The OsuLogin app has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. A lot of people are complaining that this app is used by hackers to control their phones and clone their devices.
If you’re also worried about what this app is doing on your phone then you have come to the right place. In this article, I’ll explain what is the OsuLogin app, what is it used for, is it safe, and how to remove it.
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What is OsuLogin App on Android and What is it Used For?
OsuLogin or Online Sign Up Login is an Android system application that allows a user to connect to nearby Wi-Fi Hotspot 2.0 networks automatically by provisioning the device Over-The-Air(OTA) directly from the Wi-Fi network and creating a Hotspot 2.0 profile for that device.
When the user selects a Wi-Fi Hotspot network to connect, the user’s device automatically connects to an encrypted Online Sign Up(OSU) server over Wi-Fi which contains a user interface that allows the user to sign up for the Wi-Fi network by providing certain credentials. This OSU signup interface is provided by the OsuLogin app.
When the user’s device is provisioned, the device’s credentials are used to authenticate the device by generating a trusted Certificate Authority. When the user connects to the same Wi-Fi Hotspot 2.0 network, the OSU server verifies if the device has a valid CA certificate and if it’s present then the device is allowed access to the network without having to go through the Online Sign Up process again.
The package name of the OsuLogin app is com.android.hotspot2.osu and is present in most Android devices like Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, etc. This app has a few similarities to the CaptivePortalLogin app.
Hotspot and Hotspot 2.0 Networks
A Hotspot network is a location where people can connect their devices to access the Internet via Wi-Fi using a Wireless Local Area Network(WLAN) that is basically a Wireless router connected to the Internet. Apart from personal devices, Hotspot networks are also available in public places such as Airports, Coffee shops, Shopping Malls, etc.
A Hotspot 2.0 network also known as Passpoint is a modern wireless standard that allows users to connect to public Wi-Fi networks easily and more securely than a traditional Hotspot network. This technology allows devices to connect to nearby public Wi-Fi hotspots automatically with secure WPA2 encryption and automatic real network detection.
Is OsuLogin Safe Or Is It a Virus?
Many users are saying that the Osulogin app is used by hackers to hack into their devices. Some users even believe that hackers are using this app to clone their devices and track their device activity. All of this is totally false.
OsuLogin is a safe application and not a Virus, Malware, or Hacking app. It doesn’t cause any intentional damage to your device and this app doesn’t track users’ activities or spy on their data.
It is an important application that is used for online sign up when a device connects to an encrypted Wi-Fi Hotspot 2.0 network and allows devices to automatically connect to the same network after it is signed up.
If you believe that a hacker has gotten access to your phone then it is not due to the OsuLogin app. It could be that you connected to a public open Wi-Fi network and the hacker has used that public Wi-Fi network to hack into your phone.
Can You Uninstall OsuLogin App?
Yes, it is possible to uninstall the OsuLogin app using Android Debug Bridge(ADB) software, the System App Remover application, the Titanium Backup app, and the Root Explorer app but these methods are complicated.
Since OsuLogin is a system app, you cannot uninstall this the same way you uninstall third-party apps. If you don’t want to root your device then you can use the ADB method to remove this app. To use the three other methods you’ll have to root your phone.
If you uninstall this app, your device won’t be able to complete the Online Sign Up process while connecting to Wi-Fi Hotspot 2.0 networks. So, you should only remove this app if you don’t want to connect to encrypted Wi-Fi Hotspot 2.0 networks.
How To Uninstall OsuLogin App?
To uninstall the OsuLogin app, follow these methods:
(1) 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.android.hotspot2.osu and wait for a few seconds. You’ll notice the app has been uninstalled from your device.
(2) Using System App Remover
Before using this method you need 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.
- Download and install the System App Remover application.
- Launch the System App Remover application, search for OsuLogin and select this app by tapping on the checkbox next to it.
- Tap on the “Uninstall” button to completely uninstall the app and delete its data.
(3) Using Titanium Backup
This method also requires you to root your device. You can follow our rooting guide mentioned above and once the device is rooted, you can follow these steps:
- Download and install the Titanium Backup application.
- Launch the Titanium Backup application, search for OsuLogin and select this app by tapping on it.
- Tap “Un-install” to completely remove the app and delete its data from your device.
(4) Using Root Explorer
This method also requires rooting. Once the device is rooted, follow these steps:
- Download and Install the Root Explorer Android application.
- Open the app and browse to /system/app/OsuLogin/OsuLogin.apk.
- Delete the OsuLogin APK file.
- Reboot your device.
OsuLogin Consuming Too Much Battery?
The OsuLogin app doesn’t consume your battery continuously and there are no instances of this app causing high battery consumption or battery draining.
This app consumes your battery only when you’re doing the online signup process while connecting to a Wi-Fi Hotspot. It doesn’t require the battery charge for anything else so it doesn’t have any active battery consumption.
If you do see battery consumption issues then you can try to clear the app cache or force stop the app. If that doesn’t solve the issue then you can Factory Reset your device.
To clear the OsuLogin app cache, go to Settings > Apps > Show system apps > OsuLogin > Storage > Clear Cache.
To Force Stop the OsuLogin app, go to Settings > Apps > Show system apps > OsuLogin > Force Stop.
What Permissions Does OsuLogin Require?
The OsuLogin app doesn’t require any permissions to function on your device. If you check the permissions used by the app by going to Settings > Apps > Show system apps > OsuLogin > Permissions it will read as “No Permissions Required.”