Thanks, I plan on doing this when my phone dies. Just some questions:

A computer with a Chromium-based browser (e.g., Google Chrome, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi?). Unfortunately, I must recommend Windows 10/11 here, because then you don’t have to mess around with any drivers; it’s the simplest option.

This is the first I've read this, how much of a pain is it to use Linux instead? I don't have any Windows computers.

First of all, we need to make sure that our phone’s software is updated to the latest available version. For this purpose, we go to Settings -> System -> System update. If necessary, we update

How is this possible if the previous step skipped SIM and Wifi setup? I assume, if there's updates, to setup Wifi then proceed?

securing the phone with a fingerprint; I personally am an advocate of this solution...

Recommend not doing this for users in the USA, as police can compel you to unlock biometric locks. Yes, it's fucked up, that's what happens when octogenarian fascists run all three branches of your government.

GrapheneOS has guides for installing regardless of platform, here's the relevant page on their official site.

GrapheneOS supports a "duress password" that you can enter to lock up the phone and securely erase any data stored - it's designed for those situations (so just push that pin in if you're in that situation).

I feel as though having biometrics installed, Face ID and/or fingerprint, kind of defeats the purpose of a privacy OS. Where as pin and a duress pin would be the choice going forward and managing the phones security.

This is the first I've read this, how much of a pain is it to use Linux instead? I don't have any Windows computers.

No issues at all. Not sure what drivers the author was referring to but using the web installer you pretty much just plug the phone in and click through some buttons.

CLI installation guide is perfect, thank you.

Smooth installation here with Vivaldi on Ubuntu (or fedora, not sure as I was distro hoppping a lot at the time)

It depends on your threat level.

For daily use the fingerprint sensor is just practical. I use it with a secondary pin, so finger and a short pin hits the right balance of security and convenience for me.
If I cross borders or join a protest, biometrics are removed beforehand.

I put grapheneos on my current phone using my previous phone (samsung s22) and a usb c cable. Wasn't hard at all, just had to follow the prompts.

If only something more than Pixels was supported.

SOON

Another reply did the thinking emoji face at biometrics and that’s good. Here’s why it’s worthwhile to never enable biometrics:

You don’t know when you’re going to be compelled to use them and you don’t drill on turning them off.

The whole point of no knock and other police tactics is to prevent you from keeping them from getting what they want. You can’t expect yourself to just never be surprised, that’s ridiculous. Turn biometrics off so getting surprised by the cops doesn’t immediately give them the keys to the castle!

No one drills enough, but let’s say you’re the one person who does drill enough on turning off biometrics: wouldn’t that practice time be better spent with biometrics off, drilling on shutting your phone down so they have to deal with its much more secure Before First Unlock state instead?

Turn off biometrics and practice turning your phone off.

I wonder is this something to actually worry about outside of the US?

I don't remember if I did my phone on Linux or windows, but depending on your Linux install you may or not have drivers pre installed. That's more of a result of Linux installing only what you need, vs windows installing everything someone might need.

As for wifi/updating, I don't see it as a necessary step on a new phone. However, for a new phone it may be worth loading the stock OS, and running with it for a day or 2 just to make sure everything (WiFi, battery life, cell, BT, etc) actually works before you go crazy troubleshooting a problem that was there out of the box.

Once you do get Graphene installed, you'll then want to check for any updates.

While having Finger print on/off is everyone's personal choice, it is pretty easy to lock down the phone. You can spam the wrong finger a few times and it will force the pin requirement or if you press and hold the power button a lockdown button appears, either way it only takes a few seconds.

Despite what the news would lead you to believe, most people aren't talking to police every day. That being said, if you are going to be in an area with high police presence, than turning off the finger print is 100% recommended.

This is the first I’ve read this, how much of a pain is it to use Linux instead?

I flashed it on my 8a a couple of weeks ago using Chromium on EndeavourOS without issues.

I flashed my pixel to graphene on Linux without any issue. I used an arch based distro and temporarily installed Brave to perform the flash.

In my country police are known to torture people until they sign a confession written by them. So I don't think disabling biometrics will make a difference. But I've still done it.

Yes it absolutely is.

Every nation has a byzantine system of laws and codes enumerating different ways for police to violate the “rights” that nation has enshrined in law.

One way to avoid compelled speech (a “right” Americans have but other nations citizens might not) is to simply misremember your lock code as many times as it takes to trigger factory reset.

Americans don’t need to know that because they can’t be compelled to enter a passkey, but people in countries with no qualms about compelled speech like Germany would be well served by disabling biometrics so they have the option of lying and taking that hit instead of giving up their privacy.

Do your own research about your jurisdiction, but go ahead and turn off biometrics because it literally makes any group that can control your movement (which in English common law is the basis for the concept of “arrest”, and so likely a situation many different nationalities will face) access to your devices.

I bought a pixel 10 because I wanted face unlock for contactless payments (level 3 biometric).

But from what I've read in the past, GrapheneOS doesn't work with most banking apps let alone payments.

Just tap the card and check your bank account via browser?

We've been doing electronic payment and banking without smartphones for decades...

™

I bought the 10 pro fold when it came out and flashed it to grapheneos right out of the box.

Also, break free from RCS and from participating in group chats with anyone you can't convince to move to another platform.

I daily drive grapheneOS, and wouldn't go back to iOS or Google-ed Android for anything, but it really sucked having to tell friends, family, and others I couldn't participate in our old group chats anymore.

EDIT: Apparently, they released a fix over the weekend, as aoude pointed out in another comment. So it's working for me on AT&T now.

Link to instructions: https://grapheneos.org/usage#rcs

GOS is great. Funny, I used to rom hop and distro hop a lot; but on GOS, I installed it once and so far so good (5+ months in).

Just some tips for new users: Just install it and dont be afraid to try things out (Google Store, profiles, Aurora...etc). Oh and dont make it tooooo complicate with many profiles and private space. You can test first but dont over do it if you're not experienced.

And no, I am not a dev from GOS lol. I'm an ordinary user who wants to take control of my phone.

I was seriously considering getting an over priced pixel phone just so I could get graphene os, but then I discovered, that rooting it is impossible. Pity

Linux works broadly across a wide range of hardware, but it's not 100%. You can ``very easily test hardware compatibility with a Live USB install of most Linux distros. Windows is a way bigger driver pain in the ass if you ask me.

I’d likely make the jump if they supported Google pay. But they don’t, so iPhone it is now

Break free from Google with buying Google product? Lol

I ran various custom ROM's for years on a FairPhone3+. It was great right up until the day all my banking apps stopped working. Banking app incompatibility is NOT the fault of GrapheneOS (or any other custom ROM) dev's at all . . . but IMO this is the real problem today with any alternative mobile OS. Privacy vs. banking convenience. And yes, YMMV as some of them do work . . and mine did as well . . right up until the day they didn't.

Ironic but true

Exactly! I’d love to switch, but I rely on my banking apps too much. That’s a dealbreaker for me as well.

This attitude is, to me, very security through obscurity. I did consider your idea, but on the whole can't be bothered 🤷

Just use a web browser.

People act like they can't live without these apps, which are often just a repackaged website anyway.

This is the first I’ve read this, how much of a pain is it to use Linux instead? I don’t have any Windows computers.

You only need a browser that supports WebUSB.

Chrome and Brave support WebUSB on Linux.

How is this possible if the previous step skipped SIM and Wifi setup? I assume, if there’s updates, to setup Wifi then proceed?

I believe that vendors can include updates on the device that sit in the same fastboot space as you'll be using to install Graphene. By running the system update, it applies any lingering patches, clearing the space for the Graphene install. The update (without SIM or Wifi) will only work if this is the case. So this step is more 'ensure that there are no updates on the disk that will screw up the install' than 'make sure your phone is up to date'... since Graphene has its own methods for applying patches.

My primary bank is phone only.

Do you recommend putting it on pixel 6? Or is it outdated?

pushTAN?

Totally understood. It wasnt a deal-breaker for me, but I can see how it would be for others.

I've seen on the grapheneOS discuss boards that some people have gotten it to work, but none of their fixes have worked for me.

Do banking exclusively through the online portals? For me, if that means using my desktop or a laptop for banking, that's what I do, because I will not install a banking app on my phone.

Break free from Google! By buying a Google phone...

Switch banks. That's what I did. I had a bank that required an app to use them as well before I decided that I cared about my privacy and wanted more of it. And when I found out that my bank wouldn't let me do things, I switched banks. Because fuck them.

Generally it's neobanks that cause the most problems. If you're using older banks that have been around for quite a long time, they don't have nearly the technology, so are less likely to have this occur. In the United States, an example of this might be something like Wells Fargo or Discover or something like that, whereas one of these neobanks that would cause problems would be like chime.

Generally, stay away from thin tech and stay with actual banks. You might also look at credit unions. My local credit union is really good, and has a good online website, and has an app as well, but doesn't require it at all.

This OS is pointless. I have a Motorola Edge. It's like the OS is written by Google fanbois. Know what would be cool? Something that works on many types of phones.

I tried to switch to grapheneOS after my iPhone broke. RCS incompatibility is why I ended up purchasing another refurbished iPhone.

Managed to get my immediate family to try out Signal, but the fact that EXIF data was stripped from photos made it a no-go. We share photos in our group chat very often, and photos saved from Signal having the wrong date/time and no location drove them bonkers.

Outside of immediate family, most of my friends would only communicate through Discord...yeah, no thanks, I'd rather use iMessage lol.

I use several banks and several credit unions, and the only thing I can't do with a laptop is deposit checks (which is getting pretty rare).

FinTech products like PayPal, Venmo, Cash.app, BlueBird and such often require a phone app, but aren't regulated banks, and are best avoided when possible.

Ubuntu touch works on most android phones and has a handful with official support

There's also the risk that credit card companies are claiming that fraud done using your phone app (for example, someone stole your unlocked phone(*)) is not covered, and you are on the hook for losses.

But stolen physical credit cards are always covered.

(*)EDIT: I thought I'd read a report that someone who had been mugged and forced to give their phone+PIN had an issue with their CC company; but it looks like this is mostly a problem with money transferred out of a bank account, not credit card purchases... and even then, hiring a lawyer will usually get the bank to pay-up.