If you have an older Samsung phone, you might see a process called “Gear VR Service” running in the background.
This app is something that was designed for compatibility with the Samsung Gear VR Headset.
However, if you don’t have the headset, then the app is simply hogging up space and processor resources.
Quick Summary
In this post, we will discuss the following:
- How to disable Gear VR Service
- How to uninstall Gear VR Service
- Some frequently asked questions (FAQs)
So without further ado, let’s get into it.
How to Disable Gear VR Service? (Step-by-Step Guide)
If you have a Samsung phone that has the Gear VR Service app running on it and you don’t want it present, there are a few approaches you can take.
If you don’t have a Samsung Gear VR Headset, there’s really no point in having the app or letting it run in the background. All it will do is:
- Slow your phone down since it’s taking up resources from your processor
- Drain your battery faster since the process is continuously running in the background
- Take up space in your phone storage
Plus, it does all of this for absolutely no advantage to you since you don’t have a Samsung Gear VR Headset. It can’t even be utilized for the thing it was designed for.
The very first thing you should do is disable Gear VR Service.
There are a number of ways to do this, so if the simplest method does not work, you can try other methods until you find one that works for you.
Let’s get started:
Step 1: Go to Settings on your phone.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Apps.
Step 3: Look for “Gear VR” in the apps list and tap it once you find it.
Step 4: You’ll see a variety of options, including the Disable option at the bottom of the screen. Tap Disable to disable the Gear VR Service app.
Important note: In some cases, you may find that the option to disable Gear VR Service is grayed out. This means you can’t select it.
In this case, you can force-stop the Gear VR Service app. To force stop it, you can just tap the option that says Force stop. It’s right next to the Disable option.
To ensure that the Gear VR Service app is properly disabled, you can check background processes to see if it’s still present there or not.
Here’s what you can do to check and remove Gear VR Service if it’s still running in the background:
Step 1: Go to your phone’s Settings.
Step 2: Go to your Apps.
Step 3: Find Samsung Gear VR in the apps list and select it.
Step 4: Within the Usage section, tap on the option that says Battery.
Step 5: Find the option that says “Allow background activity” and turn it off.
Step 6: Go back to the main Settings.
Step 7: Go to the Connections page.
Step 8: Go to the Data Usage tab.
Step 9: Turn Data Saver on.
Step 10: Go to the Allowed to use data while Data saver is on page.
Step 11: You’ll see a list of apps that are allowed to utilize your mobile data while the data saver is on. Find the Gear VR Service app and turn it off.
Using a Third-Party Service Disabler App
If none of the above methods work for you and you still find Gear VR Service running in the background of your phone, you can try a third-party app.
Follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to the Play Store and search for “Service disabler”.
Step 2: Download and install the app.
Step 3: Launch the Service Disabler app. It will scan your phone and populate a list of all the services that are currently running in the background of your smartphone.
Step 4: Scroll through the list until you find the Samsung Gear VR Service process.
Step 5: Tap it and then, tap on the Trash icon to ensure that it stops working.
To check if this approach was successful in stopping the process, you can close the Service Disabler app completely and then, relaunch it.
Search the list of processes again and if you cannot find the Gear VR Service process, then that means you have successfully stopped it.
How to Uninstall Gear VR Service? (Full Instructions)
The thing with Gear VR Service is that it’s a system app that is shipped with the older Samsung phones.
This means that you can’t really uninstall it from your Samsung phone. The best you can do is disable it through the different methods that have been described above.
However, if your phone has the capability to get its Android version updated, you could update it to Android 12. The Android 12 version does not have Gear VR Service since it’s not supported by that version.
However, if you cannot upgrade to Android 12, then the best shot you have is to disable Gear VR Service through the different methods we have outlined above.
While you can’t uninstall Gear VR Service, you can uninstall the Oculus app.
The Oculus app might still be present inside your Samsung phone since it’s needed to properly run the Samsung Gear VR Headset. However, if you don’t have one, then there’s really no reason to have the Oculus app on your Samsung phone.
All it’s doing is hogging up space and resources.
The method to remove the Oculus app is about the same as just about any other app that you’d remove from your Android phone.
Follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Settings on your Samsung phone.
Step 2: Go to the Apps page.
Step 3: In the Apps list, look for the Oculus app. Select it once you see it.
Step 4: Choose the Uninstall option.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which Android Version Does Not Support Samsung Gear VR?
With Android 12, Samsung has phased out compatibility support for the Samsung Gear VR Headset.
This means that Android 12 as well as other versions that come after it will not be compatible with the Samsung Gear VR.
Can Samsung Gear VR Run on a PC?
While it’s not officially designed to run with a PC, you can definitely utilize some third-party software to get it to run with a PC.
In this case, the headset and your smartphone would just be the output devices whereas all the processing would be done by your PC.
Can Samsung Gear VR Run with All Android Phones?
No. Samsung Gear VR can only run with particular Samsung phones as well as some others that it’s compatible with.
Can Samsung Gear VR Run with All Smartphones?
No. Samsung Gear VR won’t run with all smartphones.
You can find a list of all the phones that the Samsung Gear VR is compatible with on their website.
Can Samsung Gear VR Run with iOS Devices?
No. Samsung Gear VR will not run on iOS devices.
Conclusion
So that’s how you disable Gear VR Service on Samsung phones.
If you have an older Samsung phone, be sure to check your background processes to see if it’s running.
It could be slowing down your phone and draining your battery without you even knowing.