What Is "com.google.android.packageinstaller" and Is It Safe? - MUO - MakeUseOf

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There's a lot that goes behind the scenes to make a smart device like your phone or tablet work. A plethora of invisible built-in services run in the background consistently and seamlessly to make sure that your experience remains smooth.

One of such services that your Android device uses on a regular basis is com.google.android.packageinstaller. In this article, we'll explain what it is, what it does, why it's important, and if it's safe.

com.google.android.packageinstaller is the package name of a pre-installed system app on the Android OS called Package Installer. For reference, Google Chrome's package name is com.android.chrome.

Package Installer is the service that runs in the background when you install, update, or uninstall apps on your Android device. Put simply, it's an app that installs and uninstalls other apps.

Every time you install something on your Android device, including third-party apps like Spotify or Discord, APK files, or official software updates, it's Package Installer that makes it happen.

Just like all other system apps, you can't search for Package Installer in your app drawer as you do for your normal apps. And that's done for a good reason; letting users search and mess around with important system apps can, at the least, crash a few functionalities and at the worst, brick your whole phone.

Is Package Installer Safe?

Yes, Package Installer is completely safe. It's a Google-verified and Play-protected system app. Under no circumstances should you remove or tamper with this app. Also, avoid downloading any other app that installs APKs on your device as they can be unreliable and dangerous.

If you're curious, you can find Package Installer by going to the Apps menu of your device settings and enabling Show system apps. But do not force stop the app, deny it any of its existing permissions, or make any changes to it whatsoever. Unless you're an app developer (or a curious cat), you have no real business paying attention to these system apps.

Behind the Scenes of Android

Making a functioning smart device is not easy; there are tons of processes running at all times that contribute to your experience as a user. Diving too deep into your system settings can be risky, especially if you don't know what these system apps do.