[Huawei P40 Pro Guides, News, & Discussion] H-Emmanuel:
Hey everyone,

I've spent the last couples days going through all the installed packages, cross-referencing different debloating guides and testing my changes. I'm running the latest EMUI 10.1.0.158 (C636).

RECOMMENDATIONS: if you can, follow this debloating guide right after a factory reset; this simply guarantees a fresh clean start. Otherwise, start by backing up your apps and important files to an external device. The built-in backup app is ideal for preserving your apps and their settings, but make sure to move these backups OFF THE PHONE. Then, you can either remove all the apps (in my guide) all at once, or remove a few at a time and reboot the phone in between. Rebooting in between reduces the chance of "shocking" the OS with too many changes all at once which could result in boot looping. Just keep in mind that I did not find that to be necessary when debloating right after a factory reset, but your mileage may vary.

Here is what I personally debloated without any adverse effect, after 2 weeks of daily use:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hicloud ****** Huawei cloud features

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.browser ****** Stock browser, replaced with Mozilla

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.browserhomepage ****** Stock browser component

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.bookmarkprovider ****** Stock bookmark content

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.providers.partnerbookmarks ****** Stock bookmark content

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.wallet ****** Huawei Wallet app

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.music ****** Stock music application, replaced with PowerAmp (use the APK from their website, it does not rely on Google Services)

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.phoneservice ****** Huawei customer support, also known as HiCare

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hifolder ****** AppAdvisor

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.parentcontrol ****** Digital balance, parental control features

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hicard ****** Huawei Cards, no info but recommended in some guides, no negative consequences

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hitouch ****** Allows you to shop for an object that you took a picture of

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hiassistantoversea ****** HiVoice. Huawei's voice assistant to replace "Hey Google"

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.fastapp ****** Quick App Center, another type of app distribution

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.imedia.sws ****** Histen. Special sound effects found in the sound settings. I only care about my EQ settings in PowerAmp

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.intelligent ****** Huawei Assistant. Shopping recommendations

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.magazine ****** Magazine unlock. Downloads wallpapers for your lock screen. I don't need my phone needlessly connecting to remote servers

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hwblockchain ****** I don't do anything blockchain related

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hwstartupguide ****** A one-time setup app that is no longer needed

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.onetimeinitializer ****** A one-time setup app that is no longer needed

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.android.instantonline ****** No information but recommended in some guides, no negative consequences

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hwpanpayservice ****** This is payment related, I don't use my phone as a payment method nor do I use Huawei Wallet

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.bjbyhd.screenreader_huawei ****** An accessibility feature for visually impaired people

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.search ****** HiSearch. This does not affect the search bar in the Settings

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hwdetectrepair ****** Smart Diagnosis app. It diagnoses hardware problems which I could do myself

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hiview ****** This supposedly displays details/attributes of pictures. After removing this, I can still access the picture attributes in the stock Gallery so I'm not sure what this is actually about

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hiviewtunnel ****** Related to HiView.

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hidisk ****** Stock file explorer, replaced with File Manager +

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.android.chr ****** HwChrService, this collects data about your usage of the cellular network. No thanks

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.bd ****** Huawei User Experience app

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.android.karaoke ****** Self explanatory

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.desktop.explorer ****** EMUI Desktop Mode for connecting to an external display

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.android.FloatTasks ****** Navigation Dock, I don't care for that UI feature

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.languagedownloader ****** According to some guides, this is unsafe but I don't need another downloader for something that I'll never use

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.lbs ****** Location Service. Sounds scary but I am still able to use all my GPS and location services. My location based weather widgets, Waze and Google Maps connect just as fast and accurately as before

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.featurelayer.sharedfeature.map ****** Huawei Map Service. I removed it and have no issues using Waze and Google Maps

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.hisi.mapcon ****** This is apparently not recommended when using WiFi calling, which I don't

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.himovie.overseas ****** Stock video application, replaced with VLC. This integrates perfectly with the stock Camera and Gallery apps

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.stk ****** SIM Toolkit. Not supported by US SIM cards

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.mms ****** Stock SMS application, replaced with Pulse. I can still send/receive SMS & MMS. Textra looks like a good alternative too

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.HwMultiScreenShot ****** Scrollshot. Basic screenshots still work, I don't use the knock feature

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.smartshot ****** Smart screenshot. Basic screenshots still work, I don't use the knock feature

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.bluetooth ****** Allows importing phone contacts via Bluetooth, something I've never done in my life

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.swiftkey.swiftkeyconfigurator ****** Older version of SwiftKey, replaced with the latest SwiftKey APK

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.touchtype.swiftkey ****** Older version of SwiftKey, replaced with the latest SwiftKey APK. Do not do this before downloading the APK for your new keyboard otherwise you won't have a keyboard to use to search for a replacement

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.pcassistant ****** Used when connecting your phone to your PC using HiSuite

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.egg ****** A hidden animation that no one needs to see

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.backupconfirm ****** Google Backup, unusable without Google Services. This does not affect Huawei's backup app, I was able to back up all my apps and settings

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.android.calllogbackup ****** Google Call Log Backup/Restore. This does not affect Huawei's backup app, I was able to back up my calls successfully

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.scanner ****** AI Lens. Shop for objects that you take a picture of. I can't stand these "features" that revolve around shopping. This de-clutters the camera interface by removing the AI Lens button on the top left corner and does not break the AR Measure app.

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.contacts ****** Dialer & contacts app. I first installed my dialer replacement, True Phone (version 2.0.0-hw rev 99 from the AppGallery) and then ran this command. Although this should not actually delete your contacts, make sure to back them up. I've had absolutely 0 issue making or receiving calls after deleting the stock dialer.

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.huawei.hwsearch ****** Petal Search widget. I personally use APKPure and sometimes the AppGallery.

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 package:com.huawei.android.hwupgradeguide ****** New package that came with .158. There is no description online but judging from the name, I don't need it

NOTICE THAT I DO NOT INCLUDE THE -k PARAMETER IN MY COMMANDS, unlike most guides found online. I do not get any error running the commands as such, and it actually clears the data created by those apps. In other words, we're not only debloating your user interface but also your storage!

To restore any app removed via ADB:

adb shell cmd package install-existing <package_name>

I always try to uninstall apps through Android before resorting to ADB. I did not really keep track of apps that I uninstalled through the menu, so it's just easier to tell you which stock apps I kept installed. By stock app, I ONLY MEAN actual apps that you can open from the home screen:

-AppGallery. This requires com.huawei.hwid to work. I needed it to get Snapchat, I might ADB-uninstall it now that Snapchat is installed

-Phone Clone. This could always be useful for porting apps over

-Optimizer

-Themes

-Live wallpaper (com.huawei.livewallpaper.paradise, also known as Brocade)

-Calendar widget/app

-Camera. Obviously. Who in their right mind would get this phone lacking a major component of Android (Play Services), if not for the camera

-Gallery. For pictures and editing

-Contacts. This is also the phone dialer. I have now uninstalled this app and replaced it with True Dialer 2.0 by Hamster Beat (available on AppGallery)

-Compass. Works great

-Smart Remote. If I ever decide to make use of my IR blaster

-AR Measure. I usually don't care for stuff like this but this actually works great and looks awesome

Here are apps/system processes that actually have an uninstall button but that I DID NOT UNINSTALL:

-Backup (com.huawei.KoBackup). I use this app to create backups periodically. Without root, this native app is able to backup a lot more than any other 3rd party backup app

-com.huawei.game.kitserver (I don't play games but if I ever decide to, I'd like to avoid breaking features)

-Contacts Sync (com.huawei.contacts.sync). I have now uninstalled this app as I no longer use the stock dialer (com.huawei.contacts)

-Storage manager (com.android.storemanager)

My goal is to remove low quality, "spyware" or unnecessary apps without removing or breaking useful features. "Useful" is always a little subjective, so decide for yourself based on my descriptions and comments!