What changes after an Android update, and how to re-check your apps

An Android phone changes more often than most people notice. Apps update weekly, parts of Android update monthly through Google Play, the phone maker ships security patches, and once or twice in a phone's life a new Android version arrives. Each kind of update touches different things, and only some of them undo the apps you disabled or removed.

What kinds of updates does an Android phone get?

There are five, from most to least frequent:

• App updates. The Play Store, and stores such as Galaxy Store or GetApps, update apps, including preinstalled ones like Chrome, WebView and the Google app. These never re-enable a disabled app, because disabled apps do not update.
• Google Play system updates. Google updates core Android modules, such as the permission controller and media components, directly through the Play Store. Android's own documentation calls this system Mainline.
• Security updates. Usually monthly or quarterly, from your phone maker. Each one brings the security patch level shown in Settings > About phone up to date with Google's Android Security Bulletin.
• Skin updates. One UI, HyperOS, OxygenOS and others release feature updates between Android versions.
• Major Android versions. The full upgrade to a new version, such as Android 15 to 16.

Carriers can also push configuration updates for calling and data that arrive with system updates or on their own.

What is a Google Play system update?

It is Google's way of updating parts of Android without waiting for your phone maker. Mainline modules are packaged so they can be replaced as a unit. You can see the date of the last one in Settings: on a Pixel, Settings > Security & privacy > System & updates > Google Play system update; on other phones, search Settings for "Google Play system update". It may ask you to restart.

These modules show up in your system app list with technical names, often ending in module. Their verdict is Keep. Do not disable them.

Do disabled apps come back after an update?

It depends on the update:

• Monthly security updates: disabled apps nearly always stay disabled.
• Skin and major Android updates: some disabled apps are switched back on, and some apps you removed with ADB are reinstalled. This is most common on Samsung, Xiaomi and carrier phones, where the update may ship a new version of the app or a setup step runs again.
• New apps: a major update can add apps the phone did not have before, or rename existing ones.
• A factory reset brings everything back, always.

Removing an app for your user with ADB does not guarantee it stays gone. If an update ships a newer version of that package, the phone may install it again.

What else changes after a major update?

Besides apps returning, expect a few of these:

• Default apps can change, for example a new assistant replacing the old one.
• New permission controls and new settings menus may move options you know.
• Battery and storage settings may reset, and the phone re-optimizes apps for a few days, which costs some battery.
• Older apps may stop working until their developers update them.

How do I re-run the audit after an update?

Save your package list before the update, then compare after. With ADB (see how to set up ADB):

adb shell pm list packages > before.txt
adb shell pm list packages -d > disabled-before.txt

After the update:

adb shell pm list packages > after.txt
adb shell pm list packages -d > disabled-after.txt

Compare the files. On Mac and Linux:

diff before.txt after.txt
diff disabled-before.txt disabled-after.txt

On Windows, fc before.txt after.txt does the same job. New lines in after.txt are packages that arrived with the update; lines missing from disabled-after.txt are apps that were switched back on. Paste the new list into the package-list audit to see verdicts for anything new.

Without a computer, open Settings > Apps, show system apps, and filter or scroll for apps you remember disabling.

Should I re-enable apps before a major update?

You do not need to re-enable feeds, games hubs or partner apps. Do make sure the update client itself is enabled, along with anything marked Advanced with an update caveat on its package page. The update clients are com.wssyncmldm on Samsung, com.android.updater on Xiaomi, com.motorola.ccc.ota on Motorola and com.oplus.ota on OnePlus and OPPO.

If an update fails to install, re-enable the packages you changed, restart, and try again. The restore guide has the commands.

What should I check in the first few days?

After a major update, make a call, send a text and an RCS message, test Wi-Fi calling if you use it, take a photo, and check that notifications arrive. Look at Settings > Battery after two or three days rather than on the first day. If battery use stays high, see which system apps drain battery.