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this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2026
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Yeah, if you have a Pixel, GrapheneOS looks to be the least complicated, but it's still daunting. I haven't tried it yet.
I'm going to attempt to kindly countermand this, there is a web installer for chrome based browsers that I believe anyone intelligent enough to navigate the fediverse can step through easily enough.
The base install with play services enabled is a stock android experience all things considered; the extra features and additional security are there for those that want to engage with it.
That is my push to get you going. =)
I've done this with an old Pixel (partly to wipe the phone, and partly as a hope that if it's refurbished/resold, the new owner will have Graphene). If you can read and follow a recipe, it's virtually stupid-proof. I don't remember having to know anything for which the directions didn't specify or offer explicit directions.
I did this my my new pixel 8 pro. I loved it.
It was so easy, it worked, I was in control of my device.
Contactless payment didn't work.
Which is a deal breaker for me.
I looked at some fin-tech solutions, I even bought a pixel watch (which didnt work because I have a workspace account). None of them let me work around the issue. Contactless just wouldn't work.
Had to go back to stock android.
I'm constantly checking in on their attribution/verification/whatever status that would allow them to offer contactless payment (currently offered by android/apple/banks, but no open source software).
I want grapheneos and contactless so badly!
That is a kind gesture to the new owner, good on you!
I echo Hominine's comments - the most difficult part of installing GrapheneOS is getting your hands on Pixel hardware (for a good price).
Graphene is still Android, which is only tangentially Linux at this point. PostmarketOS is more a proper Linux phone (there are a few others but that one seems to be the most along version to date). It does boot on certain models but even the best ones are a bit finicky still.