If you tried to uninstall Turn Off Screen and Android said something like "This app is a device administrator and can't be uninstalled", you are not stuck — and the app is not broken. There is just one extra step before the normal uninstall works. This guide takes about two minutes.
Why the normal uninstall fails: Turn Off Screen uses Android's Device Administrator permission to lock your screen. Android intentionally blocks uninstalling any app that holds this permission, until you deactivate it from Settings. This is a system-wide rule, not specific to our app.
Step 1 — Open Android Settings
Pull down the notification shade from the top of the screen and tap the gear icon in the corner. Or open the Settings app from your app drawer. The path you need is roughly:
Settings → Security → Device admin apps
The exact wording varies by Android version and device manufacturer. Common variations:
- Stock Android / Pixel: Settings → Security & privacy → More security & privacy → Device admin apps
- Samsung: Settings → Biometrics and security → Other security settings → Device admin apps
- Xiaomi / MIUI: Settings → Passwords & security → Privacy → Special permissions → Device admin apps
- OPPO / Realme / ColorOS: Settings → Password & security → System security → Device administrators
If you cannot find it, open Settings and type "device admin" into the search bar at the top — every modern Android settings app has it.
Step 2 — Deactivate Turn Off Screen
On the Device admin apps screen you will see a list of apps that currently hold the permission. Find Turn Off Screen in the list and tap it. You will see a toggle or a button labelled something like Deactivate, Turn off, or Disable. Tap it and confirm.
That single action removes the protection that was blocking the uninstall. The app itself is still installed — it just no longer has the special permission.
Step 3 — Uninstall the app normally
Now you can uninstall Turn Off Screen the same way as any other app:
- Long-press the Turn Off Screen icon on your home screen or app drawer, then tap Uninstall (or drag it to the Uninstall area at the top), or
- Go to
Settings → Apps → Turn Off Screen → Uninstall.
Confirm when prompted. The app is gone. You can verify it is removed by searching for it in the app drawer.
Why Turn Off Screen needs this permission in the first place
Android does not let any app turn off the screen for security reasons — except for apps that hold the Device Administrator permission. That permission is the official, documented Android API for screen-lock control. Without it, the app simply cannot do its one job.
We do not use the permission for anything else: no remote wipe, no password enforcement, no location tracking. You can confirm this in the app's permission list (it requests only BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN for screen lock).
If you ever want it back
If you reinstall Turn Off Screen later, Android will ask for the Device Admin permission again on first launch. Grant it and the screen-lock feature works immediately. The whole flow takes about ten seconds.
Still want the screen-lock feature?
If you removed Turn Off Screen but still want a one-tap screen-off button, you can reinstall any time. It is free, ad-supported, and has been downloaded over 10 million times.
Back to Turn Off ScreenIf you ran into anything this guide didn't cover, write to our support team with your Android version and device model — we read every message. Thanks for trying our app, and good luck with whatever you are switching to.