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[ANDROID] Has anyone gotten Shizuku + Blocker to actually do anything? (lemmy.ca)

submitted 1 month ago by Showroom7561@lemmy.ca to c/foss@beehaw.org

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I came across Shizuku as a root alternative, and while it's been great at freezing apps, I want to disable certain receivers, services, and SDKs from apps.

Blocker is supposed to do this, but even with Shizuku permission, it does nothing when I try to disable any app components.

Does this actually work, or is root required? If root is needed, are there any alternatives that work with Shizuku?

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[–] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

As I understand the readme, for blocking usual apps root privileges are required:

Please note: For normal applications, the Shell permission in Shizuku mode is not sufficient to change the switch status of components. In other words, unmodified APKs do not support non-root modification. If you want to use Shizuku to modify the component status of normal applications, please start Shizuku with Root privileges.

It should work without root privileges for apps in 'testing mode'. Yet, they only provide a guide to flag apps as 'testing' in Chinese language.

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago

Well, shit. It's strange how so many places recommend Blocker when using Shizuku, but it really needs Root to be useful.

[–] Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.org 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Canta + Shizuku can wipe any app you want from your phone.

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'm not looking to delete apps, just stop certain components within apps.

For example, my banking app uses the Google Ads, Google Firebase Analytics, and Adobe analytics, and I'd like to disable those from running without uninstalling the banking app.

Basically, it disables the bad parts of an app :)

I used to do this when I was into rooting and custom firmware, but I really don't want to go full root with my current phone.

[–] jinx@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

maybe you could use TrackerControl?

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

I actually really like TrackerControl, but use Adguard instead for the same purpose (can't use them at the same time, unfortunately, since they both work through a local VPN).

The difference, though, is that Blocker stops apps from even loading the component that would "call home", where TrackerControl and Adguard try to block those connections after they've been sent by the app.

Yes, you kind of accomplish the same thing, but I would love to be able to prevent apps from using these SDKs in the first place :)

[–] SteakSneak@retrolemmy.com 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You could try app ops instead I think this has a similar function? Canta for removing system apps

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's not permissions that I want to block/stop, but actual receivers, services, SDKs... components within apps. So, something like the analytics services can be disabled, rather than "blocked" like using an adblocker.

I used to do this when I was rooted years ago, and it was great!

[–] SteakSneak@retrolemmy.com 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Wow I didn't even know you could do that. I've never actually tried rooting, is it worth it?

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Well, none of the phone's I've owned in the last 5+ years have been very "root friendly", so I haven't rooted since then.

But it gives you a ton of (not risk-free) options to tweak your system. Shizuku is a cool alternative, but it is limited by comparison.

[–] SteakSneak@retrolemmy.com 1 points 1 month ago

Yeah I've always wanted to try but my phones haven't been very root friendly either. I think maybe next phone I will do research and give it a try. Not sure what I'd do it for other than more privacy though 😅