Samsung Galaxy Store Bloatware: How to Remove It

If you own a Samsung Galaxy device, you’ve likely seen the Galaxy Store icon sitting on your screen. It comes pre-installed, offering exclusive apps, themes, and deals. But for many users, this second app store feels less like a feature and more like bloatware—unwanted software that takes up space, consumes data, and sends annoying notifications.

So, what exactly is bloatware? It’s the collection of pre-installed applications on a device that you didn’t choose to download and may not ever use. The Samsung Galaxy Store often falls into this category because it duplicates the functionality of the Google Play Store, which is already the primary app hub for most Android users.

This guide will explore why the Galaxy Store is often labeled as bloatware and walk you through several methods to reclaim control over your device. Whether you want to disable it, restrict its permissions, or remove it entirely, we’ll provide the steps you need to optimize your phone’s performance, storage, and battery life.

What Is the Samsung Galaxy Store?

The Samsung Galaxy Store is Samsung’s proprietary app marketplace for its ecosystem of devices. Think of it as Samsung’s version of the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store. It comes pre-installed on all Samsung Galaxy smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, serving as the central hub for downloading and updating Samsung-specific software.

Its main features include:

• Exclusive Apps and Content: The store offers apps developed by Samsung, such as Samsung Health, Samsung Notes, and Good Lock for device customization. It’s also home to exclusive themes, wallpapers, and fonts to personalize your Galaxy device.
• Galaxy Watch Integration: If you own a Galaxy Watch, the Galaxy Store is essential for downloading and updating watch faces and apps.
• Deals and Promotions: Samsung frequently offers discounts, in-app purchase promotions, and exclusive content for popular games and apps available through its store.

Samsung pre-installs the Galaxy Store to create a seamless, integrated experience across its hardware. By controlling the software distribution, Samsung can ensure its apps are optimized for Galaxy devices and provide a branded ecosystem that encourages user loyalty. However, this approach is exactly why many users find it intrusive.

Why the Samsung Galaxy Store Is Considered Bloatware

For a piece of software to be useful, it needs to solve a problem without creating new ones. While the Galaxy Store has its purpose, for many users, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. Here’s a breakdown of the common issues that push it into the “bloatware” category.

Storage Drain

The Galaxy Store app itself takes up a noticeable amount of storage space. But the real issue is the data it accumulates over time. Cached banners, update files, promotional content, and logs can quickly add up, consuming precious gigabytes on your device. On budget or mid-range phones with limited internal storage, this can significantly impact your ability to store photos, videos, and other apps you actually want.

Background Data Usage

Even when you’re not actively using it, the Samsung Galaxy Store is often running in the background. It constantly refreshes its content, fetching new app recommendations, deals, and advertisements. This process consumes mobile data and Wi-Fi bandwidth without your consent. If you’re on a limited data plan, this background activity can lead to unexpected overage charges and slower internet speeds for the apps you are using.

Duplicate Functionality

The most significant frustration for many is redundancy. Most Android users rely on the Google Play Store for their app needs. It has a larger library, more comprehensive security checks with Google Play Protect, and is the standard for the Android ecosystem. Having the Galaxy Store installed creates a confusing dual-app-store system. You might receive update notifications from both stores for the same app, and managing subscriptions or purchases across two different platforms can be a headache. It’s like having two different TV remotes that both control the same television—unnecessary and confusing.

Push Notifications & Ads

One of the most common complaints about the Galaxy Store is the constant stream of push notifications. These aren’t just for app updates; they often consist of unwanted advertisements for games, themes, and apps you have no interest in. These promotional pings are disruptive and contribute to notification fatigue, making you more likely to miss important alerts from other applications.

Performance Impact

Any app that runs background services consumes system resources like RAM and CPU cycles. The Galaxy Store is no exception. Its background processes can slow down your device, particularly if you’re using a mid-range or budget smartphone with less powerful hardware. This can result in a laggy user interface, slower app launch times, and reduced battery life. For users who prioritize a fast and responsive experience, disabling bloatware like the Galaxy Store is often the first step to improving performance.

Is It Safe to Remove or Disable the Samsung Galaxy Store?

Given the issues it can cause, you might be tempted to uninstall the Galaxy Store immediately. However, since it’s a system-level application, you can’t just press “uninstall” like you would with a regular app.

Disabling the Galaxy Store is generally safe and is the recommended approach for most users. When you disable an app, it stops running in the background, no longer appears in your app drawer, and won’t consume system resources. It’s effectively dormant.

However, there are a few potential downsides to consider:

• No Access to Samsung-Exclusive Updates: Some core Samsung apps and features, including the phone’s camera software or Bixby, may receive updates exclusively through the Galaxy Store. Disabling it means you might miss out on these improvements.
• Galaxy Watch Functionality: If you use a Samsung Galaxy Watch, the Galaxy Store is required to install and update watch faces and applications. Disabling it will limit your smartwatch’s functionality.
• Themes and Fonts: Custom themes, icons, and fonts downloaded from the Galaxy Store will no longer be accessible or updatable.

When it’s safe to disable: If you primarily use the Google Play Store, don’t own a Galaxy Watch, and don’t care for Samsung’s exclusive themes, disabling the Galaxy Store is perfectly safe and will likely improve your device’s performance.

When you might need it: If you rely on your Galaxy Watch for apps or frequently use Samsung-exclusive customization features, you should keep the store enabled but consider restricting its permissions to minimize its impact.

How to Remove or Disable Samsung Galaxy Store Bloatware

Here are four methods to manage or remove the Samsung Galaxy Store, ranging from simple to advanced.

Method 1: Disable via Settings (Easiest)

For most users, this is the safest and most straightforward way to stop the Galaxy Store from running.

1. Open Settings on your Samsung device.
2. Tap on Apps.
3. Find and select Galaxy Store from the list.
4. At the bottom of the app info screen, tap Disable.
5. Confirm your choice by tapping Disable app again.

The app will no longer appear on your home screen or in your app drawer, and it will not run in the background.

Method 2: Restrict Background Data

If you need to keep the Galaxy Store for watch apps but want to stop it from consuming mobile data, this is a good compromise.

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Galaxy Store.
2. Tap on Mobile data.
3. Toggle off Allow background data usage.

This will prevent the app from using your mobile data when you are not actively using it, though it can still use Wi-Fi.

Method 3: Turn Off Notifications

Tired of the promotional pop-ups? This method stops the notifications without disabling the app entirely.

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Galaxy Store.
2. Tap on Notifications.
3. Toggle off Show notifications. You can also customize which types of notifications you want to block (e.g., promotions) while keeping others (e.g., updates).

Method 4: Use ADB Commands (Advanced)

For users who want to completely remove the app without rooting their device, Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a powerful tool. Warning: This method is for advanced users. Incorrectly using ADB can cause system instability. Proceed with caution.

1. Enable Developer Options: Go to Settings > About phone > Software information and tap on the Build number seven times.
2. Enable USB Debugging: Go back to the main Settings menu, tap on Developer options, and enable USB debugging.
3. Install ADB on Your Computer: Download the Android SDK Platform-Tools for your operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux) and extract the files.
4. Connect Your Phone: Connect your Samsung device to your computer via a USB cable.
5. Open Command Prompt/Terminal: Navigate to the folder where you extracted the platform-tools. Open a Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux) window in this folder.
6. Verify Connection: Type adb devices and press Enter. You should see your device’s serial number.
7. Enter ADB Shell: Type adb shell and press Enter.
8. Uninstall the App: To remove the Galaxy Store, type the following command and press Enter:
   pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.sec.android.app.samsungapps

This command uninstalls the app for the current user (user 0). The app is not permanently deleted from the system partition, so you can restore it with a factory reset if needed.

Alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy Store

Once you’ve disabled or removed the Galaxy Store, you still need a way to get apps. Here are the best alternatives:

• Google Play Store: This is the default and most secure app store for Android. It has the largest selection of apps, robust security scanning, and is integrated with your Google account.
• Amazon Appstore: A solid alternative that sometimes offers paid apps for free. It’s the default store for Amazon’s Fire devices but can be installed on any Android phone.
• Third-Party Stores (Use with Caution): Stores like APKMirror and F-Droid are popular among enthusiasts. APKMirror is a trusted source for legitimate, unmodified APK files, while F-Droid focuses exclusively on free and open-source software. Be extremely careful when downloading from other third-party sources, as they can be a vector for malware.
• Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): For some services, you can use a web app instead of a native app. PWAs run in your browser but can be added to your home screen and often offer an app-like experience without taking up storage space.

Take Back Control of Your Device

The Samsung Galaxy Store serves a purpose within Samsung’s ecosystem, particularly for smartwatch users and those who love device customization. For the majority of users, however, its redundant functionality and intrusive behavior make it a classic example of bloatware. It consumes valuable storage, data, and system resources while offering little that can’t be found on the Google Play Store.

By disabling or restricting the Galaxy Store, you can achieve a cleaner, faster, and more streamlined experience on your Samsung device. Choose the method that best fits your technical comfort level and usage needs, and enjoy a smartphone that works for you—not the other way around.