The process of preventing an application from running, without uninstalling it, is a common task on the Android operating system. This effectively puts the application in a dormant state, preventing it from consuming system resources or sending notifications. A common example includes disabling pre-installed applications that are not actively used.
This procedure offers several advantages. It can free up system memory, reduce battery drain, and declutter the application drawer. Historically, disabling applications provided a workaround for the inability to fully uninstall certain pre-installed applications, often referred to as “bloatware,” that manufacturers or carriers included on devices.