Associated with one built-in program. Google Play Services – what exactly is it? What are they needed for? In this article we will break down the answers to these questions.
The essence of Google Play Services
Google Play Services is not really an app. It cannot be opened. However, it is installed by default on all Android devices. In addition, it has a considerable list of requested permissions. This includes a lot: access to SMS messages, important data, all information from Google applications and other things.
In short, Google Play Services is a component that is quite closely intertwined with the system itself.
Essentially, it is a set of application programming interfaces (APIs), that is, auxiliary elements for programmers, a connecting link for programs, and an update provider in one package.
What does Google Play Services do?
Google Play services can be considered a kind of development on smartphones. Take Google Maps as an example: before the advent of Google Play Services, the application was updated only along with updates to the OS. And we all know how much manufacturers and suppliers sometimes drag their feet on them. Today, you don't have to wait any longer, because thanks to Google Play Services, applications are updated automatically.
Google Play Services allows you to install the latest versions of applications without waiting for an Android update. Although not all, but only standard ones from Google (Gmail, Google+, Google Play, and so on). Google Play Services can also manage other programs that use services from Google, of which there are quite a few.
In general, on any version of Android, starting from 2.2 and higher, updates to the system and various programs occur independently of each other. This is a very good innovation made for the convenience of Android users.
It first appeared in Android 4.3, and in subsequent versions of the OS it only improved, in particular on the 5th (Lollipop) and 6th (Marshmallow) versions.
Is it possible to disable Google Play Services?
As is the case with all pre-installed applications on Android, you cannot remove Google Play Services. But you can turn them off. We head along this path: “Settings” → “Applications” → “All”. Select Google Play Services and click on the “Disable” button.
If this button is unavailable (gray), do the following: open “Settings” → “Security” → “Device Administrators” and disable rights in the Device Manager.
Most importantly, keep in mind that disabling Google Play Services may lead to the failure of many applications related to Google services and more. Of course, Google Play will also stop working.
Why does Google Play Services consume so much power?
Typically, Google Play Services consumes 5 to 10 percent of your battery. Some users complain that this application takes as much as 80 and even 90. This is a fairly common problem that usually occurs after an OS update. In most cases, the reason lies in the incompatibility of the version and Google Play Services.
Here's what you can do in this case:
- Disable Google Play Services (may cause problems with some services)
- Uninstall updates (Settings → Applications → All → Google Play Services → Uninstall updates). You may first need to go to the “Security” section, then to “Device Administrators” and disable Device Manager.
- Disable data synchronization with your Google profile. Go to “Settings” → “Accounts”, select Google and uncheck the appropriate boxes.
Did our article help you? Any remaining questions can be asked in the comments.
It is not possible to completely remove Google Play Services without root rights, but if you really want to, you can configure your phone so that Google services are minimally present in it. Let's see how to disable Google services in the settings, and what to do to completely remove them.
Shutdown
Typically, the need to remove or disable Google Play Services arises due to the significant energy consumption of this application. Calendar, Maps, Hangouts, Drive, Location Services and other plugins may not be used, but they still take up a lot of space and eat up battery power. To reduce the impact of Google Play Services on your phone, just disable them in the Android settings.
Go to settings, find the section with accounts. You need a Google account, which is what everything on Android is connected to. You can remove it, and then the calendar data and other built-in programs and services will no longer be synchronized. But let's go the other way and try to simply stop Google Services and the Google Services Framework.
Open your account sync settings. Here you need to uncheck all the boxes so that each plugin stops functioning. If you are concerned about Android's high power consumption, do the following:
- Go to the "Language and input" section in the settings.
- Open the Voice Search submenu.
- Go to the "OK Google Recognition" section.
- Move the toggle switches to the inactive position.
This will allow you to disable the voice search feature on Android, which constantly accesses the microphone and drains the battery. The phone will work even longer if you erase the cache of built-in applications - Play Market, Google Services.
- Open the Applications section in Settings.
- Go to the All tab.
- Open the Services page, click “Clear cache”.
- Stop the program by clicking the appropriate button.
In the same way, you can delete the cache and leave the rest of the plugins running. You can easily return them to working condition if necessary, but for now they will not interfere and consume charge.
Removal
To completely remove Services, you need root rights. You can get them in different ways; some custom firmwares have them by default. With root access, you can even uninstall built-in programs from the system, removing them directly from the directories in which they are installed. Let's see how to remove built-in Google Play Services on Android, and what applications can be removed in general:
- Launch Root Explorer or another manager that is suitable for working with the Android file system.
- Open the /system/app directory. Inside you will see built-in programs.
- A similar list of applications with some additions will be in the /system/priv-app directory.
If you delete these files, as well as frameworks in the /system/framework directory and libraries in /system/lib, then there will be no built-in software left on Android, and the question “Google services, can they be deleted?” will finally receive a positive response. How to recover deleted programs? There is only 1 way - you need to download Google Services.
If you've ever looked at your Android device's battery settings screen, you've probably seen "Google Play Services." But what are they, and why do they use so much battery?
What are Google Play Services?
Google Play Services is a little more confusing than most apps, as it includes all of Google's services in one package. In earlier versions of Android (7.x Nougat or lower), you can see exactly what Google services include by tapping on it. Here's what it shows on an Android 7.1.1 device:
- Google Accounts: There's little information on what exactly this service does, but it appears to handle syncing Google account data, including email and other related things.
- Google Services Framework: The Google Services platform supports various communications with Google, including cloud messaging.
- Google Backup: this service allows Android apps to back up their data to Google servers. When you reset your Android device or set up a new one, your app data may be restored.
- Google Play Services: this is the level of services that Android applications can use. This includes location services, which is the most significant battery drain. The Google Play Services package can be updated on the fly without updating the operating system.
In a way, Google Play Services is how Google brings new features to Android without updating the entire operating system, but it means one package can do a lot of things and can drain your battery like the rest of the OS.
Check what's going on with your battery
Android shows you which apps and system services are using the most battery power—simply open the Settings menu and tap Battery to view this information. The information here is usually self-explanatory, but depending on what version of Android your phone is running, things may look a little different.
For example, in older versions of Android such as Marshmallow (Android 6.x) and Nougat (Android 7.x), you'll likely find "Display" at the top of the screen - this is the amount of battery power being used by your device's display and its backlight. You can reduce screen power consumption by dimming the display brightness.
In Oreo (Android 8.x), however, the battery menu is very different.
This list shows individual apps so you can see exactly which apps are using your battery. For obvious reasons, the apps you actively use the most are likely to appear at the top.
How to make Google Play services use less battery
Previously, individual entries were combined into Google Play Services in the Battery screen, so it's now harder to know which of these services is draining your battery.
But there's really only one setting you can tweak when it comes to making Play Service use less battery: Location. When apps want to use your location, they ask Google Play Services and it wakes up your GPS hardware, calculating your exact location. GPS uses quite a bit of battery power, and all of that GPS usage will be locked to Google Play Services, not the app that requested your GPS location.
To reduce the battery consumption associated with location services, go to Settings > Location (Settings > Security & Location on Android 8.x devices) and change the mode to Network Coordinates. This will prevent Google Play Services from turning on your device's GPS hardware when apps request your location, which of course impacts accuracy. You can also turn off location tracking features completely here if you're desperate to save battery. If you need accurate location tracking in the future, return to this screen and turn on High Accuracy mode.
Many apps use Google Play Services to update your location. The Google Search app often queries Google Play Services to get your location so it can display information about the weather and other locations.
If Google services are still draining your battery after setting your location, then there could be another culprit -
synchronization. Try going to Settings > Accounts, clicking the menu button, and unchecking “Automatically sync data.” In Android Oreo, this option is under Settings > Users & Accounts, and Auto-sync data is a toggle at the bottom of the screen. It's worth noting that Android will stop automatically syncing data in the background by disabling this option. For example, you won't receive notifications of new emails in your Gmail account. You will need to open the Gmail app and manually sync to update your data. If this stops the battery draining, it means you have a sync problem.
Can Google Play Services cause battery drain? Most likely, yes - we have seen numerous reports of Google Play Services "eating" batteries in KitKat and Lollipop versions on smartphone models such as Note 4, Nexus 6 and . Let's look at the problem of battery power consumption by Google Play services, what it is and how to solve it.
We assume that, as with any other problem, you have already tried rebooting and that you have the latest firmware and other software for your phone. And if they are not there, then we advise you to update them first, as they can fix almost all types of problems.
Google Play Services Battery Low: How to Detect It
If your trusty phone suddenly begins to experience discomfort from rapid battery drain, Google Play Services may be the culprit. As a rule, battery performance deteriorates only over time, and even then this is a long process: a battery with which there were no problems yesterday cannot discharge three times faster the next day.
The reason why Google Play Services may be the culprit of the problem described above is that for many applications these services serve as a kind of “key” to the world of Google: they provide your Gmail account with various email applications, maps, and location settings for mapping applications etc.
The easiest way to tell if Google Play Services is draining the battery of your OnePlus One, Nexus 6, Note 4 or any other device is to go to Settings and then open the Battery subsection. Here you can see the most power-hungry programs on your device. If you find that Google Play Services is using more power than the display or the Android OS itself, then something is wrong.
Google Play Services battery drain: what could be causing it?
There are several reasons why Google Play Services may be using more power than you'd like. We've seen reports of Google Play services draining batteries in versions 4.1.32 to 4.2 on devices running Cyanogenmod, as well as KitKat and Lollipop versions. With so many problem situations, it is clear that there cannot be any one solution for any given problem on any device. However, there are some things you can test to see if they work.
Are Google Play Services draining your battery because you have too many accounts?
The main job of Play Services is to download files in the background. These files could be your emails, notifications, or checking your location to see if an event needs to be triggered in the Google Now app. If your device is connected to multiple Google accounts (because you have work or personal accounts, or because you are a spy or superhero with multiple identities), then Google Play Services should do everything that must do to service these accounts.
Is a third party app using Google Play Services inappropriately?
If your battery has been draining recently, the problem may not be with Google Play Services, but with one of the apps that uses them. Try booting into Safe mode. If in this case the problem with excessive battery consumption of Google Play Services has disappeared, then some third-party application can be considered the cause of its occurrence.
Is Google encountering sync errors?
Sync errors occur when Google tries to sync but fails, for example because it can't connect to a specific server. Problems with your data can also cause sync errors. These problems include unclear situations with your contacts, calendar, or Gmail. Issues like these can cause Google to regularly attempt (and often fail) to sync your local data with Google's servers. Removing and re-adding accounts can help get rid of persistent sync errors, but before you do this, try turning off mobile data in Settings for about 1 minute and then turning it back on.
Google doesn't like emoji icons?
We understand that some users have reported sync errors when using emojis in contact names: Google doesn't like this and may start the sync process.
Are you using the Task Killer app?
Task killers are used to disable unwanted processes, but sometimes, after disabling a particular task, it immediately turns back on, causing your phone to work even harder than before. There is an easy way to check: disable the task killer app and find out what effect this will have on battery performance.
Do you use information security software?
Security software has an impact on battery life because it is always active. Just like in Windows, the threat of malware in Android depends on the following factors: if you haven't downloaded anything from suspicious app stores or opened unknown attachments, the risk of infection is extremely low. As with the task killer, try disabling the security software on your device and see what happens on the system.
Have you ever had problems with battery drain due to Google Play Services? Tell us about it in the comments.
Do I need to explain to Android device owners what the Google Play Internet application is? The Android system itself was created by the IT giant Google. It is not surprising that all services are included not only in mobile gadgets, but also in browsers, and are integrated into the main menu of the operating system of the mobile device. True, there are several controversial issues here that few people pay attention to.
Android: first acquaintance
As a rule, when faced with the question of whether Google Play services can be removed, you first have to figure out what this service itself is. As a rule, such a widget is mainly present in the main menu of any smartphone or tablet running Android OS.
Nothing wrong with that. The fact is that in order to popularize certain services, any “operating system” from the Android family is initially configured to persuade the user to use one or another function offered by Google services (Google+, Gmail, Play Games, Play Press, etc.).
Naturally, a registration account must be created for each user or, if you prefer, device. As a rule, this first involves creating an account in the Google service itself with Gmail email confirmation. There is no point in removing it in the first place. You can do this later. At least, even to access Google services, you can access your mail from a regular home computer, laptop or mobile device by entering the appropriate address in the Internet browser.
But what if you don’t want to create such a record? Here, the solution to the problem of whether it is possible to remove Google Play services on Android comes down only to obtaining so-called root rights or access in superuser mode.
Removing the service itself without having the above rights is almost impossible. Applications built into the Android interface are activated automatically, and, as studies of system processes show, they “hang” in the RAM of a smartphone or tablet constantly. Even if you completely delete everything, the operating system itself will still transfer data to the corporation’s servers. Whether you like it or not, such a transfer occurs the first time you try to connect to the Network.
Naturally, we need to fight this. For example, if you have a problem with whether Google Play services can be removed (which means fast battery consumption), you won’t have to use standard mobile OS tools. Here you will need additional programs like CCleaner or an interesting application for methodically cleaning up “dangling” programs DU Battery Saver.
Google Play
But that's not all. When wondering whether it is possible to remove Google Play services as unnecessary, you also need to look at the special consequences. Those that may only appear after uninstalling some component of the shared service. Therefore, be careful.
What’s most interesting is questions like “Is it possible to remove Google Play services, eliminate rapid battery consumption, or simply save on charging?” are solved quite simply. In any application that is responsible for the state of the battery of a tablet or smartphone (provided that one is installed), there is a special mode. After unloading all the programs hanging there unnecessarily, you can begin to remove some components.
Using the example of Sony Xperia smartphones, several main points can be highlighted. First of all, even if the user has root access or is a superuser, under no circumstances should you delete the Xperia Home application. Essentially, this is a regular launcher that starts displaying the Android system in relation to a specific smartphone model.
Is it possible to remove Google Play services as such altogether? Can. But this will require either obtaining the appropriate access rights, or a complete flashing of the mobile gadget. And then, after applying the new firmware, no one can guarantee that it will work stably, much less accept the removal of Google modules.
By the way, if anyone doesn’t know, the question of whether Google Play services can be removed is also resolved through the accompanying software installed on the computer terminal to control the mobile gadget. For example, programs like My Phone Explorer or Mobogenie are quite popular, which are designed to work with smartphones or tablets, regardless of the model or manufacturer. Naturally, you can find specialized utilities for a specific brand. This is where Samsung is particularly different, creating mobile software for almost every new flagship model.
Google Chrome browser: problem with viruses
Let's consider another important issue. The solution to the problem of whether Google Play w3bsit3-dns.com services can be removed may also be related to the presence of the Google Chrome browser itself on a mobile device or computer.
As practice shows, cases have recently become more frequent when a distribution package downloaded even from the official website contains a threat. In addition, the browser itself is designed in such a way that it can block the removal of one or another component of any service.
Registration
As is already clear, registration is carried out by creating an account in the Gmail mail server. It was said above that you will still have to create a registration to access the same Play Market. However, sometimes you will need to respond to the first incoming message in the mail to confirm the process. On the other hand, that's where it all ends. So the service itself can be deleted without problems.
Loading system resources
Regarding system resources, it should be noted that almost all Google applications in one form or another affect the system, loading it in the background to the point of impossibility. It is recommended to use at least some primitive programs to stop background services, not to mention removing them from the mobile gadget.
Play Store: uninstallation
Is it possible to remove Google Play services on Android? Yes, you can. Here everything depends on the needs of the user himself. In principle, if someone does not need access to the storage of applications and games, deletion will not affect the system as a whole. Moreover, for many users, the headache associated with constant reminders that something new has been released will disappear (of course, if the notification functions have been enabled).
To uninstall, you can simply drag the program to the top of the screen (in the mode when displaying all programs is turned on), where the “Delete” icon should appear. A widget (shortcut) can be removed from the Desktop by dragging it down (to the Trash). Please note that in this case only the link to the program is deleted, and not the application itself.
Memory and CPU load
From all of the above, it is clear that Google services built into the standard set of Android OS load the system quite heavily. If anyone has used system utilities to clean up the same RAM, they have probably noticed that the system uses more than half of the available resources. Not to mention loaded programs, in this case Google services do not stop even during optimization. Everything is very simple. The device considers them system ones.
Removing residual components
If you have root rights or Super User mode, you can delete almost everything. True, you should not use the standard uninstaller built into the Android OS itself, or use uninstallation when accessing Google Play. Naturally, in this situation, only related services can be deleted, and even then not always.
It’s better to “destroy” Google Play itself using the same CCleaner application. By the way, unlike the popular Clean Master program, which everyone praises left and right, it removes absolutely everything that may be present in the system.
Don't believe me? Try installing these two programs and compare their performance. Only pseudo-deletion occurs (or termination of the process at a certain point). Then it needs to be turned on again and again. But CCleaner, even when deciding whether Google Play services can be removed, behaves somewhat differently, erasing even cache folders hidden from the user’s eyes and those remaining after running programs or visiting sites on the Internet.
If all else fails
What to advise if none of the above methods helped? Let's say right away that the question of whether it is possible to remove Google Play services on Android should be resolved with access to root rights. Of course, you shouldn’t overdo it, otherwise a user who doesn’t know what each specific service is responsible for can create a situation where the system stops functioning altogether.
In this case, we can advise you to update the system itself, the uninstaller program, or, ultimately, re-set access to root rights. Perhaps, in addition to them, in some cases the “Superuser” mode may be required.
Conclusion
It remains to add that there is nothing wrong with removing Google services built into the Android OS. This will only have a significant impact on the entire system, since RAM will not be used in such a loaded version. This will not affect the OS itself in any way. As a last resort, you can restore the system from a backup or download the Google Play application from an unofficial source, and then install it again.
