Since GrapheneOS is the standard recommendation for a custom ROM on Pixel devices and comes up very often, I figured we should have a thread about it.
For those who are using it, what Pixel device are you running GrapheneOS on and how is the overall experience? What are the things that you like about GrapheneOS and what are things you miss from the factory Android install?
As for me, my curiosity got the better of me and I finally went and installed GrapheneOS on my Pixel 7a using the web installer on Arch Linux and a USB cable.
So far, nothing unexpected and I’ll have to do a bit of exploring of the OS’ security features. The OS works just fine and feels obviously way cleaner and less bloated, the annoying search widget finally went away without having to install a custom launcher. The only thing that scared me a bit in the beginning was the contacts not syncing and some purchased apps not transferring over as the sandboxed Google Play saw the device as a different one but that was solved by giving it permission to access contacts and also waiting for Google Play to do its thing. Google Camera and Google Photos also worked fine without network permissions.
I haven’t tried Google Wallet’s NFC payments yet and I have no hopes for that one to work on GrapheneOS, but that is certainly a feature I will miss.
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I have been using GrapheneOS since the Pixel 6 came out and I have no complaints. I get regular updates, the OS is super stable and my phone is free of the pre-installed ad- and spyware.
I also remember the ridiculously easy and straight forward install, something that I wasn’t expecting since I used to tinker with LineageOS and CyanogenMod way back. It almost feels like a stock rom.
The additional security features are great, though they come with the tiny inconvenience of not having access to system files (which is obviously by design).
Overall I couldn’t be happier with it and I’ll continue to use it for as long as I can.
I like learning about it, but I worry about incompatibility with apps I might need for work and school.
I might switch to it someday, just not today
Doesn’t it have compatibility mode where it sandboxes Google services?
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Yeah and most install google play anyway. It’s literally a stock Pixel phone with missing features.
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literally a stock Pixel phone with missing features
Does the stock Pixel operating system have a network permission toggle that can limit any app’s access to the internet pre- or post-install?
Does the stock Pixel OS have storage scopes or contact scopes, both of which give you granular control over what data an app can see/access?
Most? What’s your source on that?
The point is that you can if you want to, but you don’t have to; you’re free to choose.
Just like you can have Linux and proprietary stuff like Steam on it. It isn’t really contradictory, the whole issue is about choice and controlled privacy. When you install an app through the Sandboxed Google Play, you not only don’t have to deal with the Play background services anymore, but as Redoomed mentioned you also get more fine-grained control of what the installed app can and cannot do. Even proprietary stuff should be more secure in theory since among other things they reroute malloc calls to their hardened versions.
With the factory Android install you don’t have that much control and you can see that on the first boot as you’re from the start stuck with the ugly Google search bar on the home screen with no way to remove it other than installing another launcher.
still using my pixel 3a XL, graphene was great until suddenly it wasnt. As soon as google drops support for the device you’re on your own. Most of the apps still get updated but the OS no longer gets security updates, which is understandable but unfortunate.
It seems CalyxOS still offers extended support for your phone until August 2024 (see https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/device-support/ )
Google Pay incompatibility is certainly a tough pill to swallow. Other than that is Google Maps working fine ? What about Android Auto? I’m definately interested to go this route.
Can’t speak about Android Auto, maybe someone else can chip in, but Google Maps works perfectly well.
You’re correct. Google maps works. Android Auto does not.
The fact that Android Auto does not work is what prevented me to install Graphene.
Damn, what is it holding it back ?
Android Auto can’t work with sandboxing, it basically needs to run as root and get full access to absolutely everything on the device.
I’d not expect it to work ever, unless someone spends significant time reverse engineering it.
The devs are currently working on Android Auto support! They are testing it and it should be released in a few releases I can’t find the right the link. But they also did announce it on twitter: https://twitter.com/GrapheneOS/status/1721263825192726737?s=19
I shared the literal quote from the grapheneos devs with a buddy, but didn’t save the url: “Android Auto support for sandboxed Google Play has been implemented in a feature branch and is being tested”
You can find multiple Quotes by the devs in their discord / matrix channels, just search for Android auto Last reply was an hour ago saying support is coming “very soon”
Neat! That’s a massive undertaking considering how much stuff needs to be shimmed to protect privacy, surprised anyone bothered! But I guess someone on the team must have bought a new car recently and want it working.
I tried it out on my Pixel 8 Pro but I’m back on stock. I’m trying to be more privacy focused, but I use a lot of Google apps still, so I had almost everything enabled from Google anyways, so I might as well stay on stock for now. It was neat, but I didn’t notice any battery improvements, which is also what I was looking for
GrapheneOS is amazing. So many privacy and security features. I finally feel in complete control of my phone. It’s not only secure and private, it’s also smooth and stable too, much more so than the buggy mess that is stock Pixel OS. And did I mention that it updates faster than stock OS!? It’s also far more stable than every other alternative OS on every other phone I’ve had. I loved it so much I sent my first 5$ to a FOSS project ever LOL. This is my endgame OS and I’m never using anything else ever again.
I also like it, but installing apps takes such a long time and auto updates don’t always work. When you open aurora store or f-droid you’ll get a dialog to allow an app to install. Battery drain was also higher than on stock. Not sure why that is, even without Google apps.
I’ve been running Graphene on my Pixel 6 pro for about a year now and it’s been pretty great. I have had a couple bugs here and there but nothing a quick restart wouldn’t fix. I can honestly say I don’t really miss any of the google stuff, I’ve switched to FOSS apps for pretty much everything ,except for what’s required for work.
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I switched, and have seen no difference.
I think he means Google’s anti-spam solution for calls and text messages and he’s right, I’ve also been getting some spam recently that I wasn’t getting before moving to GrapheneOS. I’m not sure if there’s a good FOSS solution for that? There’s also the option of just installing Google’s phone and messages apps but that kind of defeats the purpose.
Android auto now available from graphene, tonight or tomorrow from alpha version
excellent news, thanks!
I use it on Pixel 7 and my partner on Pixel 6a. I miss Android auto sometimes, but I would use it maybe twice a year so it isn’t a big deal to me. Otherwise it’s great, I had no trouble using NFC paiment and apart from android auto, every single app i’ve tried worked without issue.
Android Auto is in the works and it is one of the teams priority. They know it holds many back from installing.
This was from one of their social posts. Can’t recall if it was Bluesky, Mastodon or other.
Yes, I saw it too. I guess they still need time for this feature. It doesn’t sound like a very trivial fix, at least not without compromizing on security and privacy.
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Pixel 5a, been using it for 3 years. It’s great. But don’t put anything you need to receive notifications from in a different profile or you’ll never see them.
I use it on my Pixel 7. Don’t miss anything from stock Google. Your usage will vary depending on your needs.
GrapheneOS on Pixel 6: In addition to my physical Sim card, I downloaded 2 eSims(I know I’m weird).
I like having the option to cut network access to anything and also the option to run Google apps like on stock Google Android.
I don’t feel tracked by businesses that I visit anymore.
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