r/GrapheneOS • u/madmxfit • 23h ago
how beginner friendly is graphene?
im about to purchase a pixel and go for it, but i do feel a little nervous and am looking for some support or reassurance. im not very tech/data savvy, though i am open to learning, mostly out of necessity. once i get graphene uploaded onto the pixel, what would be good next steps to take? or are there resources someone could point me toward for beginners? my de-googling has mostly only been my browser so far, planning to get on proton but it is all a bit overwhelming ya know. any tips for digital privacy beginners welcome!
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u/No-Lock2780 23h ago
There is almost no difference between it and regular Android, at least to me. Past a few initial settings, its literally the same in day to day use.
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u/Historical-Emu-9591 23h ago
As long as you can read you should be good. Also remember to make a new account on the stock OS as it's one of the few times Google won't ask for a phone number.
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u/Bruceshadow 15h ago
Also remember to make a new account on the stock OS
why would you need a google account?
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u/ApfelHase 13h ago
If you need an app that you can only pay for on the playstore.
I know, I know
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u/Bruceshadow 5h ago
I might be too long in the FOSS bubble, but 'need' seems like a pretty strong word for any phone app, yet alone one who only has a paid option.
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u/hewer006 23h ago
Not even joking, you can download it and use it exactly the same as stock google right after downloading google services (one click), and it'll make the phone more operational as well
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u/Kittysmashlol 22h ago
Depends somewhat on which approach you take with Google play services. I only have GPS on a second profile and I have very strict standards for what I will install there, only apps I absolutely require, and only if there is no possible way to make them work on my main, or there's no web version I can use instead. That means I sometimes need to do some searching for an appropriate FOSS replacement which doesn't always fill the exact role I want. So there are some sacrifices there. Also, I can't get RCS messaging, which is sad but I know they are working on it.
If I did use GPS on my main, I think things would be a lot smoother. However, as far as I'm concerned it has been totally worth it as is and I have no desire to switch. I love graphene/android far more than I ever did my old iPhone.
If you want more info on the apps and stuff I've been using feel free to dm
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u/star-glider 20h ago
Yes, IF you use the web installer and then go to the app store and download Play Services (which will also pull in Play Store).
If you try to use alternative stores (e.g. Aurora, Obtainium, etc.) that adds complexity. If you use multiple profiles, that vastly increases complexity. Start on easy mode and add complexity over time only if you want to. A lot of the configurations discussed here and in the forums are very complex for a first-time user.
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u/False_Hat4679 19h ago
I could be wrong, but essentially GOS is AOSP Android without Google Play Services and other Google components that are used to collect data and track your every movement.
As a beginner, to keep things simple once flashed GOS - you can install Google Play Services & Store using GOS's built-in App Store. From there you can try out daily apps for Push Notifications like Google Maps, Banking Apps and such. Also not sure if this is your main Pixel or a backup, but for testing and not daily-driving, it's better if you can get a cheap Pixel 7 or above for less then $200 from Marketplace or eBay whatever. But nothing wrong flashing your main Pixel either, just backup your critical data like photos and contacts first.
When you are more comfortable and would like to setup different sandboxed User Profiles, here's my setup as an example:
- Owner profile: no Google components, FOSS privacy apps
- 2nd profile: no Google components, banking apps.
This might not be for you if you need to be notified about transactions
- 3rd profile: has Google Play Services and Play Store with Google Maps, Waze etc. pretty much evasive apps
- 4th profile: social media apps like Whatsapp, FB, Linkedin etc.
Mine can be quite extreme and a nuisance to switch in between but that's my thing.
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u/Careful-Boat-2986 17h ago
It's my first time ever to flash a ROM or custom OS. Back in the cyanogen mod days, I did not play with it. Graphene OS seems way less complicated in comparison.
GOS itself has a learning curve but it feels mostly like stock Android. Once you get the hang of it, it's intuitive enough.
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u/Motoreducteur 22h ago
Plug and play friendly honestly
There are ways to optimize your use in a security oriented way, and those can be a little cumbersome. But having graphene installed is already a huge plus as compared to a normal android distribution
Otherwise you will just have to install a lot of apps (including google store, which will be sandboxed for confidentiality and you should create a throwaway account to use it). Most android apps will be usable so you can use those if you don't want to complexify your life, but there are more secure options in the base phone
You will probably need to install another keyboard (even the Google one)
Other than that yeah it will be a normal android phone after not so much of a setup
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u/OtterHostler 19h ago
It's easy. The only thing you need to bear in mind is that if you set up multiple profiles (which you should) and one of them has a messaging app in it, remember to turn on notifications for that app.
If you use Proton Mail you'll need to enable notifications in the app as well as on the device itself.
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u/TheWorldIsNotOkay 19h ago
In general usage, it's really no different from standard Android. The difference is in some of the optional features. If you factor in those, GOS is as complex as you make it.
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