[Essential Phone Questions & Answers] DoR3M3:
These steps below, you're probably going to wonder, why do I need to Deodex and Signature Spoof just to debloat? Good point, you don't, but then you can only get so far away from Google in your system by not doing this. The point to this method is to have Signature Spoofing support in Android, where you can better utilize microg support, to have it as the alternative instead of Google.

The Deodex and Nanodroid-patcher support, only need to be performed if you are running Stock Android, or a ROM that has not been Deodex and doesn't support Signature Spoofing. This also doesn't have to be done, if you still want to run the Google Services/Framework.

If you only want to Debloat, then follow the Debloat section below.

For the Deodex, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary), but it's been working great for me, so here goes!

I did this on Stock Oreo 8.1.0 which has both odex and vdex files in /system/framework, so I followed the VDEX method mentioned below.

This is going to be easy if you're a Linux User/Geek, if you are running Windows and have never done anything like this, and if you have both odex and vdex files on your phone in /system/framework, then I can do this for you if you want, unless you want to get into learning this.

If you want me to, then in TWRP, click Mount and click on System at the top to mount it and then run this command in the command prompt, I'm assuming you have adb/fastboot installed...

adb pull /system/framework framework If that doesn't work, it typically ends up being, adb pull /system/system/framework framework

I'm assuming your device is arm64, so then look in the directory; framework/oat/arm64/ or /arm, and attach the services.vdex file and I'll patch it for you.

Deodex & Signature Spoofing

1. Check /system/framework, do you see both .odex and .vdex files?

2. If you have both .odex and .vdex files follow the guide under VDEX, if you only have .odex files, then follow the ODEX section. Don't be confused by the guide as only having either services.vdex or services.odex. You are looking to see if all the files are one or the other or both.

https://gitlab.com/Nanolx/NanoDroid/blob/master/doc/DeodexServices.md

3. If you have both files and need to follow the VDEX method in Windows, then you'll need cygwin as stated on the vdexExtractor Github, and install zlib-devel from the cygwin installer. cygwin as stated on the site is a collection of GNU and Open Source tools, this allows you to compile the vdexExtractor source in Windows into the running program.

https://www.cygwin.com/

4. If you have to do the ODEX method the baksmali.jar and smali.jar are already built, there's a download for them on the GitHub page, and you'll need to have Java JRE installed.

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jre8-downloads-2133155.html

Whether I'm patching it, or you follow one of the methods I've described, once this is done, you'll need to download the latest NanoDroid-patcher. This is what patches the Deodex ROM to apply signature spoofing support.

https://xdaforums.com/apps/magisk/module-nanomod-5-0-20170405-microg-t3584928 - Stable Download (Nanolx)

Be sure to also grab NanoDroid-fdroid if you don't have F-droid installed. You might want to also grab NanoDroid-microG while you're at it, if you want to go for a real system Google Debloat too, but any concerns, or issues, please post on Setialpha's NanoDroid post for any microg support.

As soon as you're done with the Deodex steps, at the bottom the tutorials clearly state; unmount /system and flash the NanoDroid-Patcher, so uncheck System that you checked before in Mount, and now install/flash NanoDroid-patcher, TWRP > Install

If the device is not rooted, then make sure to root it with Magisk. Personally I find it best with the Essential to now boot to the bootloader, then boot back into TWRP. In TWRP flash NanoDroid-fdroid if you grabbed it, then the boot.img and then Magisk, then boot into the System.

Debloating Apps Systemlessly

1. Open Magisk Manager - Downloads - search for Debloater, then you should see Debloater (Terminal Emulator).

2. Reboot

3. Now you'll need a terminal emulator in Android because Debloater (Terminal Emulator) runs from the command line, it doesn't have a GUI. I recommend using Termux, it's a very powerful terminal emulator with lots of things going on about it. If you didn't install F-Droid as I mentioned before, then you should of noticed on the NanoDroid download link NanoDroid-fdroid, download this and flash/install it in TWRP.

4. Now with F-Droid, open it, go to Settings and turn on Expert mode and check Privileged Extension, then close and reopen F-Droid. Next, search for and install Termux.

5. Open Termux and at the command prompt type su for superuser access. On a side note, if you don't know, or have never used Termux, press and hold Vol UP on the phone and tap q on the keyboard which will give you some short cut options. But you'll want to go online to their Wiki and learn about the power of Termux.

6. Now simply type debloat and remove what you want. Remember if you make a mistake, you have Option 4 to reinstall what you removed by mistake.

That's all there is to Deodex, Signature Spoof Patching and Debloating apps systemlessly in Android.

If the VDEX/ODEX methods don't work for some strange reason, then you'll want to explore using SuperR's Kitchen to Deodex the rom, and most people recommend you get the donate version for better features and support.

https://xdaforums.com/apps/superr-kitchen/windows-linux-superr-s-kitchen-v3-0-0-0-t3601702

Good Luck :)