Help needed to remove apps on Crosscall Core S4

[Bruno SAMUEL]

Hi all,

I got my KaiOS phone a year ago, and I've tried several times to get into the machine but never succeeded.

My goal is first to be able to remove some apps (Google apps at least of the least), and if possible, to get access to the apps of the bananahackers store.

I use a computer running on Linux Mint.
I've managed to get the bug icon showing, thanks to the w2d page. I've connected to my phone using adb, for example "adb reboot" command makes the phone reboot.
I've tried installing apps from the bananahackers store using webIDE on palemoon, and it was forbidden.

I still haven't understood how to go further, probably because I'm completely new to all of this ^^

Could someone help me with some simple words ? :D

Thanks for the amazing work !

Bruno

[Mick Bert]

Il giorno gio 21 ago 2025 alle ore 21:56 Bruno SAMUEL <brunosa...@gmail.com> ha scritto:

Hi all,

I use a computer running on Linux Mint.
I've managed to get the bug icon showing, thanks to the w2d page. I've connected to my phone using adb, for example "adb reboot" command makes the phone reboot.
I've tried installing apps from the bananahackers store using webIDE on palemoon, and it was forbidden.

The only suggestion that I can give, is to check the connection between palemoon WebIDE, through command "https://bananahackers.net/install-omnisd.html#h.kpw4aw74ezri", like in https://bananahackers.net/install-omnisd.html#h.kpw4aw74ezri

--

Mick

[Mick Bert]

Sorry, I ment command "adb forward tcp:6000 localfilesystem:/data/local/debugger-socket"

--

Mick

[Bruno SAMUEL]

Hi Mick,

Thank you so much for your answer ! Yes, I've tried this command, as suggested in this video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvoeRI1hbBc

But the installation of third party apps seems to be forbidden.

Luxferre's post about this phone here - https://groups.google.com/g/bananahackers/c/W7MuBB6yMLo/m/rPE9b7mmAQAJ - suggests that the debugger mode is more difficult to get than with other devices, but I don't understand much in this message. So I don't know how to get further :/

Thanks again !

[bmd]

Per Luxferre's research on the Core-S4, basically, you can install almost any apps with ADB and WebIDE, but those apps must not use any of the permissions configured under devtools.apps.forbidden-permissions. This includes engmode-extension, which Wallace Toolbox and Store client depend on to be functional. If your goal is just to disable apps from the app menu, install AppBuster.

Otherwise, you need root access. Back up everything on your device first because this will remove all data.

Restart into Fastboot mode by running adb reboot bootloader while the phone is connected to the computer, or press and hold both Power/End call + D-Pad Up. Once your phone boots into Fastboot mode (make sure your computer has the driver to detect devices in Fastboot mode), run fastboot oem unlock to unlock the bootloader, use D-Pad Up/Down (reversed direction) to confirm. Then follow the guide to enable root access on MediaTek-based KaiOS devices, which involves using https://cain.bananahackers.net.

Connect the phone to WebIDE using the Pale Moon browser, open Device Preferences on the right side of the window, find devtools.apps.forbidden-permissions and remove its value. Then restart the device again. Now you can install Wallace Toolbox or Store client. But as Luxferre noted, not all functions will fully work, because many of them will be reverted by SELinux at boot.

Note that OmniSD and other methods of installing apps on-device don't work on KaiOS 2.5.2.2 onwards.