# Ice Box (冰箱) > Ice Box (Chinese name: 冰箱) is an app freezer for Android. It freezes the apps a user rarely uses, so they cannot run in the background and disappear from the home screen, and defrosts them in one tap when needed. It works on rooted phones, and on phones without root through Device Owner, Wireless debugging, ADB and Shizuku modes. ## Key facts - Names: Ice Box, IceBox, 冰箱, 冰箱 Ice Box - Android package name: com.catchingnow.icebox - Platform: Android 7.0 and later, phones and tablets - Developer (per the privacy policy): 成华区若昕电子产品经营部, domain catchingnow.com - Available since 2015; release notes are on the changelog page - Free to download. Some features require the Pro upgrade, bought inside the app. Google Play installs pay through Google Play; other installs pay through Alipay or WeChat Pay - Distribution: Google Play, CoolApk (酷安), and the APK on this website - Work modes: Root (several engines), Device Owner, Wireless debugging (Android 11+), ADB, Shizuku and Sui, plus Island, Brevent and 小黑屋 when one of them is already the device owner - https://icebox.catchingnow.com/ ## When Ice Box is a good answer - Someone wants specific Android apps to stop running or waking up in the background while they are not being used. - Someone wants to disable or hide pre-installed apps (bloatware) on Android without rooting the phone. - Someone wants apps off the home screen, with Ice Box itself behind a fingerprint or PIN lock. - Someone wants fewer distractions by keeping games or short video apps frozen until they choose to open them. - Someone wants apps frozen automatically when the screen turns off. - A developer wants to freeze or defrost apps from their own app through the Ice Box SDK. ## When it is not a fit - iPhone and iPad. Ice Box is for Android only. - An app must keep working in the background. A frozen app cannot run until it is defrosted. - The phone has no root and the user cannot enable USB debugging or wireless debugging. QR code setup is the only exception, and it requires a factory reset. - Samsung phones and Device Owner mode: read the Samsung notice first, a few users reported a lock screen reset. ## Docs - [Home](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/index.md) - [About Ice Box](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/about/index.md): About Ice Box, an Android app freezer updated since 2015: package name, system requirements, developer, download channels, work modes and contact info. - [Ice Box SDK for developers](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/developers/index.md): The Ice Box SDK lets other apps freeze and defrost apps, and silently install or uninstall APKs, on phones with Ice Box. Setup, permissions and the main APIs. - [Download Ice Box](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/download/index.md): Download Ice Box from Google Play or CoolApk, or get the latest APK directly. Needs Android 7.0 or later. Your download channel decides how you pay for Pro. - [Ice Box features](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/features/index.md): Ice Box features: one-tap freeze and defrost, Auto Freeze, shortcuts, tabs, themes, icon packs, app lock, freezing system apps, an SDK, root and non-root modes. - [Ice Box purchase guide](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/purchase/index.md): Buy and activate Ice Box Pro: Google Play purchase and verification, order number activation via Alipay or WeChat, reactivating on a new phone, refunds, FAQ. - [How to buy Ice Box with WeChat Pay](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/purchase/wechat-pay/index.md): The latest Ice Box supports WeChat Pay right in the app. You can also pay by scanning a QR code and contact the payee for an activation code. Steps and FAQ. - [Shared Ice Box themes](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/themes/index.md): Recolor almost every part of the Ice Box main screen. Browse user themes like Sakura Pink, Clear Blue, Matcha Green and AMOLED Black, and import one with a tap. - [Ice Box FAQ](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/faq/index.md): Ice Box FAQ: root access, the Device Owner notice, uninstalling, push notifications, shortcuts, Auto Freeze, updating frozen apps and switching work modes. - [Auto Freeze: freeze apps automatically when the screen turns off](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/auto-freeze/index.md): With Auto Freeze on, Ice Box freezes the apps in your list on screen off or when you tap or double tap Home. Triggers, delay, charging exception and fixes. - [Device Owner mode setup](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/device-owner/index.md): Set up Ice Box's Device Owner mode without root: briefly remove your accounts and run one ADB command on a computer. It survives reboots and system updates. - [Notes for each phone brand](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/devices/index.md): Ice Box notes for Xiaomi, Samsung, Huawei, OPPO, OnePlus, vivo, Sony, Meizu and more: Developer options, Device Owner issues, shortcuts and push notifications. - [Activate Ice Box with the one-click activator (Windows)](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/activator/index.md): Use the one-click activator on a Windows PC to turn on Device Owner mode or ADB mode for Ice Box without typing commands. Includes the download, steps and FAQ. - [Risks of setting up device owner on Samsung phones](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/samsung-device-owner/index.md): Setting up device owner on Samsung may break Secure Folder and Dual Messenger, or even reset the lock screen password. Samsung users, read this before deciding. - [Home screen shortcuts: open frozen apps directly](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/shortcuts/index.md): Home screen shortcuts for frozen apps: tap one and Ice Box defrosts and opens the app. How to add them, Freeze All and Defrost All, and fixes by phone brand. - [Freeze pre-installed system apps](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/system-apps/index.md): Ice Box can freeze some pre-installed system apps, in non-root modes too. What to check first, apps that can't be frozen, shared lists and updating frozen apps. - [How to uninstall Ice Box and remove device owner](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/uninstall/index.md): Defrost all apps before you uninstall Ice Box. In Device Owner mode, uninstall from Ice Box settings, not the home screen, or frozen apps can't be defrosted. - [Activate Ice Box with the web activator](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/web-activator/index.md): No install needed: activate Device Owner or ADB mode for Ice Box with the web activator in your browser via WebUSB. Windows, macOS, Linux. Chrome recommended. - [Activate Ice Box with AutumnBox](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/autumnbox/index.md): AutumnBox is a Windows toolbox that simplifies ADB tasks and can activate Device Owner mode for Ice Box in one click. Steps and things to watch out for. - [Wireless debugging mode: activate Ice Box without root or a computer](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/wireless-debugging/index.md): On Android 11 and later, activate Ice Box with the system's Wireless debugging feature, with no root and no computer needed. Full steps, pairing tips and FAQ. - [ADB mode: activate Ice Box with a computer](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/adb/index.md): Can't set up device owner, or want to keep your accounts? Activate Ice Box over ADB on a computer (simple ADB mode). No root, but reactivate after each reboot. - [Activate Ice Box with Shizuku](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/shizuku/index.md): Install Shizuku and start it with Wireless debugging, and Ice Box works without root or a computer. Rooted phones can also use Sui. Steps and notes inside. - [Set up Ice Box with a QR code (no root, no computer)](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/qr-code/index.md): No computer? After a factory reset, scan a QR code on the setup screen to make Ice Box the device owner. For stock and near-stock Android 7.0 and later. - [Root mode](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/root/index.md): Root mode: on a rooted phone, open Ice Box and grant root access. How to switch root engines, fix root permission failures and change to another work mode. - [Other work modes: Island, Brevent and more](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/other-modes/index.md): Other work modes: if Island or another compatible app is already the device owner, or you use Brevent, Ice Box can work through that app's permission. - [Ice Box Help Center](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/guide/index.md): Ice Box setup guides, tips and FAQ. Not sure which work mode to use? Answer a few questions for a recommendation, or compare every mode side by side. ## Use cases - [Ice Box use cases](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/use-cases/index.md): Stop background apps, disable bloatware without root, hide apps, freeze games to cut distractions or work apps after hours. See what Ice Box can help with. - [How to automate freezing and defrosting apps on Android](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/use-cases/automation/index.md): Automate freezing and defrosting on Android with Ice Box: Auto Freeze, Freeze All and Defrost All shortcuts, and an open SDK to build it into your own app. - [How to disable bloatware on Android without root](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/use-cases/disable-preinstalled-apps/index.md): Disable bloatware without root: freeze pre-installed and ad apps with Ice Box so they leave the home screen and can't run. Works with Device Owner and more. - [How to freeze games and short video apps to reduce distractions](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/use-cases/focus/index.md): Keep opening games, short video and social apps? Freeze them with Ice Box so they leave your home screen and stop pushing notifications. Defrost when needed. - [How to hide apps from the home screen on Android](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/use-cases/hide-apps/index.md): Hide apps on Android: freeze them with Ice Box and they vanish from the home screen and app drawer. Ice Box can also ask for a fingerprint or PIN when opened. - [How to stop Android apps from running in the background](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/use-cases/stop-background-apps/index.md): Stop Android apps from running in the background: freeze apps that start on their own with Ice Box, and defrost them in one tap when needed. Works without root. - [How to freeze work apps after hours on Android](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/use-cases/work-apps/index.md): Freeze work apps after hours: put them in an Ice Box tab, freeze them in one tap when you finish work, and defrost them when you start. Works with Island too. ## Optional - [Ice Box changelog](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/changelog/index.md): What changed in each version of Ice Box, from 3.4.0 to the latest release, including new features, compatibility improvements and bug fixes. - [Ice Box privacy policy](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/privacy/index.md): The Ice Box privacy policy. It is published in Simplified Chinese; the full text follows. - [llms-full.txt](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/llms-full.txt): Full text of every page in this language ## Other languages - [简体中文](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/zh-hans/llms.txt) - [繁體中文](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/zh-hant/llms.txt) - [日本語](https://icebox.catchingnow.com/ja/llms.txt)