this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2024

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Privacy

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Installed GrapheneOS for the first time (midwest.social)

submitted 3 months ago by clark@midwest.social to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

170 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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!

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[–] Username@feddit.de 96 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (18 children)

OpenBoard is no longer maintained.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.

[–] clark@midwest.social 10 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Thanks for the heads-up!

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[–] BurningTurtle@feddit.org 38 points 3 months ago (2 children)

You can use the aurora store for most of your play store need's.

[–] OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml 19 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Should be all, its simply a frontend. I have never seen an app be "missing" so to say.

[–] BurningTurtle@feddit.org 14 points 3 months ago

I was referring to features, like adding money to your account. Not that they are needed in aurora.

[–] Oneser@lemm.ee 6 points 3 months ago (2 children)

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?

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[–] Linsensuppe@feddit.org 35 points 3 months ago (1 children)

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@lemmy.ca 28 points 3 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.

[–] pineapplelover@lemm.ee 28 points 3 months ago

Aurora store is also pretty cool. You can download from there without a google account.

[–] g1ya777@lemmy.world 23 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I just keep Play store installed with all permissions disabled, including network, and use Aurora store instead.

[–] clark@midwest.social 9 points 3 months ago (2 children)

What is the main difference between using Play Store and Aurora store (logged in with your Google account)?

[–] yonder@sh.itjust.works 20 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Aurora store has a cleaner interface with no ads and can be used without a google account.

[–] clark@midwest.social 6 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I’m more curious about the privacy aspect of using Aurora over Play, especially considering since I will be logged into my G account.

[–] yonder@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 months ago (7 children)

When starting Aurora, you can choose between an anonymous account or your own. You can still use the anonymous option even if you are logged in to other services with google. If you go logged on anyways, I guess Google will not know your every tap with Aurora? I would think logged in, google play store and aurora would be comparable (not private).

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[–] shekau@lemmy.today 6 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Just dont use your personal g acc (obviously), and its fine.

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[–] communism@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Aurora is a foss wrapper with fewer anti-features like ads. You could trust the client more ig if you're using Aurora. I use F-Droid for most things and then Aurora for like 3 apps I'm not willing to give up and have no foss alternatives. I mostly just use Aurora out of principle for the apps I can't get from F-Droid, but also I guess out of a lack of trust for Google (which I suppose is related to the principle of not using proprietary software anyway)

[–] HappyTimeHarry@lemm.ee 20 points 3 months ago (13 children)

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.

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[–] lseif@sopuli.xyz 18 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Sometimes it feels meaningless committing to this whole thing because I'm not perfectly private

every small change matters

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[–] jawsua@lemmy.one 17 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 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

[–] land@lemmy.ml 15 points 3 months ago (12 children)

Aurora store and F-droid will be your besties, you don’t need play store unless you have purchased something.

[–] IDew@lemm.ee 12 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I suggest Droid-ify over the F-Droid store for ease of use, but both work fine

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[–] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (8 children)

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@lemm.ee 16 points 3 months ago (2 children)

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

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[–] mdd@lemm.ee 6 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I feel the same. If I try to install a different ROM and it falls I could be without a phone for a bit.

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[–] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today 13 points 3 months ago (12 children)

Don't forget to change your DNS provider to something such as NextDNS for added benefits

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[–] Codilingus@sh.itjust.works 13 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

http://futo.org/keyboard

Been using that for a few days now, I'll never go back to AOSP, gboard, heli, nor anything else. Saw a video of who I think is the head of futo, giving a no fucks given presentation, says he's tired of non google keyboards that make it feel like your typing drunk. Website has a QR code to add the Futo repo to fdroid, ez pz.

[–] Fuzzy_Red_Panda@lemm.ee 9 points 3 months ago (6 children)

What don't you like about HeliBoard? I have it and FUTO both installed, but I prefer HeliBoard due to its 'hold space bar to move cursor' option. Then I use FUTO for the occasional SpeechToText.

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[–] Andromxda@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Unfortunately not FOSS

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[–] Templa@beehaw.org 9 points 3 months ago (5 children)

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.

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[–] Dop@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago

You can set up multiple user profile and install the play services in only 1 profile if you want to jeep other profile more private

[–] TheSun 7 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (6 children)

Look into the user profiles feature to further isolate any play store apps you still use. I have one profile called gshit and thats the only one I install anything non-opensource on from the Aurora store.

This prevents any playstore apps from accessing say photos, contacts, messages, etc on your main profile.

PS. If you don't like the stock launcher either you should check out KISS launcher (minimal mode)

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[–] communism@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 months ago

I recommend you use GrapheneOS as your daily driver. There's not really any reason not to. I have been for years and never had trouble.

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