[Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite Guides, News, & Discussion] lbsilva:
Since there's no thread related to safe-to-remove system bloatware/googleware, I decided to make one.

I'm counting on your help to expand this list. :D

Tested

Chrome

Alternatives: Firefox, Brave, Waterfox.

Or you could simply uninstall it as a system APP and reinstall it as a user APP. There's definitely no need for Chrome to be a system APP.

Contacts

Alternatives: Simple Contacts Pro, fully open-source (paid or free if you download it through F-Droid, but won't get advanced customizations), Contacts+.

I also advise you to remove Google Contacts as a system APP and reinstall it as an user APP if you wish to keep it, there's no reason for Google Contacts to be a system APP.

Gmail

This one actually depends on your email provider, since I don't use gmail at all, I completely uninstalled this.

Also I suggest looking at ProtonMail, it's an email provider mostly focused on user data protection (through strict Swiss data protection laws) and privacy.

Then again, if you wish to keep this APP, I suggest uninstalling it and reinstall it as an user APP.

Digital Wellbeing

If you use this functionality on settings you may want to keep it, I uninstalled it.

Also I noticed that ever since I uninstalled this APP, there's an error on logcat showing that something failed to connect to this APP. However it's just a log, despite that everything seems to be working great.

Google Files/Files Go

If you managed to upgrade from Android 8 to Android 9, you most likely kept the standard system APP "Files", however if you flashed Android 9 from scratch, the standard system APP "Files" becomes hidden, which you may unhide it using this app. (I didn't test it). You can also use FileManager by Xiaomi.

Or if you're like me and prefer open-source APPs, I installed Simple File Manager Pro, it supports root (paid or free if you download it through F-Droid, but won't get advanced customizations) or this free and simple file manager.

If you wish to keep Files Go (Google Files) you can also uninstall is as a system APP and reinstall it as an user APP.

Calendar

At this point there's not much calendar APPs out there with cloud sync support, so I managed to stick to Google Calendar, although I uninstalled it as a system APP and reinstalled it as an user APP. I know I said this countless times but I'm extremely against contributing to Google's currently huge power on user personal data, so I try to be as google-less as possible.

Lens

Don't know what this actually does, but Android 8 didn't have it and I looked it up somewhere and some people said that it was safe to remove, and so far so good.

You can read more about it here.

Google

Safe to remove, however your search box widget becomes pretty useless. I actually don't mind at all, it even switches to dark theme mode.

Action Services

From what I've read, this APP is responsible for the APP suggestions on your All-APPs menu, so you'll get some errors when uninstall this. To avoid the errors you have to deactivate APP suggestions first:

Long Press Home-Screen > Home Settings > Suggestions > Apps (Disable this)

And now you're free to uninstall this.

Photos

Definitely not keeping this one, with cloud storage and such.

Replaced with, once again, Simple Gallery Pro (paid or free if you download it through F-Droid, but won't get advanced customizations). You can also use LeafPic which is also open-source and looks great but I didn't actually test it.

Google Maps

I use this, however I uninstalled as a system APP and reinstalled as an user APP.

I'm currently slowly trying to migrate to Waze even though it was bought by Google.

YouTube

I occasionally use it, so I made it an user APP.

Probably safe-to-remove but not tested

Device Health Services

Does anyone know what this APP is responsible for?

Gboard

I don't use it but I didn't uninstall it because it may be required for first-time password input when turning on the device.

When I switch to another keyboard besides Google or SwiftKey (currently using), there's a popup saying "Note: After a reboot, this app can't start until you unlock your phone.", that's why I didn't uninstall it.

Messages

Unfortunately I don't know any good enough Messaging APP to replace Google Messages.

I know there used to be Silence, it even supported P2P encryption but I think it was discontinued. There's also Textra although not open-source.

Feedback

When trying to uninstall this system APP it's shown that it is a Key module, although I really doubt it really is.

Uncertain

com.google.android.gms.policy_sidecar_aps

What on earth is this and what does it do?

Android Setup & Device Setup

I'm assuming these are only used when configuring the device for the first time?

If you have any suggestions, useful tools or tips please drop them down below, I'll try to keep this list up-to-date along with your suggestions.