[Samsung Galaxy A20 Guides, News, & Discussion] Maybeyou:
This guide is for people who enjoys privacy, and want to enjoy a fully controlled experience even on a stock Android, and it dosen't only concerns the Samsung A20 but all powered Android phones, after applying all the steps you'll enjoy a stock firmware free from all bloatwares, free from non useful bandwidth consumption, free from unnecessary battery drains, Without having to root and without the need for a computer. :)

First make sure you use a non bloated firmware you can tell by its size, if not compare and download and flash the lighter stock rom you find, don't be scared your sim card will work. ;) or just follow this guide to the end and all bloatwares will vanish ?

IN THIS GUIDE I'll be focusing on how to regain your privacy without root, and without needing a computer.

DEBLOAT GOD without root :

You can use adb (you'll need a computer for that), there's fully explained guides here on how to debloat using adb. But as I said I'll be focusing on how to regain control over your phone without the need for a computer.

I don't use Google accounts or Services, so my debloating method will block even Google play Services.

Let's start by hard reset :laugh: but before that, make sure to remove all entered accounts and lock screens before going any further with hard reset, so you don't encounter any problems. :cowboy: (of course you can keep your data, but I don't recommend keeping Google or Facebook apps and accounts.)

1)- Hard reset (enter stock recovery by pressing " Power button + Volume up" and wipe cache, and data)

After rebooting don't connect to wifi, it's preferable if you don't have data connectivity on your sim card either, don't be scared it will launch Android even without internet : on the welcome screen, accept only the first two agreements from the four agreements , then hit "Skip" and "Ignore" buttons always, don't enter any Google or samsung accounts, then click finish.

Once on home screen enter Settings app,

Head to applications, on the right corner select show system apps, disable everything that can be disabled, see my attached screenshots.zip for a full detailed list.

How to disable Google Play Services:

After you disabled the unnecessary things, go to the Settings app again and enter "Biometric and Security" - "Other security settings" - "Device admin apps" and uncheck the "find my Mobile". ;)

Now in the settings application go to applications and you can now disable "Google Play Services" and "Device Health Service" as well.

Reboot :fingers-crossed:

Congratulations now you debloated your phone from unnecessary background Services.

2) - Privacy Bonus : Netguard. For an ultimate Control over your bandwidth and internet privacy (everyone can use this following guide especially rooted phones)

Install Netguard pro or netguard. In the settings Go to advanced options, tick manage system apps, notify on internet access if you want to get notified about what apps are requesting on your behalf ?, ("log internet access" optional only if you want to see what apps are requesting internet inside a log)

Now go back to the main Netguard interface, you will see all system apps, and user apps inside this screen,

Turn everything to red, then click the dollar sign in the left corner, and click "lockdown traffic" in the right corner.

Now you can enable only your browser to access the internet and leave all the rest blocked.

You can enable internet to a certain app by clicking the bandwidth sign and turn it from red to green, then click the arrow in the left next to the application name and tick "allow in lockdown mode", and this app will get internet.

See screenshots zip for more details.

That's all of it ! That's how to regain control over processes and bandwidth, only you can decide what should connect, and what are they doing on your behalf and without your consent.

In the screenshots you'll find out that I did disable Google play store, I always download apps from apkmirror dot com, or apkpure, and install them manually. I don't use Google play store, and with doing so you won't be needing a Google account watching you 24/7

Other steps :

Enter the Settings app - "Biometric and security" - " app permission" , and remove unwanted permissions.

THAT'S ALL OF IT !! NOW ENJOY your new phone speed performances, and it's long battery life

Some questions and answers:

Q- Why did I had to do all of this ?

A- If you install Netguard firewall app you'll notice a traffic from all the apps even what we thought are offline, to some unknown servers, like Amazon, and such, and I didn't agree with this, and they didn't say anything about it. I noticed that the disabled apps are sending internet request even if they are disabled and even I did turned off mobile data, and background activity, that why I used the Netguard Firewall to block them all.

Q- How to install apps if you blocked or deleted google play store and Samsung store ?

A- I download APK from apkmirror (dot com), they are clean, and by this you can always have them in case you want them after you 'reset' your phone or uninstall them, and especially no internet is required in order to install apps

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If you liked my post or find it somewhat informative hit Thanks :cowboy: or comment :fingers-crossed: , if not I'm sorry for wasting your time :laugh: i just wanted to share my experience with some people like me. Peace.