Debloating & Optimizing Nox (Updated)

debloatNox.md

More of my guides: Debloating MEMu - Debloating LDPlayer

Log1x's guide is pretty outdated, so I have made an updated version

Debloating Nox (Updated)

Nox, despite being the most feature-filled Android emulator, has a lot of negativity surrounding it due to their antics when it comes to making income off of their program. It is known for running repeated advertisments in the background, calling home and passing along system information (outside of your Android instance) as well as a vast amount of potentially sensitive data in an encrypted payload back to their multitude of servers. With the following preventitive measures, we can stop a majority of this happening as well as greatly improve the overall performance.

This guide is mainly targeted at Android 12. It may work on Android 5, 7 and 9 instances but I have not tested them.

1. Download and Install a fresh copy of Nox. The latest version is fine (for now). If you already have it installed, that is fine too. No need to reinstall.

2. Enable Root Mode on Nox by clicking the gear icon, going to General, and then checking the Root box.

3. Install a new Launcher from the Play Store. ANYTHING but Nox's default. I suggest Nova Launcher.

4. Once your launcher of choice is installed, click the Home icon and choose Nova Launcher and to Always Use This Launcher.

5. Install Adaway and set it up preferably with root-based blocker

6. Go to your App Drawer and open File Manager and navigate to system -> app. In this folder, delete AppStore, Facebook, and Launcher. Edit 28/4/2024: Nox seems to have made this read-only by default. You will need to change the permissions of the folders

7. Close Nox and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc and right click the hosts file and open it in Notepad (Run as Administrator if needed) or a plain text editor of your choice (e.g. Notepad++, VS Code, etc.) – once open, append the following list to the bottom of the file:

0.0.0.0 8.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 alog.umeng.com
0.0.0.0 android.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 androiden.duapp.com
0.0.0.0 api-new.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 api.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 api.mobula.sdk.duapps.com
0.0.0.0 app.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 app.static.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 app.test.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 attitude.applinzi.com
0.0.0.0 au.umeng.com
0.0.0.0 bbs.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 bi.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 bignox.com
0.0.0.0 cn.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 common.duapps.com
0.0.0.0 de.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 dev.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 download.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 en.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 es.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 feed.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 fr.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 game.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 gift.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 gray.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 group.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 hm.e.shifen.com
0.0.0.0 hmma.baidu.com
0.0.0.0 id.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 image.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 info.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 ios.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 kr.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 launcher-us.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 launcher.us.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 log.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 mail.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 mis.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 mobile.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 ms.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 my.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 news.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 noxagile.bceapp.com
0.0.0.0 noxagile.duapp.com
0.0.0.0 nrc.tapas.net
0.0.0.0 open.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 passport-us.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 passport.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 pasta.esfile.duapps.com
0.0.0.0 pay.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 ph.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 phone.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 plat-api.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 player.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 pop3.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 pt.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 pubstatus.sinaapp.com
0.0.0.0 res02.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 res05.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 res06.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 res09.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 res11.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 res12.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 res.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 res.noxmobi.com
0.0.0.0 ru.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 sdk.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 sdk.open.inc2.igexin.com
0.0.0.0 shouyou.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 sj.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 sns.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 st.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 survey.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 t.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 tdcv3.talkingdata.net
0.0.0.0 tl.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 tracking.apptrackerlink.com
0.0.0.0 tracking.trnox.com
0.0.0.0 tui.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 tv.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 tw.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 unauthorized.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 union.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 user.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 vip.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 wap.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 www.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 www.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 www.yeshen.com.w.kunlungr.com
0.0.0.0 api.noxinfluencer.com
0.0.0.0 ssp-3-9f58.trnox.com
0.0.0.0 googleclubstore.com
0.0.0.0 ar.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 *.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 feed-test.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 hostmaster@bignox.com
0.0.0.0 in.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 it.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 jp.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 operation@bignox.com
0.0.0.0 pl.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 support.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 test.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 th.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 tr.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 vn.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 kol.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 support.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 pay.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 passport.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 influencer.yeshen.com
0.0.0.0 bi.noxgroup.com
0.0.0.0 appcenter-api.bignox.com
0.0.0.0 tracking-3-9f58.trnox.com
0.0.0.0 t3.appmeasurements.com

Once appended, save and close Notepad.

And block the IP addresses using the files attached to this gist (original courtesy of ehindiayleau). Make sure both the batch and the text file are in the same folder! Open command prompt as admin and CD to the folder where you saved the two files, then execute the batch file.

8. Navigate to C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Nox and open Conf.ini in the same editor used for hosts above. Once open, change the following options to the values defined below:

pop_ads_refresh_time=9223372036854775807
service_qq=0
service_qq_link=<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" style=\"display: none;\"></a>
collect_behavior_enable=false
collect_behavior_interveral=9223372036854775807

Afterwards, save and close the file. Right Click it, go to Properties, and check Read Only so Nox will not revert these changes.

Once this is all done, you are free to re-open Nox and continue playing as usual.

Optimization

Ragnarok Mobile as well as a select few of other games have an in-game 2K resolution mode achievable by the iPad Pro and high-end 4K Android tablets. It can be enabled while using Nox by setting a proper resolution and DPI.

If you have already performed the steps above, you will need close Nox and temporarily uncheck Read Only on your conf.ini. Afterwards, open Nox and click the Cog on the top right and go to Advanced settings.

Performance Settings
These are computer-specific, so go to Start Menu -> Right Click My PC -> Properties and see how many cores your CPU has and how much memory you have.

Cores
Same amount as your processor has (e.g. i7-8700k has 6)

Memory
If your system has 16GB or more of memory, 8096MB is more than sufficient.
If your system has 8GB of memory, 4096MB is sufficient.
If your system has 4GB or less of memory, I'm sorry– but you shouldn't attempt 2K.

Startup settings
Width: 2560
Height: 1440
DPI: 320

Miscellaneous
Graphics rendering mode: Speed (DirectX)
Frame settings: 60
Mouse acceleration: Checked (Turn off mouse acceleration in Windows)

nox_block.bat

@echo off
if "%1"=="list" (
  netsh advfirewall firewall show rule nox_ip_to_fw_rule | findstr RemoteIP
  exit/b
)

netsh advfirewall firewall delete rule name="nox_ip_to_fw_rule"

for /f %%i in (nox_block.txt) do (
  netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="nox_ip_to_fw_rule" protocol=any dir=in action=block remoteip=%%i
  netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="nox_ip_to_fw_rule" protocol=any dir=out action=block remoteip=%%i
)

call %0 list

pause

nox_block.txt

220.181.168.0-220.181.168.255,47.94.255.0-47.94.255.255,47.95.10.0-47.95.10.255,47.94.233.0-47.94.233.255,40.81.94.65,47.94.133.0-47.94.133.255,59.110.43.0-59.110.43.255,172.64.199.18,172.64.198.18,2606:4700:e6::ac40:c612,2606:4700:e6::ac40:c612

can't install adway on nox emulator

can't install adway on nox emulator

Seems like you're using an older version of Android. Either way, try Blokada 5 which does have an AdAway filter you can enable.

can't install adway on nox emulator

Seems like you're using an older version of Android. Either way, try Blokada 5 which does have an AdAway filter you can enable.

also I don't recommend removing launcher because you're going to get error which going to pop up every time and you cannot close it

can't install adway on nox emulator

Seems like you're using an older version of Android. Either way, try Blokada 5 which does have an AdAway filter you can enable.

also I don't recommend removing launcher because you're going to get error which going to pop up every time and you cannot close it

You shouldn't get an error upon removing the stock Nox launcher. Something else might be up.
Android does fine without a stock launcher. Replacing it with another launcher is basically a way of how brands introduce their own launcher into their Android skin.

Install a new Launcher from the Play Store. ANYTHING but Nox's default. I suggest Nova Launcher.

What do you mean by this? install this on my computer? because I cant (atleast from the link)

Install a new Launcher from the Play Store. ANYTHING but Nox's default. I suggest Nova Launcher.

What do you mean by this? install this on my computer? because I cant (atleast from the link)

No, in the emulator.

Very good tutorial. I did not ran the script because I'm not sure if it would break some websites but my Nox is a LOT better after this tuto. No more annoying ads on the launcher, even just no more ads in Nox and the apps you install...
Also, I did this on Android 9 x64 and it works. Note that when uninstalling the apps, I had to use an app I found on internet called Root Uninstaller (not to uninstall root but uninstalling apps via root) and when uninstalling the Launcher app, popups pops infinitely but simply restarting Nox works to remove these error messages.

I'm getting this error, but I have enabled root from the general settings.

updated .bat script i guess, since the script couldn't find .txt on it's own file even in the same folder

edit : just add " from (nox_block.txt) to ("nox_block.txt") simply fixed the problem

edit : just add " from (nox_block.txt) to ("nox_block.txt") simply fixed the problem

Yes, but it is more universal to add pushd "%~dp0" to the line before it instead of modifying the way nox_block.txt is represented.

https://imgur.com/a/95gV2fN

Note: Currently, Nox is protecting all of the files that you need to erase in step 6 as read-only. Only file manager apps that have the ability to change change the read only mounts in addition to root permissions can perform this step.
X-Plore : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSX8x3arSh4

Note: Currently, Nox is protecting all of the files that you need to erase in step 6 as read-only. Only file manager apps that have the ability to change change the read only mounts in addition to root permissions can perform this step. X-Plore : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSX8x3arSh4

Very late to this, but thanks for the info