Anyone have experience with GrapheneOS on a Pixel 8?

May 20, 2024 11:10 AM

Shopping for a new phone and I am interested in something that strikes a balance between good privacy and using common apps and features. Specifically, I am trying to limit the amount of data corporations can collect about me while maintaining as much of the capability of the phone as possible.

I was reading a thread on this topic from a few weeks ago and this comment from Busy Old Fool mentioned GrapheneOS as an alternative to Android. I am not super technical, but I am capable of following instructions, so I think I can manage the install. What I want to understand is if I will still be able to use common apps like Uber and apps I need for work like Slack, plus some additional random apps that I may need in the future (every conference I go to seems to have its own app, annoyingly). Is it possible for a not-too-technical person to get that all running smoothly on a Pixel8?

For privacy, I am trying to protect my data from corporations more than from governments.

I am open to looking at other phones, but this one has a nice camera and is not gigantic.

posted by keeo to Technology (5 answers total)

Although in theory Uber is supported, several GrapheneOS users report problems.

You can't rely on all apps working. Most developers haven't heard of GrapheneOS and have no interest in testing or resolving any issues that arise from not having access to the official build of Google Play Services.

Have a read of this FAQ "Do notifications work properly on GrapheneOS?" which starts out with "yes" but really says "notifications might not work at all if you're not looking at the app. it all depends".

If this sounds like a fun set of problems to deal with, carry on! If not, I'd probably take a closer look at Apple's privacy features.
posted by Klipspringer at 1:55 PM on May 20 [1 favorite]

I have experience with Pixel 3-6. GrapheneOS is your best alternative for running normal android apps normally. It includes the normal google play services and store by default. They just lock it in a sandbox. I haven't run into a broken app at all, since all normal requirements are met. Even android auto works. (But as someone interested in privacy, I don't use Uber.)

If you do need to install something with bad privacy, you can block it from the network or limit which files it can see. I use the google camera and keyboard that way.

They have a very good web installer, as well. You don't need to be technical. You will lose all current files stored on the phone, though.


Comparatively, on LineageOS, which is the extremely pure and open-source base, I couldn't even get GPS working. And I had to use alternative app stores. Almost all play store apps completely balked at having no underlying google services. That's probably what you're imagining will happen.

With LineageOS+microg (a spoof of google play services), I was able to get more normal apps fooled and working. I used it for years. But I still wasn't able to use banking apps, lottery apps, water heater apps, assistants, or android auto.
posted by Snijglau at 2:49 PM on May 20

I've been running Graphene OS on a 6 for awhile now. I really like it. One benefit...since the OS cannot 'phone home' constantly to rat out your location or other activities, the battery lasts longer. My recall is I had another phone as my daily driver while I got Graphene OS installed, which was pretty easy to do compared to the root kit type installs.
Given it's likely that Google services will still be installed if you want to use Drive, Gmail or the Play store, those services run in a sandbox and do not have permissions unless you grant them.I think of it as having a leash on Google's spyware....Google still gets data from my phone but a lot less than if I ran stock Android.
It also makes it a lot easier if you want to de-Google your cell phone use. I haven't experienced much in the way of problems running apps I want to have. Of the very few problems with apps I can't say whether Graphene was the issue or not. Banking apps, browsers, I run all sort of things same as under stock Android.
posted by diode at 2:58 PM on May 20

I have a Pixel 8 running GrapheneOS. The battery life is pretty darn good for a Pixel, it beat my former Pixel 7 and OnePlus 11 running LineageOS but my OnePlus 12 running the stock OxygenOS lasts far longer than my P8. Don't judge me for having so many devices, but I did later sell a lot of them.

However, I was kinda missing the clean stock Android experience and nowadays GrapheneOS is far ahead of LineageOS in terms of polish and being interesting in general. Not to hate on Lineage, they do so many great things also, look at how many devices they support (versus how little Graphene supports) and also have a much less toxic community. Daniel Micay (Graphene's founder) is very paranoid himself so some people see that as a plus.

GrapheneOS doesn't work clean cut with all apps whereas LineageOS is usually more compatible. I've had some trouble with Uber and Starbucks in the past. GrapheneOS is ultra hardened (even Cellbrite couldn't hack it) whereas LineageOS is much weaker than Pixel stock security for someone who contributed to both Lineage and Graphene.

Another option is CalyxOS. GrapheneOS loves to hate on Calyx (hence the "toxic" community) but I'll give an unbiased opinion: CalyxOS is not as hardened as GrapheneOS but it's goals are different from Graphene's. CalyxOS is an out of the box 99.9% Google-free Android experience whereas GrapheneOS is an uber hardened Android with an option to have official Google apps.

CalyxOS has quite a bit of FOSS apps pre-installed a la desktop Linux whereas GrapheneOS is ultra barebones, CalyxOS is great if you want an easy way to avoid Big Tech on your phone (outside of using a Pixel itself). CalyxOS in many ways is more user friendly (outside of the installer) whereas Graphene needs some knowledge of security and Android.

I use Graphene largely since it works better with **some** Google apps: I use some Google with a grain of salt (namely Play Store, calendar, and Maps) but don't go 100% Google like my brother. But it's not like me as a Microsoft engineer use Microsoft apps at home either, I alternate between a MacBook and a Fedora Linux laptop, so there's that.

Whichever ROM you prefer, I'd say try them all and use which one you like.
posted by neelc at 12:42 PM on May 21

Response by poster: Thank you all for the info!

I will give GrapheneOS a shot and see what I can get working. I travel a lot, so Uber is critical.

For anyone else coming to this thread, it looks straightforward to go back to Android if it does not work out: Android Flash Tool.
posted by keeo at 4:37 AM on May 22