If you own an Android smartphone or tablet, you might have seen the HwModuleTest system application. You aren’t sure what is this app and what is it for?
HwModuleTest is a preinstalled system application on Android devices that conducts diagnostic tests on your device’s hardware components to check if that hardware component is functioning properly.
This system app is present on all Android devices including Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, OnePlus, Oppo and others. It is not limited to Samsung Galaxy devices only.
The package name of the hwmoduletest.apk file on Samsung devices is com.sec.android.app.hwmoduletest. The package names for this app for other Android device manufacturers will be different.
In this article, I’ll explain more about the HwModuleTest app, what is it used for, why does it keep stopping and can you uninstall it.
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What is HwModuleTest Used For?
The HwModuleTest system application conducts hardware diagnostic tests to check if the specific hardware unit is functioning properly by entering a special code on your dialer and selecting the hardware you want to test or using the diagnosis option in the Samsung Members app.
With HwModuleTest you can diagnose Screen colors, Receiver, Vibration, Camera, Sensors, Touch screen, Speaker, Sub Key, Gripsensor, LED, Battery, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Hardkeys, Microphone, SIM Card, Fingerprints, Charger/USB, Headphone jack, Barcode Emulator, Sensorhub, Hall IC, MST, and MLC.
You can use the HwModuleTest to check your hardware on Samsung devices using two ways:
1. Using Special Code
To conduct hardware tests on Samsung devices using Special code follow the steps below.
- Open your phone’s dialer and enter the special code *#0*#
- This will open the list of hardwares you can diagnose.
- Tap on any hardware you want to check whether it’s working properly or not.
2. Using Samsung Members App
To conduct hardware tests on Samsung devices using the Samsung Members app follow the steps below.
- Open the Samsung Members app. If you don’t have it just install it from Google PlayStore.
- Tap on the “Get help” section in the bottom.
- Tap the “Go to Phone care” button.
- Tap the “Interactive checks” button.
- Select any hardware that you want to check.
HwModuleTest Has Stopped
When you select a hardware component on your device to check using HwModuleTest sometimes it stops working and you get error messages like “Unfortunately, HwModuleTest has stopped.”
This error occurs when the cache files of the HwModuleTest app become corrupted or overloaded. If you don’t clear the app cache for a long period of time the number of cache files starts increasing and the free space in the cache file storage folder starts reducing.
When the cache file storage folder doesn’t have enough space left, the new cache files of the app aren’t stored and these cache files become corrupted and overloaded. This is when the app starts malfunctioning and crashes resulting in such error messages.
To fix the “HwModuleTest Has Stopped” error message follow the solutions mentioned below.
(1) Clear HwModuleTest App Cache
Follow the steps below to clear the app cache of this system app.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Tap the Ellipsis icon (3 vertical dots) in the upper right corner.
- Tap Show System Apps.
- Find the HwModuleTest app and tap on it.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap the Clear Cache button.
(2) Force Stop the HwModuleTest App
Force Stopping an app does fix malfunction and error messages in apps. Here are the steps to Force Stop this app.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Tap the Ellipsis icon (3 vertical dots) in the upper right corner.
- Tap Show System Apps.
- Find the HwModuleTest system app and tap on it.
- Tap the Force Stop button.
(3) Install Latest Updates
Make sure your device is updated to the latest version. You can check if your device is updated to the latest version by going to Settings > About phone > System Updates.
If you’re using a Samsung device then you should check if the Samsung Members app is updated to the latest version. If not, then download and install the new update.
(4) Factory Reset your Android Smartphone
A Factory Reset erases all the data from your phone and restores your phone to its original state so it will remove this error message for sure.
Before factory resetting your device, you must backup your data in your Samsung Cloud or Google Drive account. Once the backup is complete, follow the steps below.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Reset.
- Tap Factory Data Reset.
- Tap the “Reset” button and you may need to enter your PIN or password.
- Tap Delete all and your phone will be reset.
Is HwModuleTest Safe or Is It a Virus?
HwModuleTest is a built-in system application so it’s extremely safe. It is not a Virus, Malware, or Spyware. This app doesn’t cause any harm to your device when it’s running hardware diagnosis checks.
This app doesn’t spy on or sell your hardware related data to third parties. This app is strictly not Spyware.
Some users believe that this app is bloatware but that’s wrong. This app is not bloatware. It is an important system application that is necessary for running diagnostic tests on your device’s hardware.
Can You Uninstall HwModuleTest?
You can uninstall HwModuleTest using the Android Debug Bridge(ADB) software or using the System App Remover application (requires root access). You can also disable the app using a package disabler app or using the Titanium Backup app.
Uninstalling the HwModuleTest system app is not recommended because it is an important application required for running hardware diagnostic tests so removing it means you won’t be able to check if your hardware is working properly by running any hardware tests.
However, if you still want to uninstall this system app, check the solutions mentioned below.
1. Uninstall HwModuleTest 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. Follow these steps to uninstall this app using 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.
Step 12 – Type the command adb shell pm uninstall –user 0 com.sec.android.app.hwmoduletest and press Enter to run this command. Wait for a few seconds and you’ll notice the app has been uninstalled from your device.
2. Uninstall HwModuleTest Using System App Remover
Before using this you’ll have to root your Android device. You can use our Android Rooting guide. After gaining root access, follow the steps below to uninstall this system app.
Step 1 – Download and install the System App Remover application.
Step 2 – Launch the System App Remover application, search for the HwModuleTest app, and select it by tapping on the checkbox next to it.
Step 3 – Tap on the Uninstall button to completely uninstall the app and delete its data.
3. Disable HwModuleTest Using Titanium Backup
Titanium Backup allows you to freeze/disable system applications but this requires you to root your Android device. You can use our rooting guide mentioned above. After rooting your Android device, follow the steps mentioned to disable this app.
- Download and install the “Titanium Backup” app.
- Launch the app.
- Search for HwModuleTest and tap on it.
- Tap on the “Freeze” option.
What Permissions Does HwModuleTest Require?
The HwModuleTest app requires the following permissions:
- Camera – This permission allows the app to access your device’s Camera.
- Phone – This permission allows the app to modify phone state, read phone status and identity.
- Storage – This permission allows the app to read the contents of your USB storage and modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.
- Location – This permission allows the app to approximate location and precise location.
You can check all the permissions required by this app from Settings > Apps > Show System Apps > HwModuleTest > Permissions.
HwModuleTest Consumes Too Much Battery
The HwModuleTest normally doesn’t consume too much battery but when you’re running diagnostic tests it can consume a lot of battery which can go up to 11% – 15%.
When you’re running diagnosis, there is a lot of pressure on the CPU and RAM. Due to high CPU usage, the battery consumption increases and can cause battery draining.
To reduce battery consumption by HwModuleTest, you’ll have to make sure that you don’t run diagnostics often. Also, you can try force stopping the app. If it still happens then the best solution would be to disable or uninstall the app.
Conclusion
HwModuleTest is a built-in Android system application that runs diagnostics tests to check if your device’s hardware is working properly. It is a safe system application.
This app keeps stopping due to cache problems which can be fixed by clearing the app cache and using other methods mentioned in the article.
If you have any questions about this app feel free to comment down below.