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adb uninstall: remove apps and find package names ​

In short: adb uninstall removes an app from a connected Android phone by its package name, such as com.example.app. Add -k to keep the app's data and cache. To find the name, run adb shell pm list packages, with -3 for apps you installed or a word to search for. System apps can be removed for one user with pm uninstall --user 0.

adb works with package names, not the names on the home screen, so the first step is often finding the name.

Syntax ​

bash
adb uninstall [-k] com.example.app
adb shell pm uninstall [-k] [--user 0] com.example.app
adb shell pm list packages [-3] [-f] [filter]
Command or optionWhat it does
adb uninstall com.example.appRemoves the app and its data
-kKeeps the app's data and cache on the phone
pm uninstall --user 0Removes an app for the current user only; used for preinstalled apps
pm list packagesLists installed packages; -3 only apps you installed, -f with each APK's path, a word to filter
pm path com.example.appShows where the app's APK files are on the phone

Find the package name ​

bash
# Every app you installed
adb shell pm list packages -3

# Search for a word in package names
adb shell pm list packages chrome

# The app on screen right now: the line names its package and activity
adb shell dumpsys window | grep mCurrentFocus

In PowerShell, use Select-String mCurrentFocus instead of grep mCurrentFocus.

Remove preinstalled apps ​

Apps that came with the phone usually refuse adb uninstall. You can remove them for the current user, and get them back later:

bash
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.example.bloat
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.example.bloat

The app stays in the system image, so a factory reset restores it. Some preinstalled apps are needed by others, so look up what an app does before removing it, and prefer turning it off in Settings when that is enough.

On many phones at once ​

bash
for s in $(adb devices | awk 'NR>1 && $2=="device" {print $1}'); do
  adb -s "$s" uninstall com.example.app
done
powershell
adb devices | Select-Object -Skip 1 | ForEach-Object {
  $serial, $state = $_ -split '\s+'
  if ($state -eq 'device') { adb -s $serial uninstall com.example.app }
}

A phone that does not have the app answers with a failure and the loop carries on. In BenchFleet, each phone's page lists its apps and removes them with a click, on every plan, and shows every connected phone on one screen.

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Common errors and fixes ​

ErrorWhat it meansFix
Failure [DELETE_FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR]The app is part of the phone's systemUse adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 with the package name
Unknown package or not installed for 0The name is wrong, or the app is not installed for this userCopy the exact name from pm list packages
Failure [DELETE_FAILED_DEVICE_POLICY_MANAGER]The app is a device administratorRemove its admin rights in the phone's security settings, then uninstall
adb: more than one device/emulatorSeveral phones are connectedChoose one with -s and its serial number

Questions ​

How do I find an app's package name?

Run adb shell pm list packages and look for the app; add -3 to list only apps you installed, or a word such as chrome to search. Each line starts with the word package and then the name. The app's page on Google Play shows it in the address too, after id=.

Does adb uninstall delete the app's data?

Yes, unless you add -k, which keeps the data and cache on the phone. Kept data can only be used again by the same app signed with the same key.

Can I uninstall system apps with ADB?

You can remove a preinstalled app for the current user with adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 and its package name. It stays in the phone's system image, so a factory reset brings it back. Removing the wrong system app can break features, so check what an app does first.

How do I get back a system app I removed?

Run adb shell cmd package install-existing with its package name. That reinstalls it for the current user from the copy still in the system image.

Why does adb uninstall say Unknown package?

The package name is wrong or the app is not installed for the current user. Copy the exact name from adb shell pm list packages; names are case-sensitive.

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