I wanted to degoogle since Google has been most annoying so far with S21FE. Was thinking of getting Pixel 8a but due to mixed reivews I was looking for other phones. Thoughts on this? Would be also nice if I can get some opinions from people who have the phone as well.
To unlock bootloader:
https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-unlock-bootloader-root-with-magisk-stock-and-patched-boot-images-model-a065-eea.4605979/
Installing orangefox:
https://wiki.orangefox.tech/en/guides/installing_orangefox
NP2 is A/B.
The read-only to rw package [github so you can look over code beforehand]
https://github.com/lebigmac1/System-
RW-Super-RW-v1.36-featuring-Make-RW-ro-2-rw-v1.1?tab=readme-ov-file
File manager: I used total commander -
https://m.apkpure.com/total-commander-file-manager/com.ghisler.android.TotalCommander
Magisk Modules - only really needed for if you want MicroG:
— App systemizer (you want a terminal, e.g. termux and I also have busybox but not sure it it’s 100% needed)
https://github.com/stangri/AppSystemizer
— Shamiko https://github.com/LSPosed/LSPosed.github.io/releases
— Zygisk - Lsposed https://github.com/LSPosed/LSPosed/releases
this one needs installed and fake Gapps needs installed and activated before you install MicroG
— Universal safety net fix:
https://github.com/kdrag0n/safetynet-fix/releases?ysclid=lmqr900nnd297490396
For MicroG:
https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-degoogle-any-device-and-install-microg.4058743/
I just saw I have a MicroG module, so link:
https://github.com/FriendlyNeighborhoodShane/MinMicroG_releases/releases
I used the 0.2.24 version.
Make sure to remove Play store etc first, and install the fake Gapps otherwise you have to remove and reinstall. Once installed I updated immediately from F-Droid.
https://github.com/whew-inc/FakeGApps
The XDA forum gives the Gapps you can uninstall.
You may want to use a systemless debloater with Magisk first, as you can turn modules on and off in orangefox so if you bootloop you can just enter recovery and then turn the module off and revert the change :)
Points to make a full system backup:
— before unlocking bootloader
— before making system read-write
— before deleting a system app/a group of system apps
— before moving any apps to be system apps if you don’t use the magisk systemless module [this is where I messed up big time]
I also made several backups as I was changing things, e.g. when I added my new dialler etc, I backed up the working system beforehand in case anything broke.
Feel free to ask if you have any questions!!