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.
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I managed to degoogle stock ROM, as I wanted to have the glyphs available (I feel like I’m in a minority of users that find them useful as well as just cool).
I did have the phone enter crash dump and at points had no ROM or recovery and it took a while as I was endlessly searching tools available.
I’m more than happy to share what I did?
Word of warning is you need quite a few tools, apps and packages, but they have source code available.
I’m not a mobile developer but going through the tools they are regarded well in the developer community, or scanning the code myself didn’t raise an alarms.
I used Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro/K20 Pro before, I can get used to recovery and flashing stuff
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!!
Ok cool,
I’ll get links shortly and explain in more detail, [I will also add lots of the problems would have been solved had I taken backups properly]
What I did:
Unlock bootloader, and patch/install a patched boot image and magisk
Install a custom recovery - I used orangefox, I think TWRP is also on Nothing
Make the protected file system read/write
Download a file explorer that has root access available
Go into the root filesystem, and delete all the google stuff you wish to get rid of [You will want to make sure you have a keyboard installed!!]
If you just want to get rid of google apps, you’d be able to stop here.
I did want banking apps available, and they need google services framework - you have MicroG I downloaded from the F-droid store, and then used a magisk module to make it a system app to keep everything happy there.
if you want to degoogle the only way to run some apps without unprivileged code (GMS/microG) is to use grapheneos & its sandbox compatibility layer. this is unfortunately only available on the pixels.
I also worry you won’t be able to use some of the customization options that the nothing phone 2 offers with its hardware when using a custom ROM. if thats something u care about.
I have the pixel 7a & have had essentialy no issues with anything for what that’s worth.
Do you think its worth waiting until Pixel “9” becomes available? I’m switching out on July since that’s when my installment is over + getting out of this hell hole S21FE
honestly I would personaly look into a used option just for pricing reasons. I think the 8 offered additional security benefits though. It may be a while until the 9 drops but that would also be an option.
Ye T-Mobile is offering Pixel 8 Pro for free if I do 24 month installment but that isn’t worth sacrificing for
That’s why I was looking at Nothing Phone 2 which is on sale, unlocked too, for double the storage as well (I already used up 90% of my 128GB) at $550
Heard community is growing but I was uncertain
If you need more storage, the secondhand market is better for you anyway.
Though I just saw a 7 pro with 512GB on Woot for under $500. That’s a decent deal.
Regular Pixel 8s are going for 500 on a deal.
Lastly do you think 8 Pro refurbs are fine for $700? Main concern is lack of RAM from S21FE which apps closed itself very frequently as soon as I switch from one to the other
I got my 7a referbished for 350. the nothing phone is cool IMO but probably not going to have good support rn for nieche stuff. lineage & divest not having working versions for the phone raises red flags personaly.
if you are anti pixel & $500 is in your price range maybe take a look at the fairphone 4?
Not really anti-Pixel, just that pricing could be better
But I found some used ones in sale, thanks though
Just be aware that everyone has a different idea of how much privacy they need and who/what from. Whilst it is absolutely true that there are more private custom ROMs available, that does not necessarily mean that /e/ is universally “bad for privacy”. Depending on the extent to which you are attempting to deGoogle your life, it may be good enough.
I’d like to use a custom ROM on my S21FE, but options are very limited unfortunately.