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Recommended apps for rooted Android phones

I recently rooted and updated my Droid Razr M to Cyanogenmod 11 and I'm loving it!  Now that I have the Power of Grayskull, what can I do with it?


  1. Install Adblock Plus for Android (not even Google can stop me now!)
  2. Encrypt my text messages with WhisperPush
  3. Enable Privacy Guard by default for newly-installed apps and apply it to any desired existing apps
  4. Install System app remover pro, set Menu > Settings > Remove Ads, then uninstall all the Amazon/Facebook/NFL/etc. bloatware on my phone!  Also remove (or disable) Google+, Hangouts, Movie Studio, News and Weather, Play Books, Play Games, Play Movies & TV, Google Music, and Play Newsstand
  5. Use System app remover pro to uninstall the "Google Keyboard" system app -- NOT the "Android Keyboard (AOSP)" -- then install the Android L Keyboard.  After installing via Recovery, go into Settings > Language & input and make sure "Google Keyboard" is checked and set as Default and then click on the settings icon for "Google Keyboard" and then click on "Advanced settings" and then click on "Color scheme" to change it to "Material".
  6. Enable Advanced Reboot (additional options for Recovery and Bootloader when selecting phone reboot)
  7. In the Google Settings app, select the Ads option and check Opt out of interest-based ads, then touch the Reset advertising ID option
  8. In the Play Store app, press the three-bar icon in the top left and select Settings -- make sure apps auto-update over Wi-Fi only (or disable auto-update if you wish) and also uncheck Add icon to Home screen for new apps.  I also personally like to require a password for all purchases through Google Play.
  9. In Settings > Lock screen > Screen security > Screen lock select a secure method for securing your phone.  I also like the Quick unlock feature with a 5 second automatic lock (instead of instant power lock).
  10. Enable the DSP Equalizer for better sound playback
  11. If using Verizon, call your phone and leave a voicemail.  Then when you tap the notification to call your voicemail and are prompted for the number use *86
  12. Set up your wallpaper by long pressing the background
  13. Also, set up your widgets by long pressing the background:
    • cLock: show AM/PM indicator, use OpenWeatherMap (30 minute update interval with VClouds icon set), and uncheck calendar events; then press the checkmark in the upper right, press and hold the widget until "Remove" appears then let go and resize the widget to use the full upper half of the home screen.  Note: if you need to update these settings later, you need to go into Settings > Lock screen > Clock widget
    • Torch (useful flashlight widget)
    • remove the Google Play 4x2 widget on the second screen by pressing and holding it and then dragging it to "Remove"
  14. Install Deep Sleep Battery Saver
  15. Install Pandora by Holonation
  16. Install Grooveshark by Holonation
  17. Install YouTube
  18. Install Xposed Framework and then download and enable the following modules:
  19. Install App Ops shortcut (nice try, Google)
  20. Install Rooted AnyConnect VPN client by Cisco and then install Greenify to hibernate the app so it only runs when you need it (also enable the Greenify Xposed module that it comes packaged with)
  21. Install CCleaner (but deny access to call log, SMS messages, etc. when prompted by Privacy Guard)
  22. Install Nandroid Manager, Online Nandroid Backup, and unlock key and then set up your daily full device backup
  23. Install Startup Manager (uncheck Show System Boot Time in settings) and disable any app that doesn't need to start up automatically
  24. Install SELinux Mode Changer and change the mode to "Enforcing"
  25. Install Secure Update Scanner
  26. Install SecDroid and then run it and press the "Secure Phone" button to enable it.  Then add it to Startup Manager (Customize tab) to remind you to enable it after every boot.  Note: you can verify it's working by re-running the Secure Update Scanner tool from the previous step and it won't be able to complete a scan.
  27. Install DroidWall then use 3-dot menu in bottom-right corner to enable firewall and also apply changes (p.s. allow "Downloads, Media Storage, Download Manager" to enable Play Store installs. p.p.s. make sure to disable firewall before uninstalling if you ever need to remove it entirely)

Other Recommended Apps:

...And for the truly paranoid: https://blog.torproject.org/blog/mission-impossible-hardening-android-security-and-privacy
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