How To Install User Apps as System Apps On Your Android!

 

There are basically two types of apps in Android devices

1. Pre-Installed apps or systems apps.

2. User apps (apps installed by you).

Generally when you install apps from Play Store, the apps will be installed in a different partition from the system apps.  System apps are in the system partition of your device, while user apps are in data partition of your device. There are several different ways of changing user apps to system apps and vice versa.

This guide shows you how to manually do it without using any apps.

 

Disclaimer:

– We shall not be held responsible for anything that might go wrong with your device during this process, so do it on your own risk!  This is a tutorial for advanced users who are already super high on Android!

 

Requirements:

1. Your device must be rooted.

2. Backup your apps, contacts, SMS, pictures, videos using the following guides:

How To Backup and Restore Contacts on Android!
[Guide] How To Backup and Restore SMS on Android [No Root Required]
[Guide] How to Backup & Restore Android Apps (No Root Required)
[GUIDE] How to Backup & Restore Android Apps + Data (Root Required)

 

STEPS:

1. Download ES File Explorer File Manager app (Link).

2. This is the main screen of the app:

Install user apps as system apps on Android

3. Tap on the top left button and enable “Root Explorer” option.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 2

4. Go back to the app’s main screen and tap on “/” to go to “Device”.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 3

5. Navigate to data\app  where the user apps are located.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 4

6. As you can see this is where the user apps are located.  Each app is inside a folder along with essential lib files. (You can change the View of folder to better see the folder names as I did in the screenshots below.)

Install user apps as system apps on Android 5

7. Now as you can see in the below screenshot, I have the option of uninstalling the app, which means it’s a user app.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 6

8. Select the folder of the app that you want to make as system app and then “cut”.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 7

9. Navigate back to “Device” and then choose “system” then “app” (device\system\app) and paste the app there.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 8

10. Once you tap on “Paste” button, the app will ask for root permissions.  Grant it, then the app will be “moved” successfully.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 9

11. Now comes the final touches, you need to change the permissions for both the folder and the APK file.

A. Highlight the folder then tap on “More” then choose Properties > Permissions > Change.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 10

Change the permissions as shown below and then press “OK”.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 11

B. Tap on the app folder and this time highlight the APK file (Properties > Permissions > Change) and change its permissions.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 12

C. repeat the above steps for any other user apps you want to change to system apps.

12. Reboot your Android device.   Once your device boots, you should see a message similar to this one here:

“Optimizing app 1 of 1, Android is upgrading.”

13. Now if you press and hold the app icon and want to uninstall it, you’ll notice the “Uninstall” option is not available for the app, meaning that you have successfully converted the user app to system app.

Install user apps as system apps on Android 13

Converting System apps to user apps:

The process is the opposite of the above steps except for changing the permissions, you want to make sure to change the permission here as well exactly as explained in STEP 11.

Why would I ever need this?

There are times when user apps may need to be converted to system apps to have administrator access.

Have a question?

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Rawand Haidar

Rawand is Petroleum Engineer.He is Super high on Android. Rawand has been blogging since 2011, written more than 150 articles including tutorials, news, reviews about Android. He is interested in all things Android. Follow Me on Twitter