What you need for BOOX ebook Debloating - Simple Steps & Better Alternatives

 


Product photo from BOOX


What you need for BOOX ebook Debloating — Simple Steps & Better Alternatives

Recently I bought the BOOX color-ink T10C, which has proven exceptional for daily reading and note-taking. The nice screen saved my vision while delivering a textbook-like experience. Being Android-based, it comes with a lot of Chinese vendor applications — many thoughtfully designed with excellent UX — but several remain superfluous to my needs, particularly those requiring internet connectivity. I’ve had to do something to prevent potential data leakage and unnecessary battery consumption.


Ready to transform your BOOX into a faster e-reader? Let’s strip away the unnecessary bloatware while keeping all the functionality you love. Here’s how to do it:

1. Enable USB Debugging

Getting started is simple! Head to the BOOX settings menu where you’ll find USB debugging enabled by default (thanks, developers!).

Already removed the BOOX launcher or using a different model? No problem! Navigate to Android settings → System → Developer options and toggle on USB debugging.

Or check this out for other android devices without developer mode enable: https://developer.android.com/studio/debug/dev-options

2. Install Alternatives First (Important!)

Pro tip: Always set up replacement apps *before* removing defaults — this prevents you from getting stranded without essential functions.

Grab these apks from GitHub or simply install F-Droid (the free marketplace for open-source Android apps) search these and download them:

- Fossify File Manager — Browse and open your e-books with ease
- Fossify Keyboard — A clean replacement for the Onyx keyboard
- Rootless Pixel Launcher — Ditch the bloated original launcher for a familiar, simple Android experience
- KDE Connect — Wirelessly transfer e-books from any device (PC, Mac, iPhone, Android)
- Obsidian— For those who love cross-platform note-taking on their e-reader
- Aurora Store— Access Google Play apps without Google Play (get Kindle, Firefox, even WhatsApp!)

3. Prepare Your Computer

Install Android drivers (Only for Windows) and platform tools from Google if you haven’t already. You can find them here: 
Drivers (Only for Windows):
https://developer.android.com/studio/run/win-usb
Platform Tools:
https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools#downloads.html

4. Connect Your Device

Connect your BOOX to your computer. On Windows, extract the platform tools and fire up a terminal. You can simply drag the adb.exe in to the terminal and run. You’ll be running commands like:

C:\Users\ABC\Documents\platform-tools\adb.exe shell

If you are on MacOS, I’d suggest using homebrew (https://github.com/Homebrew/brew/releases) to install platform tools. After install homebrew, simply run this in your terminal:

brew install android-platform-tools

If you connect your BOOX for the first time, don’t forget to click “ALLOW” on your device after running the above commands!

5. Start Debloating!

Once you’ve entered the ADB shell, you can begin removing unwanted apps with the command:

pm uninstall — user 0 <package name>

6. Apps I’ve Removed

org.chromium.chrome <- Try firefox perhaps? |
com.onyx.kime
com.onyx.mail
com.onyx.android.onyxotaservice
com.onyx.clock
com.onyx.igetshop
com.onyx.android.production.test
com.onyx.latinime <- Keyboard app, I use Fossify Keyboard
com.onyx.musicplayer
com.onyx.android.ksync
com.onyx <- I use Rootless Pixel Launcher to replace this
com.onyx.easytransfer <- I use KDE to replace this 
com.google.android.gms
com.google.android.gsf
com.onyx.gallery
com.onyx.floatingbutton <- I don’t like stuff floating around
com.android.smspush
com.onyx.aiassistant
com.qualcomm.qti.uim
com.google.android.gms.location.history
com.android.bluetoothmidiservice
com.onyx.voicerecorder
com.onyx.appmarket
com.onyx.calculator

I kept some of the onyx apps, because I find them suitable for my needs. If you have concerns about these you can remove them:
com.onyx.android.note
com.onyx.dict
com.onyx.kreader
com.onyx.tscalibration

7. Proceed with Caution

Feel free to remove more apps, especially those with “onyx” in their name. But tread carefully — BOOX devices come with different default apps (I got two BOOX ebooks with a lot of differences), so do your homework before removing unfamiliar packages.

Always find alternatives before uninstalling. Made a mistake? No worries! Restore any app with:

pm enable — user 0 <package name>

Personal Notes: I kept the default kreader because it works brilliantly, even without the BOOX launcher and other bloatware. If you prefer alternatives, make sure they’re optimized for e-ink screens. The Kindle app performs well, and I personally use Librera Reader (paid app) across all my devices — it’s a fantastic combination of file manager and all-in-one reader.

Happy debloating! 📚✨

Location: Canada

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