One UI 9 will let Galaxy device users uninstall an app they previously were not allowed to
Many Samsung Galaxy users have always longed for the day when they could remove this app from their phone.
One UI 9 allows Galaxy owners to uninstall app | Image by Samsung
Microsoft purchased third-party iOS and Android QWERTY keyboard provider SwiftKey for $250 million in 2016. SwiftKey is highly regarded among mobile device users, especially for its autocorrect and predictive text features. To install the app on your phone, you will click the appropriate link depending on the platform your phone uses: (iOS, Android).
Samsung is now allowing Galaxy devices running One UI 9 to uninstall SwiftKey
If you install SwiftKey on your iOS or Android phone, you can easily uninstall if you do not like typing with the app's QWERTY keyboard. But Samsung Galaxy users don't have the same option. That's because the SwiftKey app is pre-installed by default on Samsung Galaxy One UI devices. This was due to a pre-installation agreement between Microsoft and Samsung.
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System-level apps like SwiftKey are loaded into the read-only system partition. As a result, they are permanently placed in system storage. Because of this, Galaxy device users can only disable these apps or remove previous updates rather than completely uninstall them.
Removing the SwiftKey app frees up 55MB of storage on a Galaxy S26 Ultra
For fed up Samsung Galaxy users, this is changing with One UI 9. According to SamMobile, they were able to remove the third-party keyboard app from a Galaxy S26 Ultra handset running the One UI 9 Beta 5 update. This opened up 55MB of storage on their phone. This is equivalent to opening up space for a few high-resolution pictures or one short video. In other words, unless you are extremely desperate for some free space, it really isn't worth it to get rid of the SwiftKey app on your Samsung Galaxy phone.
Samsung allows Galaxy devices running One UI 9 to uninstall the SwiftKey app|
The SwiftKey app is not pre-installed on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and the Flip 8
It was also discovered that the SwiftKey app is not pre-installed on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. SamMobile also figures that since the Galaxy Z Flip 8 will also be released with One UI 9.0, it also will probably not have Microsoft's third-party keyboard app pre-installed. The same has been true for some mid-range Galaxy A models like the Samsung Galaxy A57.
End of Microsoft partnership likely to have led to this change
So what has caused Samsung to allow phones running One UI 9 to completely uninstall the SwiftKey app? The agreement between Samsung and Microsoft originally called on the South Korean manufacturer to pre-install the following apps on Galaxy phones:
- Office
- OneDrive
- OneNote
- SwiftKey
In One UI's stock Gallery and My Files apps, OneDrive was integrated until recently, which could signal the end of the Samsung-Microsoft partnership. And that could also explain why Samsung is now allowing users to uninstall the SwiftKey app as long as the device they want to remove it from has One UI 9 installed.
Want more Samsung articles? Check these out:
- Samsung grows its US prepaid phone market share
- Galaxy S26 explodes while inside a pocket
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