I have not any prior experience with installing custom ROMs, but after trying it out (and getting stuck, and googling and finding answers) I successfully did it. Below is my home screen if anybody is curious:
I use OpenBoard for my keyboard. Unfortunately I am still dependent on Play Store since some of the apps I need can only be found there. Sometimes it feels meaningless committing to this whole thing because I’m not perfectly private; then I think this is better than using a regular iPhone or Android phone.
So far I’m liking it. I am naturally inclined to feel hesitant about using this as my main phone and plugging in a SIM since it’s custom, but I’m slowly making the transition.
Feel free to share any beginners advice or your own experience using GOS for the first time. Cheers!
- Username ( @Username@feddit.de ) 69•2 months ago
OpenBoard is no longer maintained. Heliboard is a good alternative.
I think Google Play on Graphene is a good compromise, since at least it does not have root access. Unfortunately it is very crippling to completely avoid Google on Android.
That being said, I heard others are using work profiles to isolate all apps using Google Play from their more private apps. I’m not doing that, but work profiles are nice for … well work apps.
Thanks for the heads-up!
- JGrffn ( @JGrffn@lemmy.ml ) 5•2 months ago
As someone who has a profile only for Whatsapp (used to also be Instagram), a profile for banking & finances, a profile for some stuff that needs play services, and a profile for most other stuff (main profile)…don’t use profiles unless you’re only creating one more at the most, and you’re absolutely certain there’s no need to share information between the profiles.
Graphene has had a long-standing bug from upstream AOSP, if I recall correctly, where it’ll always ask for your pin when changing profiles, and only sometimes will it allow you to use your fingerprint or alternative methods to get into your profiles. I almost never get the fingerprint option for my main profile, and have to tap back from the pin input on other profiles to get the option to use fingerprint, and not always. They do sometimes push something that loosely resembles a fix, but it’ll go back to not working after another update.
Regarding communicating between profiles, that’s hard to pull off. The curveball of having to send screenshots from banking apps, say, confirming transactions, it’s made a lot worse with profiles. I’m currently relying on my nextcloud instance to upload screenshots from finances, then downloading those screenshots from nextcloud into my WhatsApp profile, just to send a proof of transfer to someone. I’m definitely not keeping my phone like this for much longer.
All else considered, however, I’m not going back to a ROM that doesn’t respect me as the owner of my device. I’m happy to have switched to graphene and I am here to stay.
Thank you for sharing this. Honestly, right now, I simply don’t feel a need to use profiles for my apps. I understand some people claim I probably should considering I use both FOSS and Google apps, but I’m just getting started with this whole privacy thing and I don’t feel like rushing. Using only one profile probably isn’t the absolute worst thing you could do, eh?
- Stowaway ( @Stowaway@midwest.social ) 1•2 months ago
I was wondering about that. Seems like 90% of the time it flashes the finger print reader then fails and goes back to pin. Also 75% of the time can’t read my fingerprint reader when just unlocking but that’s not a grapheneos issue… :(
- /home/pineapplelover ( @pineapplelover@lemm.ee ) 6•2 months ago
I use Gboard with network permissions toggled off
- OhVenus_Baby ( @OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml ) 6•2 months ago
Openboard updated for me recently. When did they stop maintaining it?
- Username ( @Username@feddit.de ) 10•2 months ago
https://github.com/openboard-team/openboard
Last commit is two years ago. I’d recommend checking what you have installed. A quick search on GPlay finds what appears to be a clone that may or may not leak user data.
- OhVenus_Baby ( @OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml ) 4•2 months ago
version 1.4.5
org.dslul.openboard.inputmethod.latin versionCode 19
targetSdk 31 minSdk 19
Installed: May 8, 2024; 3:17 PM Updated: May 8, 2024; 3:17 PM
Is this an AHH SHIT moment or I’m good? Lol
- The Cuuuuube ( @Cube6392@beehaw.org ) English4•2 months ago
So I don’t want to tell you to panic but I can’t find anything about “dslul” or their version of openboard. The questions I have are as follows:
- How did you acquire this apk? (F-Droid, play store, obtainium, regular download?)
- Do you have hypatia installed? If not, can you install it and run a device scan to see if there’s any known malicious blobs on your device?
- Please take a look at heliboard. I know its weird to tell people they’re safer going with the most popular options, but legitimately we’re a pack animal. We do better when we look out for each other and this may be a case where it’s best to go to the version of this project that has the most eyes on it
- OhVenus_Baby ( @OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml ) 2•2 months ago
I use heliboard now downloaded today and deleted open board. I acquired openboard from Fdroid. Both times. I’ve never heard of hapatia. I will check it out momentarily.
- Username ( @Username@feddit.de ) 2•2 months ago
So I don’t want to tell you to panic but I can’t find anything about “dslul” or their version of openboard.
It’s the app id from F-droid, so I would assume it is legit: https://f-droid.org/packages/org.dslul.openboard.inputmethod.latin/
- The Cuuuuube ( @Cube6392@beehaw.org ) English1•2 months ago
Interesting! I assume then that dslul was the original developer. Weird I wasn’t able to turn up anything at all… Well… Not that weird given that internet search is broken
- 🇦🇺𝕄𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕔𝕕𝕚𝕝𝕖 ( @muntedcrocodile@lemm.ee ) English4•2 months ago
I found a separate profile with google play was too much of a pain in the ass unfortunatly.
- fleet ( @fleet@lemmy.ca ) 4•2 months ago
I’m using a work profile for Google Play. It was surprisingly easy to setup and there are few guides around. But basically you install Shelter, then clone Apps to the work profile. Open up Apps on the work profile and install google play services normally.
- communism ( @communism@lemmy.ml ) 3•2 months ago
Unfortunately it is very crippling to completely avoid Google on Android.
Tbh if you don’t do mobile gaming, I think this is entirely doable. I say this as someone who uses Aurora Store for about 3 or 4 odd apps. I could live without them on my phone, but I just choose not to for the convenience of having a mobile client for some proprietary services I use. And I don’t have Google Play services at all.
- SeekPie ( @SeekPie@lemm.ee ) 1•2 months ago
To install apps from the Play Store you could maybe look at Aurora Store?
- BurningTurtle ( @BurningTurtle@feddit.org ) 29•2 months ago
You can use the aurora store for most of your play store need’s.
- OhVenus_Baby ( @OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml ) 17•2 months ago
Should be all, its simply a frontend. I have never seen an app be “missing” so to say.
- BurningTurtle ( @BurningTurtle@feddit.org ) 14•2 months ago
I was referring to features, like adding money to your account. Not that they are needed in aurora.
- Oneser ( @Oneser@lemm.ee ) 6•2 months ago
Some apps are not available in my Google store due to geoblocking. Can aurora circumvent this? Or is it a front end of the “local” google play store?
- OhVenus_Baby ( @OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml ) 5•2 months ago
A reputable VPN can block this. I’m not sure if the store can solely. I don’t believe so. If your blocked for any reason you need a good VPN. ****
- Oneser ( @Oneser@lemm.ee ) 3•2 months ago
You are correct, re-loading the aurora store after shifting my vpn to the target country (and anonymous login) seems to change the aurora storefront too :)
- Honytawk ( @Honytawk@lemmy.zip ) 4•2 months ago
Nah, I prefer F-droid wherever I can. The mentioning when an app has anti-features is so helpful.
But Aurora is a great second option.
- The Cuuuuube ( @Cube6392@beehaw.org ) English2•2 months ago
Yeah I use play store because I have to have some stuff furnished from play store for work but aurora store is a great way to acquire those apps you do need to get through life but that aren’t open source
- lisquid420 ( @lisquid420@lemm.ee ) 3•2 months ago
vouch for aurora store being awesome
- Linsensuppe ( @Linsensuppe@feddit.org ) English28•2 months ago
Every step you take towards a more private digital life is essential. I mean you have to start somewhere right? And the phone is in my opinion the biggest privacy thread out there. I am not on GrapheneOS but I’m considering switching soon.
- windlas ( @windlas@lemmy.ca ) 25•2 months ago
I switched over a year ago and have no regrets. It does everything I want (including android auto now) and gives me at least a little but more privacy than a stock android image.
The more people who use it the more impetus there is to further develop it.
Give it a go! Its a great.
- /home/pineapplelover ( @pineapplelover@lemm.ee ) 19•2 months ago
Aurora store is also pretty cool. You can download from there without a google account.
- HappyTimeHarry ( @HappyTimeHarry@lemm.ee ) English16•2 months ago
Even if apps you use depend on play store one of the things you can do on GrapheneOS is temporarily disable it and only turn it back on when apps refuse to run, another option is just keeping those apps in a separate work profile.
- Upstream7564 ( @Upstream7564@discuss.tchncs.de ) 15•2 months ago
Checkout Heliboard, it’s a fork of the discontinued Openboard which fixes a lot of it’s bugs and adds new features and improvements:
https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard
It’s avaible on F-Droid and IzzyOnDroid
- land ( @land@lemmy.ml ) 13•2 months ago
Aurora store and F-droid will be your besties, you don’t need play store unless you have purchased something.
- IDew ( @IDew@lemm.ee ) 10•2 months ago
I suggest Droid-ify over the F-Droid store for ease of use, but both work fine
- Possibly linux ( @possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip ) English6•2 months ago
I personally like the F-droid app way better. It is pretty polished and has the benefit of being first party
- The Cuuuuube ( @Cube6392@beehaw.org ) English1•2 months ago
The latest f-droid release has been causing me headaches and I’ve switched (for the time being) to droid-ify. Which also has some headaches but no show stoppers. Of the two, I can definitely say I prefer f-droid. I hope this helps someone find what they want in an app installing app
- communism ( @communism@lemmy.ml ) 4•2 months ago
You don’t need Play Store if you’ve purchased something. I had to use a paid app for a few years and installed it through Aurora. You can install paid apps on Aurora if you log into the google account you bought it on.
- land ( @land@lemmy.ml ) 1•2 months ago
Thanks for the heads up.
- 🇦🇺𝕄𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕔𝕕𝕚𝕝𝕖 ( @muntedcrocodile@lemm.ee ) English2•2 months ago
I like neo store
- jawsua ( @jawsua@lemmy.one ) 13•2 months ago
Check out Heliboard (also on F-Droid) and follow the instructions to enable gesture typing. I also suggest Futo for on-device voice to text.
What specific apps are you using that you can’t deal going away from? Other than some social media or gamr or something. Even then it seems like there are replacements a lot of the time
- EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted ( @EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) English13•2 months ago
I’d love to try out GrapheneOS (or another OS), but I can’t afford a second phone, and there’s no way I’m gonna dive head-first into something entirely unfamiliar to me when it’s my only method for telephony.
- IDew ( @IDew@lemm.ee ) 14•2 months ago
It does function just like any other phone so far I’ve tested. No app that simply doesn’t work. And if it doesn’t, you can simply exploit the GOS hardening in settings to improve compatibility. You overall have more control over any app, which I like
- K4mpfie ( @K4mpfie@feddit.de ) 3•2 months ago
One of my biggest concern is banking apps not working. Is that still an issue with Custom ROMs?Edit: Nevermind, answerd below- Facebones ( @Facebones@reddthat.com ) 3•2 months ago
I can add that ive also had 100% success with that setting, but I’ve only needed it 2 or 3 times.
- Mike D. ( @mdd@lemm.ee ) 6•2 months ago
I feel the same. If I try to install a different ROM and it falls I could be without a phone for a bit.
- Freuks ( @Freuks@lemmy.ml ) 9•2 months ago
Gos installation can’tbe easier, they have WebUI installation
- IDew ( @IDew@lemm.ee ) 6•2 months ago
I was shocked to find out that the hardest part of the installation was finding a Chromium based browser on PC lol
All you have to do to install GrapheneOS is press one button in the WebUI. No other ‘ROM’ has been easier to install.
- Andromxda 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇹🇼 ( @Andromxda@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English2•2 months ago
You can also use a Chromium-based browser on another Android device
- EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted ( @EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) English2•2 months ago
Exactly.
- 𝙻𝚘𝚗𝚐𝙼𝚊𝚌𝚃𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍𝚄𝚙 ( @Longmactoppedup@aussie.zone ) 5•2 months ago
Ironically it was when the stock android upgrade on my pixel 7 completely bricked my phone (due to the multiple user profiles bug) that I decided to jump in to Graphene head first.
Compared to my experience running random ROMs on Samsungs back in the era of galaxy note 1 to 4, Graphene installer was so easy!
- communism ( @communism@lemmy.ml ) 3•2 months ago
It is really similar to stock android in terms of functionality. It’s just degoogled and hardened. It’s designed to be user-friendly and not for tech-savvy people (though tech-savvy-friendly—which is part of being user-friendly imo). I promise you you can use it out of the box once installed just like a stock android install. The only thing to be aware of is to install some kind of package manager like fdroid or aurora store, or even grapheneos’s unprivileged google play store, to get apps, unless you just want to use the stock apps it comes with i guess in which case you probably shouldn’t waste money on a smartphone.
- EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted ( @EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) English1•2 months ago
Really? That’s awesome! I think I’ll check it out. :)
Edit: …Seriously? They only support Pixel devices? Wow. Fuck this.
- communism ( @communism@lemmy.ml ) 3•2 months ago
Yes, only Pixels are officially supported. If you want to add support for other devices, it’s a foss project and you’re welcome to write the code yourself. For other devices there are other degoogled OSes you can use. Graphene is generally considered the most secure but if you have another phone you can install one of the other AOSP forks or turn it into a linux phone or something
- The Cuuuuube ( @Cube6392@beehaw.org ) English3•2 months ago
Its also worth noting Graphene’s focus on pixel devices stems from those devices having more easily secured hardware. Which android fork you decide to use will depend on your particular use case. I wound up going with a Pixel and Graphene for android auto. But if you’re someone with existing hardware that you want to set up with a degoogled os, there’s e/os, lineageos, CalyxOS, iodé, and, if you wanna get really weird, postmarket os. Having done a deep dive into this I can honestly day there’s no single OSFA answer to this.
- EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted ( @EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) English2•2 months ago
I did not realize there were other forks besides Graphene and LineageOS.
In any case, thanks for the info. I guess I’ll have to shop around.
- lseif ( @lseif@sopuli.xyz ) 13•2 months ago
Sometimes it feels meaningless committing to this whole thing because I’m not perfectly private
every small change matters
- The Cuuuuube ( @Cube6392@beehaw.org ) English2•2 months ago
Exactly. I don’t even think of myself as having escaped surveillance capitalism. I’ve made it less lucrative though. All that data they’re mining? I’ve done a little bit of work to make sure the mines are tapped out. I’m gonna keep working to convince others that there’s value in doing the same. Its all part of telling these greedy shitheads we won’t accept their global destruction anymore
- sic_semper_tyrannis ( @sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today ) English11•2 months ago
Don’t forget to change your DNS provider to something such as NextDNS for added benefits
- Facebones ( @Facebones@reddthat.com ) 2•2 months ago
Does it have any benefits over just running pihole, other than reliability?
- 0^2 ( @zer0squar3d@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) 7•2 months ago
You aren’t always home, therefore when you aren’t home it’s useful.
- Hellmo_luciferrari ( @Hellmo_Luciferrari@lemm.ee ) English2•2 months ago
You can still use PiHole as your DNS when not home if you setup a VPN. For me that was the route I went.
- voxel ( @vox@sopuli.xyz ) 2•2 months ago
or you can allow public authenticated access to dns over https… (just don’t expose the raw udp dns server, it’s a really bad idea)
(not sure if DoT can also support auth, but if it does that’s great because android supports dot natively)- Hellmo_luciferrari ( @Hellmo_Luciferrari@lemm.ee ) English1•2 months ago
I know I don’t want to open up any more ports than I have to, but you’re right, that does sound like another alternative to setting up VPN.
Since I access more than just my pihole when connected to my home network. And because I want access to my home services, and don’t want to open up access to the public, opening one port and connecting to VPN is the way to do it. I have one port opened up for my VPN, and in order to connect you have to have my IP or my domain pointed at the IP, and you have to have a Wireguard profile setup, and know what port is open. So that does help a tad bit with my security concerns.
Edit: how would I go about that if I felt so inclined? Any tips?
- toastal ( @toastal@lemmy.ml ) 1•2 months ago
You might be underestimating the OP
- Andromxda 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇹🇼 ( @Andromxda@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English6•2 months ago
It also works when using cellular data or connecting to a different Wi-Fi network. Your Pi-Hole only works when you’re at home or when you VPN into your home network
- Facebones ( @Facebones@reddthat.com ) 2•2 months ago
Fair. I always assumed I could just point to it while I’m out, but i also haven’t put a lot of thought into it yet lol
- Andromxda 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇹🇼 ( @Andromxda@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) English1•2 months ago
I mean you technically could expose the Pi-Hole from your home network on the internet, but I don’t recommend it. A VPN (either a simple WireGuard setup or something more fancy like NetBird, ZeroTier or Tailscale) could work, but I think NextDNS is the easier solution. Alternatively you could look into running your Pi-Hole on a VPS with WireHole.
- T (they/she) ( @Templa@beehaw.org ) 9•2 months ago
I’m curious why no one recommending FlorisBoard.
I’ve been using GraoheneOS as my daily driver for months now. I still have issues with things that need Google Localization (car sharing program in my city for example) and I’ve had a few banking apps complaining when being installed from the Aurora Store.
I miss having my cards on my phone quite a lot.
- lseif ( @lseif@sopuli.xyz ) 3•2 months ago
+1 for this, but i will mention that suggestions/autocorrect is not stable yet if that matters for people.
- sparkle ( @sparkle@lemm.ee ) Cymraeg3•2 months ago
Suggestions/autocorrect will likely come within the next 2 months when 0.5 releases
It’s also easily customizable and will likely have an in-app layout editor by 0.6
- lseif ( @lseif@sopuli.xyz ) 2•2 months ago
hopefully i can move clipboard buttons too.
- The Cuuuuube ( @Cube6392@beehaw.org ) English1•2 months ago
I tried Floris board. Its particular rough patches are deal breakers for me, but I’m sure my keyboard of choice has rough patches that would be deal breakers for potential Floris board users. I hope some people see your comment and give it a try. It seems like a promising project
- marcie (she/her) ( @marcie@lemmy.ml ) 1•2 months ago
FUTO Keyboard is really nice imo
- Qkall ( @Qkall@lemmy.ml ) 6•2 months ago
Have you checked out this?
Yes. The reason I don’t use Aurora is because I’ve heard it’s instable sometimes and uses many anonymous Google accounts in order to install apps. I feel safer using my own burner account for that.
- tuxec ( @tuxec@infosec.pub ) 10•2 months ago
You can also use your own Google account in Aurora store.
Interesting. I’ll check this out later.
- IDew ( @IDew@lemm.ee ) 6•2 months ago
Definitely do! I also suggest Droid-ify for FOSS apps :)
- tuxec ( @tuxec@infosec.pub ) 1•2 months ago
There is also Neo Store which can be used as a F-Droid client.
- Sivilian ( @Sivilian@lemmy.zip ) English5•2 months ago
I have been using lots of the different private keyboards that have been out for a while but FUTO just came out with a amazing Keyboard that has better then Google Voice typing.
- Rogue1633 ( @Rogue1633@discuss.tchncs.de ) 5•2 months ago
Today I learned that Vanadium has a search widget, so thanks for the post :D
- IDew ( @IDew@lemm.ee ) 6•2 months ago
It gets me wondering, I have never use a search bar widget in my life and I find them rather setting in the way… My search bar is just 1 tap away inside Firefox, which is also on the desktop… I’ve not seen many people around me use it
Do people really use it?
- Rogue1633 ( @Rogue1633@discuss.tchncs.de ) 4•2 months ago
Well I used to use it when I was still using normal Android. When I open Vanadium I get greeted with the last page I visited and I get distracted from that, so a search widget helps me.
- IDew ( @IDew@lemm.ee ) 3•2 months ago
Makes sense. Whenever I open Firefox, of opens on the (empty) homescreen where I can start typing in the URL bar right away. But everyone has got their own ways!