Hey everyone, I am setting my new (used) pixel 8 with GOS. I read on GOS site a lot,but want clearer understand some things. How to set different profiles- one for private and one for daily use. I understood its possible, right? I read another bothering thing,that GOS use 2 steps authentication- fingerprints and pin to open the phone. I am very against biodata, I never use it. Is it possible to leave only with pin ? Any advice what to apps to install will be greatly appreciated.
Here’s a good starting point, small list of a few items to do after flashing GOS.
What to Actually Do After Flashing:
https://franklinetech.com/first-24-hours-with-grapheneos/
Also look into private space, this allows you to run a “sub profile” in your main profile where you could install your already sandboxed Google play service as needed.
There are 3 main kinds of profiles:
- User (including Owner)
- Private Space
- Work profile
Each have their own apps, app data, profile data including a home directory, their own disk encryption keys and their own VPN configuration.
Private Spaces and work profiles are similar to a user but nested inside of another user for actually usage them.
Appreciate your comment very much.
Set up profiles: one for your day-to-day activities and one for your proprietary apps and GMS. I also have one profile for all things Musk and one for WhatsApp.
When it comes to apps on your main profile, you should keep it as Google-free as possible.
Same with your home screen. It’s supposed to be as useful and not provide access to every app you have installed (another operating system does this).
Hey, how do profiles work with notifications?
For example, if I am in a “FOSS-only” profile with Molly or something and then have a WhatsApp profile. Do I get message notifications across profiles?
If you allow the profile to run in background, you can receive the notifications, though keep in mind it won’t be that detailed.
Thanks so much for clear and useful information.
Is The Main profile has differences from other profiles? Maybe security or something else ?Just keep your main profile from GMS and GMS-dependent apps.
Side Of Burritos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCij1VEjDb88RCbqsvZ1gqaw and Privacy Guides: https://www.privacyguides.org/ are good resources
Profiles are under “System” section in settings, biometrics are optional
you may like to know about LocalSend, it’s a file transfer software that uses your network (but not your internet) so it’s very fast, it has encryption, a web version, and it’s cross platform
LocalSend is awesome!
- Don’t use multiple profiles on your private phone, doing so can mix metadata.
- If you ignore point 1, always close your other profile manually in Settings after switching.
- Don’t sign in to Google or Microsoft accounts on your GrapheneOS device.
- Rely on Obtainium and F-Droid for apps.
- (Optional) Avoid installing Google Play Services.
- Keep your phone in airplane mode, and set Wi-Fi to turn off automatically one minute after you leave home.
- Avoid SIM cards, since carriers can track your location with extreme precision.
Ultimately, GrapheneOS is just a de-Googled OS. Don’t walk around with a false sense of security just because you use it.
I have GMS installed but on a separate profile.
A lot of this sounds overkill considering OP didn’t say they have an extreme threat model.
Other things are also just not the recommended practice if you are prioritizing security over privacy. grapheneOS recommends using either acrescent or Google Play store for apps. Obtanium is ok, but they have actively spoken against fdroid and the way that applications are distributed through the fdroid store
Yeah I might have gone a bit overboard. I said F-Droid because I wanted something that could update Obtainium and also serve as a store to search for open-source apps
Well anyway, I deleted F-Droid to reduce attack surface. Thank you very much!
FWIW Obtanium prompts me to update itself. It updates other apps automatically but seems to require me to actually enact the self-update
For open source apps, this is a decent list and there are probably others like it: Awesome Android Apps
The grapheneOS Discord also has an apps channel where people discuss different apps for specific purposes and compatibility notes/issues.
Thanks a mill. Any suggestions for network out of home? I will need to ring ect.while I am out of home.
If your only concern is keeping Google and Microsoft off your back, the carrier advice is optional. Please remember and keep in mind that your phone is a tracking device that always collects your data, and there’s no way around that
- CoMaps for navigation when possible
- I’ve been trying to use XMPP and Matrix as alternatives to messaging
- Markor for notes
- koreader for reading
- ReFra photo gallery
- AnyList for grocery lists (wanted a way to collaborate with partner on iOS still)
- Obtainium for acquiring apps
I am open to recommendations!
Signal so you can actually communicate with your relatives and HeliBoard for a nicer keyboard.
Heliboard is seen as maleware by mu bank apps … annoying …
I have one singular credit Union that sees anything that isn’t Gboard as a problem 🙃
I am very against biodata, I never use it. Is it possible to leave only with pin ?
yes, it is.
GOS is alllocal bio data but yeah you can not use it if you like.
Why are you against biometrics to unlock your phone?
GOS supports print+pin unlock that makes the phone 10x more secure
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