Most Android users know Shizuku as a way to give compatible apps elevated access without rooting. But it can do much more than that. Shizuku acts as a bridge between Android’s system APIs and apps that need additional privileges, using ADB or root to enable features normally unavailable to regular apps.
From debloating and app management to advanced customization and automation, Shizuku can unlock a surprising number of possibilities. To use these features, you’ll first need to set up Shizuku on your phone.
However, Shizuku isn’t simply a “root alternative.” Its ADB mode has limitations, and the capabilities available to apps depend on your Android version, device, and system permissions. The project itself describes Shizuku as a way for normal apps to use system APIs directly with ADB or root privileges.
Here are 15 Shizuku tricks and apps that many Android users don’t know about.
1. Remove Preinstalled Bloatware Without Root
This is one of the most useful Shizuku tricks.
Apps such as Canta can use Shizuku to uninstall preinstalled and user apps without requiring root access. Canta integrates the Universal Debloat List to help identify packages that may be safe to remove. That makes it possible to clean up a Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo, Realme, or other Android phone directly from the device.
There is an important catch: don’t randomly uninstall system packages. Removing an essential Android or manufacturer component can break features or, in extreme cases, leave the phone unable to boot normally. If you’re unsure about a package, leave it alone.
2. Freeze Apps Instead of Uninstalling Them
Sometimes you don’t want to delete an app. You simply don’t want it running. That’s where app freezing becomes useful.
Hail is an open-source app freezer that can work with Shizuku. It can disable or suspend apps, allowing you to temporarily make unwanted apps unavailable without permanently removing them.
For example, you could freeze an app you use only once a month and unfreeze it when needed. This is often safer than uninstalling an unknown system component because the application package and data can remain on the device.
3. Control Hidden App Operations
Android permissions aren’t limited to the obvious switches you see in Settings.
Android also has an internal system called App Ops, which controls various application operations.
The App Ops app from Rikka can use Shizuku to provide a graphical interface for controlling supported app operations. Its documentation notes that App Ops modifies application operations rather than Android permissions directly, and the operations available depend on the Android version and device.
This gives power users much finer control than the standard Android permission screen.
4. Install Split APKs More Easily
Modern Android apps aren’t always distributed as a single APK. Many applications use split APKs, which can include separate packages for the device architecture, language, screen density, or other resources.
Tools such as Split APKs Installer (SAI) can work with Shizuku to handle installation of split packages. SAI’s Android manifest explicitly includes Shizuku integration. This can be particularly useful when experimenting with APKs downloaded from reputable sources outside Google Play.
5. Turn Shizuku Into an Android Shell
Here’s where things get much more interesting. Shizuku includes support for Rish, an Android executable that provides a shell connected to a high-privilege Shizuku daemon.
After setting up Rish, you can run commands in a terminal without connecting your phone to a computer every time.
rish -c 'command'For example, Rish can be used from terminal environments such as Termux. The official Rish documentation explains that it essentially replaces sh with a remote shell backed by Shizuku or Sui.
This is an advanced feature that turns Shizuku into much more than a graphical permission bridge. If you find Rish a bit complicated, you should try aShell instead.
6. Inspect Apps Like a Package Manager
Shizuku-powered tools can expose information that Android’s normal Settings interface hides.
For example, advanced package-management tools can show an app’s:
- Package name
- Activities
- Services
- Broadcast receivers
- Providers
- Permissions
- App Ops
- Shared libraries
- Manifest information
One example is App Manager, a powerful Android package-management utility with features for inspecting application components, permissions, App Ops, trackers, manifests, APKs, and more.
If you’ve ever wondered what a mysterious system package actually does, this kind of information can be invaluable.
7. Disable Apps Without Actually Deleting Them
There’s a useful middle ground between keeping an app fully active and uninstalling it. With Shizuku-powered tools such as Hail, you can disable selected applications. Disabled apps disappear from normal use and can later be enabled again.
Hail’s documentation distinguishes between disabling, hiding, and suspending applications, with each method behaving differently. This is particularly useful when testing whether a particular system or manufacturer app is responsible for a problem.
8. Make Shizuku Start More Conveniently After Reboots
There is one Shizuku limitation that catches almost every new user: ADB-based Shizuku doesn’t behave exactly like root across reboots. Depending on your Android version and device, the ADB service may need to be started again after a reboot.
Shizuku’s own documentation explains that ADB privileges are limited, while recent Shizuku releases have added improvements around automatic starting on Android 13 and newer when connected to a trusted WLAN.
For advanced users, tools such as Shizuku Keeper or trusted-WLAN auto-start can make the experience considerably less frustrating, depending on the device and Android build.
9. Lock Any App Without Relying on Accessibility Services
Most Android app lockers depend heavily on Accessibility Services, which can be less reliable on some devices and are easier to bypass in certain situations. AppLock takes a different approach. It protects apps using system-level APIs instead of relying solely on accessibility permissions.
The result is a cleaner and more reliable app-locking experience. You can protect banking apps, messaging apps, galleries, password managers, and other sensitive apps with biometric authentication, PIN, or pattern lock while keeping everything stored locally on your device.
Another standout feature is Anti-Uninstall protection. AppLock can make it significantly harder for someone to remove protected apps without authentication. Recent updates have also improved split-screen detection, fixed several lock-screen bypasses, and refined Shizuku integration for better stability.
10. Enjoy a Desktop-Style Multitasking Machine
Android has supported split-screen multitasking for years, but Extendroid takes the idea much further. It is a Shizuku-powered multitasking manager that lets you run apps inside movable, resizable popup windows, giving your phone something closer to a desktop operating system. Extendroid requires Android 10 or newer and Shizuku access.
Once set up, you can launch and control apps in floating windows, move them around the screen, resize them to virtually any size or aspect ratio, and switch between multiple running apps. You can also minimize an app while keeping it running and access its live preview from Extendroid’s interface.
Extendroid also has remote-access support through Extendroid Echo, currently offered as a beta feature. This can allow you to access Android apps remotely through a browser and even use an Android device as an external display.
11. Freeze Apps and Stop Them From Running in the Background
Some Android apps are difficult to get rid of but don’t need to run all the time. Apps like FreezeYou and Ice Box give you a simple way to put such apps on ice.
Instead of uninstalling an app or constantly force-stopping it, you can freeze it when you don’t need it. A frozen application cannot normally be launched or perform its usual background activities until it is thawed again. This can be useful for rarely used apps, manufacturer bloatware, or applications that you suspect are consuming unnecessary resources.
FreezeYou also supports batch freezing, making it possible to select multiple apps and freeze them together rather than dealing with each package individually. You can then quickly restore them whenever you need them.
12. Remap Buttons and Create Floating Shortcuts
Key Mapper lets you turn your phone’s physical buttons, gestures, and other input events into custom shortcuts. With Shizuku enabled, it turns into a powerful button-remapping app.
You can create custom key combinations and map them to actions such as launching an app, controlling media, toggling system features, navigating Android, or triggering other shortcuts. This is particularly useful if your phone has extra hardware buttons, a stylus button, or a Bluetooth keyboard that you want to put to better use.
But the more interesting feature is Floating Buttons. Key Mapper can place customizable buttons on top of other apps, effectively creating your own floating shortcut panel. You can position these buttons wherever you want and assign different actions to them, giving you quick access to frequently used functions without opening the notification shade or Settings.
13. Get System-Wide Audio Processing Without Root
Want to dramatically improve the sound from your Android phone without rooting it? RootlessJamesDSP brings the powerful JamesDSP audio processing engine to non-rooted devices, using Shizuku to obtain the system access it needs.
The app gives you extensive control over how your music and other audio sounds. Depending on the device and audio path, you can use features such as parametric and graphic equalizers, bass enhancement, virtualizer effects, convolution, and dynamic-range processing to fine-tune the listening experience.
If you’re an Android audiophile who doesn’t want to root, RootlessJamesDSP is one of the more impressive examples of what Shizuku can make possible.
14. Record Phone Calls Without Root
ShizuCallRecorder is designed for Android users who want call recording without rooting their phones. As its name suggests, it uses Shizuku to obtain the additional access needed to interact with Android’s calling and audio systems. This makes it an interesting option on devices where the built-in call recorder is unavailable or restricted.
The app can automatically record phone calls and save the recordings locally, giving you a convenient way to keep important conversations for later reference. Depending on the device and Android version, it may also provide options for controlling when calls are recorded and how recordings are handled.
15. Back Up Apps and Their Data Without Root
Swift Backup is one of the most capable Android backup tools, and Shizuku makes it considerably more useful on a non-rooted phone. Instead of requiring root for many of its advanced operations, Swift Backup can use Shizuku to obtain the elevated access needed to back up and restore applications and, where Android permits it, their associated data.
With Swift Backup, you can back up installed apps, APKs, and supported application data, then restore them later. The app also supports batch operations. You can select multiple apps and create backups in a single operation, making routine backups much less tedious.
That’s all for now!
To unlock the full potential of Shizuku, check out our best Shizuku apps and mods for Android. It features a curated selection of Shizuku-compatible tools that can take your Android customization to the next level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shizuku used for?
Shizuku allows compatible Android apps to access certain system APIs using ADB or root privileges. This enables advanced operations that ordinary apps normally cannot perform.
Does Shizuku require root?
No. Shizuku can operate through ADB, including Wireless Debugging on supported Android versions. Root is an alternative way to run the Shizuku service.
Can Shizuku remove bloatware?
Yes. Shizuku-compatible apps such as Canta can uninstall many preinstalled apps without root. However, removing critical system packages can cause serious problems.
Is Shizuku safe?
Shizuku itself is an open-source project, but apps authorized to use Shizuku can perform operations with elevated privileges. Only grant Shizuku access to applications you trust.
Does Shizuku survive a reboot?
When Shizuku is running through ADB, the service may need to be started again after a reboot. However, newer Shizuku releases include additional auto-start capabilities under certain conditions.
Can I use Shizuku with Termux?
Yes. Shizuku’s Rish component can provide a shell interface that can be used with Android terminal applications such as Termux, allowing supported commands to run through the Shizuku-backed shell.
Is Shizuku the same as root?
No. Shizuku provides applications with access to system APIs through an ADB- or root-backed service. ADB mode is still subject to Android’s permission and security restrictions, so it does not provide unrestricted root access.
