Samsung devices have a built-in application named CIDManager that’s causing a ton of issues. A lot of users have complained that this app sends a network service provider notification that cannot be removed.
We’ve found some Android forums claiming that the CID Manager app is used to manage the Carrier number of your Samsung Android device but this information isn’t entirely accurate.
In this article, I’ll explain more about the CIDManager app, what is it used for, why does it send notifications, and how to remove this notification.
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What is CIDManager on Samsung Android Phones and What is it Used For?
CIDManager or Carrier Identification Manager is a preinstalled app on Samsung devices that checks if a device has access to country specific Firmware updates by identifying the carrier network(service provider) as well as the device’s Original Design Manufacturing(ODM) country and matching it with the Country Specific Code(CSC) of the device’s Firmware.
For example, If you purchase a Samsung device from the United States and you use a SIM card from a network provider operating in the United States like T-Mobile or AT&T, then the CIDManager will match your device’s country of manufacture with the country of the carrier network.
Since both countries match the app will allow you to download Samsung Firmware updates intended for users in the United States.
Now, if the country of device manufacturer and carrier network doesn’t match then CIDManager will detect this and then provide a new configuration to tether the Original Design Manufacturing(ODM) country with the Radio Interface Layer(RIL) of the device with the help of the RilNotifier app.
This will allow the device to download global Firmware updates if your device supports Open Market Customization(OMC). Devices with OMC enabled can get OTA Firmware updates without depending on a particular Country Specific Code(CSC).
Every Android app has a unique package name that is used to identify the app. The package name of the CIDManager app is com.samsung.android.cidmanager.
CIDManager New Service Provider Notification Issue
The biggest problem with the CID Manager app is that it suddenly sends a “New Service Provider” notification on Samsung devices. This notification is mostly seen in Samsung Galaxy S8, S9, and Galaxy A6 but some other devices have also reported this issue.
This New Service Provider notification reads “Tap here to use your new service provider’s app and settings.” When this notification is clicked, another popup appears that reads “To use your new service provider’s apps and settings, you need to factory reset your phone. All of your user data will be deleted, and some services may no longer be available.”
The exact reason for this issue is not known but one possible reason could be that your Samsung device doesn’t support Open Market Customization(OMC), so when the CIDManager app tries matching the device’s ODM with the CSC, it gets stuck in a Loop and once the match fails it shows this notification.
To solve the CIDManager New Service Provider Notification issue, follow the solutions mentioned below:
(1) Clear CIDManager App Cache and Force Stop App
Clearing the app cache and force stopping the app can fix issues related to malfunctioning apps. Here are the steps for this:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Tap Ellipsis icon(three vertical dots) in the upper right corner.
- Tap Show System Apps.
- Find the CIDManager app and tap on it.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear Cache.
- Tap the back button and then tap Force Stop.
(2) Flash Stock ROM(Firmware)
Flashing the Stock ROM(Firmware) can prevent the app from stopping and get rid of such notification issues. This will re-install the software on your device so make sure to backup anything important.
There are two steps involved in this process:
- Download the Stock Firmware files for your Android device from a Firmware file downloading website.
- Flash the downloaded Firmware files using a Firmware Flashing tool.
Samsung users can flash Stock ROM using the Samsung Odin flashing tool. Here is a video that shows how to flash Samsung Stock Firmware.
(3) Disable CIDManager App Using Package Disabler Pro
Package Disabler Pro is a package disabler app that can disable built-in system apps which cannot be disabled normally. Here are the steps to disable this app.
- Download and Install the Package Disabler Pro app on your Android device.
- Search for “CIDManager” using the Search button in the top bar.
- Select the CIDManager app and tap Disable.
- Confirm your decision by selecting “Yes.”
(4) Uninstall CIDManager using ADB
ADB allows you to bring up a Unix shell so you can issue commands directly on the Android device. You’ll need a Windows PC to use ADB.
Step 1 – Go to Settings > System > About phone.
Step 2 – Tap on the Build number 7 times to activate Developer Options.
Step 3 – Go back to the main Settings menu and tap on Developer Options to open it.
Step 4 – Enable USB debugging by tapping on it.
Step 5 – Download ADB on your PC.
Step 6 – Extract the ZIP file into a folder.
Step 7 – After extracting the ZIP file, open that folder.
Step 8 – Press and hold the shift button and right-click in a blank area.
Step 9 – Click on “Open Powershell window here.”
Step 10 – Enter the command adb devices.
Step 11 – Connect your Android device to the PC using a USB data cable and set the USB mode as File Transfer.
Step 12 – You will receive a USB debugging notification on your phone, tap on OK to allow debugging access.
Step 13 – Re-enter the command adb devices.
Step 14 – You should now see the Serial number of your device on the Powershell window.
Step 15 – Run the command adb shell pm uninstall –user 0 com.samsung.android.cidmanager and wait for a few seconds. You’ll notice the app has been uninstalled from your device.
(5) Uninstall CIDManager Using Titanium Backup
This method requires you to gain root access to your device. If you don’t know how to root your Android device then check our Android Rooting guide. After gaining root access follow the steps below to uninstall this system app.
Step 1 – Download and install the Titanium Backup application.
Step 2 – Launch the Titanium Backup application, search for CIDManager and select this app by tapping on it.
Step 3 – Tap “Un-install” to completely remove the app and delete its data from your device.
(6) Delete CIDManager App Using Root Explorer
To remove the CIDManager notification, follow these steps:
- Root your Android smartphone.
- Download and Install the Root Explorer Android application.
- Open the app and browse to /system/priv-app/CIDManager.
- Delete the CIDManager APK file and folder.
- Reboot your device.
Is CIDManager Safe Or Is It a Virus?
CIDManager is a totally safe application and not a virus, malware, or spyware.
People think that it is some sort of malware because of the “New Service Provider” notifications but we are positive that this app doesn’t harm your device in any way and doesn’t have any suspicious behavior.
This app is not absolutely necessary for your device to function properly so you can consider this app as Bloatware.
Can You Uninstall CIDManager?
Yes, you can uninstall the CIDManager app using the Android Debug Bridge(ADB) software or the Titanium Backup application. Uninstalling the app will get rid of the annoying notification messages.
Uninstalling the app doesn’t affect the performance of the device and we haven’t detected any issues while downloading Firmware updates. We also receive regular OTA Firmware updates from Samsung without any problems.
Device manufacturers recommend that you shouldn’t uninstall system applications because it could cause issues but in this case, I’ll suggest you remove this app only if you keep getting those notification messages else you can keep it running.
What Permissions Does CIDManager Require?
The CIDManager app only requires Phone permission that allows the app to modify phone state, read phone status and identity.
You can check all the permissions of this app by going to Settings > Apps > Show System Apps > CIDManager > Permissions.