How to Disable/Uninstall Knox on your Samsung Galaxy Phones and Tablets

Samsung KNOX is a new Android-based solution specifically designed to enhance the security of the current open source Android platform, yet remain fully compatible with Android and the Google ecosystem. Samsung Knox is a complete enterprise mobile solution for employees and businesses.

With the release of Android 4.3, Samsung has added a security feature, called Knox. Samsung KNOX is the comprehensive enterprise mobile solution for work and play. With the increasing use of smartphones in businesses, Samsung KNOX addresses the mobile security needs of enterprise IT without invading the privacy of its employees. You can learn more about Samsung Knox at the Official Samsung website.

Disable KNOX Security Service on Samsung Galaxy Devices
KNOX Samsung’s Secure Android Platform

After updating and Rooting your device on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, You probably would have noticed that the SuperSU Application is blocking and you might be getting this message:

SuperSU tried to access system in your device without authorization. This action was blocked

And probably this is the reason why you’re here and looking for the solution and get rid of this error. This error can be eliminated by Disabling or Uninstalling the KNOX on your Samsung Galaxy device. There almost 3 different methods, using which you can do this, I will show all methods that you can use to uninstall KNOX, and then follow the one you think is easy, suitable and compatible for you.

3 Ways to Disable/Uninstall Samsung KNOX on your Device

Here are steps to disable Knox using the instructions provided by Samsung support page as well as our tried working methods.

KNOX was successfully disabled!

1. Without Root Access

  • Head over to your App section and find the Knox app, launch it and tap on “Settings.”
  • Choose “Knox Settings.”
  • Select “Uninstall Knox.”
  • When uninstalling Knox, you are asked if you want to back up your Knox data, which is then saved during the uninstall process in your device’s Knox folder. To back up this data, select “Backup Now,” and then OK.
  • That’s how easy it is.

Now, what if you’ve got Root Access? You can also follow the below instructions:

2. For Rooted Phones and Tablets

  • Using Root Explorer App or Titanium Backup
  • Try Uninstalling it Using Terminal Emulator

Step 1: Head over to Google Play Store and install ‘Explorer‘ or ‘Titanium Backup.’

Step 2: Run the App you’ve just installed.

Step 3: Tap the search button and write ‘Knox’ and you’ll get the list of all the files named as Knox.

For Titanium Backup Users – Freeze the following:

  1. com.sec.enterprise.knox.attestation
  2. com.sec.knox.eventsmanager
  3. KLMS Agent
  4. KNOX
  5. Knox Notification Manager
  6. KNOX Store

Step 4: Select all the files and Remove them.

Step 5: That’s it and Reboot your Phone.

3. Disable KNOX Using Android Terminal Emulator

Step 1: Install ‘Android Terminal Emulator‘ from Google Play Store.

Step 2: Launch the application, and it may prompt you for SuperSU access, just grant it the permission.

Step 3: Type the following commands, which will ultimately disable the Knox Apps running in the background:

su pm disable com.sec.knox.seandroid

Step 4: Finally, this should definitely block Knox on your device.

That was all you needed to know and learn about Samsung KNOX Security and the different ways, How you can Disable or Uninstall it. Hopefully, it has worked for you, do let us know and share your experience and also let us know if you do have another easy way to do it.

For more updates and tutorials keep visiting Android Central.

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42 Comments

  1. The three methods in this article will not work for a Sprint Samsung Galaxy S3 running 4.3. I rooted my device but Knox prevent SuperSU, terminal emulator or Titanium from entering super user mode. I also cannot access the Knox app on my phone because there is not icon in the app drawer. The only access I have to Knox on this phone is to enable it in the developers section. I have tried to disable it through this function but have not had any success in disabling it. I have seen similar posts describing the same problem I have.

    • I had the same issue. There was another SuperUser App that I downloaded which recognized that Knox was running and asked if I wanted to kill it. I said yes and “poof” it was gone. But I can’t remember which SU app it was!

    • Greg_Lewis I was having the same problem after I rooted my Samsung
      galaxy note 2 about 30min ago. I went searching for other SU apps and
      then realized that the one that was installed on my phone from using
      odin just needed to be updated from the play store. Once I updated it I
      got the message SuperSU detects Knox running which may prevent some SU
      apps from running do you want to try to disable it. If you press OK it
      will disable the Knox app and you will be able to use all of the rooted
      apps again and or for the first time. Hope this helps.

      • Matt thank you for the suggestion. I had seen similar solution posted under different discussion groups. Unfortunately the Play store does not offer any updates for SuperSU installed on my phone. Now when I attempt to run SuperSU Knox prevents it from running. Knox seems to have disabled SuperSU. The Android Application Manager catagorizes SuperSU and turned off.

      • can u give a step by step of how you did the update with zip file.pls . i tried rooting the phone using odin and the process went all the way to upgrading and rebooting but when i look the su app is in shady color no logo and i cant find it to uninstall. it says umfortunately supersu has stopped. plus i tried root checker and it says this device does not have proper root

  2. Which file do we install and how do we do it? Through Odin? I tried this earlier but Odin didn’t recognize the files as valid files

  3. Please who has the answer for this I am having the exact same issue as Greg Lewis… Did you find the solution???

    • Hey Billy tryout this one:

      1. Download and install the latest version of SuperSU from Google Play Store.
      2. Open SuperSU app (update the binary if prompted) and allow it to disable KNOX
      3. Reboot your device.
      That’s it!! It should be working fine.

  4. John Smith….Thank you thank you thank you. I went to your link above. downloaded su from there using my phone. saved it to my sd card. opened it up and it worked. installed Su, asked to update it, then disabled knox. Life saver.

      • Hey guys I just want to let you know that I had to go into settings , then security, check unknown sources and then Uncheck verify apps. THEN i was finally able to install and update SuperSU 🙂 hope this helps!!!!

    • 1. Download and install the latest version of SuperSU from Google Play Store.
      2. Open SuperSU app (update the binary if prompted) and allow it to disable KNOX
      3. Reboot your device.
      That’s it!! It should be working fine.

      • No this is not working. I tried it before you but nothing happened. But i have done. I use CWM for re rooting then it remove all previous su app. And after that i Install SuperSU pro. Its work.

  5. After installing SuperSU from Google Play, I was able to disable KNOX and finally my Note2 is rooted. Shitty restrictions with Knox.

  6. SuperUser seems to work fine, and some apps have root after I installed it.
    the instructions for Titanium Back-up aren’t accurate anymore, so I guess an update may have changed how it works.

  7. I got the SuperSU disable to work by first going to app settings and using force stop on everything that had knox in the name or showed the knox icon. Without doing that, SuperSU would just sit there attempting to disable it.

  8. matt i have that prob too where i tried to root,the whole process went though to upgrading n rebooting but supersu has stopped cant find the app no option to uninstall and i dont see an update for it i have sg3 4.4.2 i747m

  9. I get a failed to Disable knox message. I have cwm installed but can’t upgrade su in recovery. I had root access for several months and some how lost it do to knox I’m just wanting to get root back!

  10. killing it with Terminal Emulator worked like a charm tanks alot 😀
    bdw you need to reinstall the root premission if you have rebooted the phone so you can give teminal su premisson so you can disable the bullshit knox program…

    bdw knox uses ca 400mb ram!
    so you going to get alot more stanby time on the phone too 😉 and better performance 😀

  11. There is another way to disable Samsung Knox on a non-rooted phone. Simply attempt to start Knox 21 times in a row using the wrong password. Knox then deletes all it’s applications and data and disables itself on the phone.

  12. I just picked up an SG SIII T999L and the device is stock not rooted. I had not even activated the device or installed a SIM.
    I get this Security warning: “An application attempted to access system on your device without authorization. This attempt has been blocked. Updating your security policy may solve this problem. Deleting applications obtained from unauthorized sources may improve security”
    offers a box to cancel for 30 days
    Below that are option to: Cancel – Update- View apps
    Clear it and it comes back immediately. It gives me no reference to what application is causing this.
    Update and it just shows Latests security policy has already been applied.
    View apps and it goes to Down loaded and 1 app is present
    GALAXY Apps
    Long pressing the notification brings up the Knox Notification Manager with no ability to turn it off.
    Looking at the description to disable Knox without Root access tells me to open the app and then go to settings? When I open the app it asks me to install it? If it is not installed how can it be blocking apps?
    What to do? Install the app and then install it?
    I don’t want to install making matters worse so I thought I would ask before attempting that..

    This all happens with a SIM installed and the device functioning as well. If I check the box it will cease notifications for 30 days, but I would just like to get rid of this if I can.
    TIA

  13. Please take it easy!!!
    After rooting your Samsung, just download any System App Remover in my case!
    Uninstall Knox & Reboot your device
    that it !

  14. I’ve “uninstalled it” but when I run CLEAN MASTER app to reduce my RAM, Samsung KNOX always shows up and is taking about 140MB of RAM space. Its uninstalled (but I don’t have ROOT access).. My Galaxy S3 is running Android 4.3 and its the T-Mobile version.
    I hate KNOX since it doesn’t apply to me. I really wish I never activated it in the first place.

    Solutions please.

  15. i cant disable knox from galaxy alpha 4.4.4 what i have to do. i download titanium backup bad doesn’t work need permission from super su bad super su doesn’t work to. because i need to disable knox.and i try many application i can’t do nothing ineed help plesse

  16. Great article!

    Yes Im trying to kick the KNOX out of my new Att S3, or get rid of Samsung’s obb-KNOX-esous. LOL

    I found, thru duckgo search. a how to using the first step with Root Exployer locating all the ob-KNOX-esous system files and Coping and Pasting them into a folder named ob-KNOX-eorus. Sorry lost the link.

    About 5 years ago, I found out the hard way, NOT just go around “Deleting” system apps out of their places, because they are used during a “Factory Restore,” on many devices.

    But that should have been a “NO brainer,” and it was for me, I just deleted to my little hearts content and OPPS…. Deleted one to many app components and tried to do a “Factory Reset” and nada.

    So just a word of caution here…. If you don’t have a firmware to recover thru Odin or a full Custom Rom like CM, and or I’d have custom recovery and a FULL backup in place, with Developer ON, way before freezing and or deleting any system apps and or their components.

    Again thanks for the KNOX out

  17. O My God, you are the boss, lot of time wasted, and finally i found the solution to my problem! (Y) Thank’ s lot 😀 love ya

  18. My phone s4 is rooted in 4.4.2 version after that i updated my version to 5.0.1 now i got back my knox warrenty but knox not working it shows failed to create knox try again i need multi user and private mode can you help me..??

  19. Ok I don’t even have the option to uninstall Knox and in my applications and I go to all I have several Knox applications that I can only force stop. I just need a list of applications that come on the note 5 And Samsung s6 because I have been having issues. I factory reset it i also master reset it. And nothing changes please can someone help

  20. But will uninstalling knox prevent my phone from saying ‘custom binary blocked by frp’? I read that this message is caused by tripping knox. If you remove the knox security, you can then root your phone without getting the custom binary blocked by frp message? Thanks, its much appreciated. =)

  21. I don’t exactly WANT to delete Knox, but just Knox it out so I can reset my password 🙁
    Stupid Samsung… making you have to use a password… I just want a pattern!

  22. Hi, I forgot my Knox pin. Went to my Knox account and try to recover it. Nothing. I tried to unlock my phone from the Knox website. Nothing. I delete my Knox account. Now my phone is completed locked. Icant restart it, nothing. What is the solution? I called my carriers and they said they cant unlock it neither

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