Can I disable music app for Android?

Why You Might Want to Disable the Music App

One of the most common reasons to disable the default music app on your Android device is to save battery life. Music streaming and playback can drain your battery, especially if you listen to music for extended periods throughout the day. According to users on Reddit and Apple Support forums, music playback can use over 30 minutes of battery life per 1% on a 3000 mAh battery [1]. With Android’s default music app running in the background, your battery can drain faster than expected.

How to Disable the Default Music App

The easiest way to disable the default music app on your Android device is to open the Settings app and navigate to Apps. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your device.

2. Scroll down and tap on Apps.

3. Tap on the Menu icon in the top right corner (three vertical dots) and select “Default apps.”

4. Find “Music player” in the list and tap on it.

5. Tap on the current default music app, likely called “Music,” and then tap “Clear defaults.”

This will reset the default so that no music app opens automatically. You can then choose a different app as your default if you want, or leave it with no default selected.

Another option is to select the current default music app, tap “Set as default” and then choose “Don’t open by default” to disable auto-launching without clearing the default setting entirely.

This menu can vary slightly by Android device brand and version, but the general steps to find the default apps section and change or disable the music app default will be the same.

Use a Different Music App

There are a large variety of alternative music apps available on Android that have robust music features. Rather than disabling the default Music app, you may want to simply use a different music player app as your default. Some of the most popular and highest rated alternative music apps on Android include:

– Spotify – Streaming service with over 70 million songs, custom playlists, radio stations, and more.

– Pulsar Music Player – Highly customizable player with tag editor, equalizer, smart playlists, and more.

– Neutron Music Player – Advanced music player with high-resolution audio support and customization options.

– YouTube Music – Streaming service from YouTube with both video and audio tracks.

– Amazon Music – Amazon’s music streaming service with access to over 75 million songs.

– Apple Music – iOS music service also available on Android with over 90 million songs.

Disable Music App Notifications

You can stop notifications from the default music app on your Android device by going to the Settings app and finding the notifications settings for that app. Here are the steps:

Open the Settings app on your Android device.
Scroll down and tap “Apps & notifications.”
Tap “Notifications.”

Find the music app in the list (it may be called “Music” or something like “Google Play Music”) and tap it.
Turn off “Allow notifications” and any other notification options for that app.

Now the music app should no longer be able to send you notifications. You can always go back and re-enable notifications if you want them again later.

Source: Control notifications on Android

Clear Music App Data

One way to effectively disable the default music app on your Android device is to clear the app’s cache and data. Clearing the cache removes temporary files stored by the app, while clearing data erases all app settings and associated files. This essentially resets the music app to its original installed state.

To clear the music app’s cache and data, go to Settings > Apps on your Android device. Locate the music app in the list (it may be called “Music” or “Play Music” depending on your device). Tap the music app and select Storage. Then tap “Clear Cache” to delete the app cache. Tap “Clear Data” to erase all app data. This will reset the music app and disable its functionality until you open it again [1].

Clearing app data is an easy way to disable the default music player, as it removes all your music, playlists, preferences and stops the app from working. However, the music app will return to functioning if opened again. For a more permanent disable, you may want to uninstall app updates or the app entirely.

Disable Audio Focus for Music App

One way to disable the default music app is to prevent it from taking over audio focus when it tries to play music. On Android, the concept of audio focus allows apps to request control of audio playback. By default, music apps will take audio focus when they begin playing audio, which pauses any other app that is currently playing sound.

To disable this for the default music app, you can use the AudioManager class in your own app to request permanent audio focus. This will prevent the music app from taking over focus. You can also handle the OnAudioFocusChangeListener to monitor any focus requests from the music app and deny them. This essentially blocks the music app from controlling audio playback.

Some manufacturers like Samsung have additional apps to control audio, like Sound Assistant. This can also be used to disable focus for specific apps. Overall this approach stops the default music app from taking over your device’s audio output.

Block Internet Access for Music App

One way to effectively disable the default music app is to block its access to the internet. This prevents the app from being able to stream music from online sources. Here’s how to block internet access:

Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App info. Tap on the music app and select Mobile data & Wi-Fi. Uncheck both boxes next to “Allow background data usage” and “Allow app while Data saver on.” This will disable all internet access for the music app so streaming won’t work.

You can also use a third party app like NetGuard or AdGuard to block internet access for specific apps. With NetGuard, add the music app to the “Blocked apps” list. AdGuard allows creating custom filters to block connections from the music app. This gives you more granular control over which connections are blocked.

Blocking internet access is an effective way to disable streaming capabilities for the default Android music app. Just be aware it may still be able to play locally stored music files.

Disable Automatic Launch on Headphones

One way to disable the music app is to stop it from automatically launching when headphones are connected. Many Android devices are configured to automatically open the music app when headphones are plugged in. This can be inconvenient if you prefer using a different music app or don’t want any music to start playing right away.

To disable this auto-launch behavior, go to your phone’s Settings app and select Apps. Find the Music app in the list and tap on it. In the app info screen, look for an option like “Launch by default” or “Open supported links.” Disable any settings that automatically launch the app when headphones are connected. This will stop the music player from automatically starting up whenever you plug in headphones.[1]

With this setting disabled, you can plug in headphones without having music blast in your ears. You’ll have to manually launch your preferred music app when you want to listen to tunes. This gives you more control over when and how the music app runs.

Uninstall Updates for Music App

One way to effectively disable the default music app is to uninstall any updates and revert it back to the original factory version. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Settings app and go to Apps & Notifications (or Apps).

2. Tap on the music app and select Uninstall updates.

3. Confirm that you want to uninstall all updates. This will revert the app to the original version that came pre-installed on your device.

By uninstalling updates, you remove any new features or changes that may have been added over time. The original factory version likely has less functionality which reduces the utility of the app. However, uninstalling updates can be useful if you want to effectively disable the music app without fully removing it from your device.

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Uninstall-App-Updates-on-Android

Fully Uninstall the Music App

The most thorough way to disable the default music app is to completely uninstall it from your Android device. This will remove the app entirely so it is no longer taking up space on your phone.

To fully uninstall the default music app without root access, you can use a tool like the ADB App Control. This allows you to connect your Android device to your computer and use ADB commands to uninstall system apps. Here are the steps:

Enable USB debugging in your Android device’s developer options.
Download the ADB App Control tool on your computer.

Connect your device to your computer via USB.
Open the ADB App Control tool and select your device.
Find and select the music app you want to uninstall.

Click “Uninstall” and confirm to completely remove the app.

After uninstalling with ADB, the music player will be fully removed from your device rather than just disabled. This frees up storage space taken up by the app. Just be careful not to uninstall any critical system apps.