablet, but unfortunately there is nothing as simple as the Password Cracker USB sticks that you can get for Windows.

Method 1: Use the Google Find My Device Web Site

For most Android phones and tablets, an integrated service called Find My Device is the best choice.

We noticed that this method does not work on Android 8.0 or higher.

As counter-intuitive as it sounds, click the Lock button as soon as the Find My Device function on your phone is repaired.

After clicking the “Lock” button, you will be asked to enter a new password that will replace the forgotten pattern, PIN or password.

From here, changing the password can take up to 5 minutes. If so, you should be able to enter the new password to unlock your device.

Method 2: Use the Samsung Find My Mobile Service

If you have a Samsung device, a similar service called “Find My Mobile” should be the first thing you try.

Once you’re signed in to your Samsung account, click the “Lock my screen” button in the left pane.

Method 3: Use the Forgotten Pattern lock feature

If your device is running Android 4.4 or lower, try using the Forgot pattern lock feature.

Choose “Enter Google Account Details” (you can go directly to this option, depending on your device) then enter your primary Gmail account and password.

how do i unlock my phone if i forgot the pattern?

Method 4: Perform a Factory Reset

If you care more about getting into your phone than keeping stored data, a factory reset should work in many scenarios.

The process depends on your device type, but most phones should turn off the device completely.

Then press and hold the power button and tap the volume up button once. Your phone should then go into recovery mode.

If it’s a recent phone, you’ll be asked to sign in with the Google Account and password previously used on the device before it was reset.

Method 5: Use ADB to Delete the Password File

This next option works only if you have previously enabled USB debugging on your phone, and even then it only works if you allow the computer you use to connect through ADB.

Start by connecting your phone to your computer with a USB data cable, and then open a Command Prompt window in your ADB installation directory.