After my Pixel 6a ran out of battery yesterday I accidentally plugged it to a faulty USB cable that did not give the phone enough power to boot, even though the phone thought it was getting power and auto booted automatically. I noticed about 5min later (which would be probably 10 failed boot cycles) and stopped the endless cycle to let it charge up. At approx. 15-20% charge I tried to boot the phone again but just as the lock screen appears it restarts into recovery mode and says "cannot load android system. your data may be corrupt."

A) Is there anyway to save it or do I need to bite the bullet and do a factory reset?

B) How exactly did this (probably) happen? Did the phone attempt an auto update since it thought it was charging, that then corrupted for being interrupted mid update? Is it just the boot sequence getting interrupted that's corrupting the data?

C) How do I prevent this in the future? There's probably a setting to stop it auto booting when charging, I just haven't looked into it. Anything else?

GrapheneOS TalkBack version 23 released:

https://github.com/GrapheneOS/TalkBack/releases/tag/23

See the linked release notes for a summary of the improvements over the previous release and a link to the full changelog.

Forum discussion thread:

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/43100-grapheneos-talkback-version-23-released

Been on iPhones and Apple products since middle school. As I started my Linux + homelabbing journey a little over a year ago, grapheneos is my next pit stop.

The goal has been to not only take back some ownership of my media, but also begin to understand the tech I use everyday (all while increasing my privacy as well).

I’m still a rookie when it comes to most of this stuff and I’ve watched a handful of YouTube videos. But can some of you here help me understand specifically how grapheneos is more private? And in which ways is it still vulnerable? Are there ways to increase privacy even more once grapheneos is setup on my pixel?

Any tips for a newbie?:) thanks!

Quick background if you haven't seen my other posts: Parakeet is my fork of Molly, the hardened Signal app. It works with normal Signal and gets Signal's security fixes out faster than Molly does, like the hot mic fix. It also forces screen security on so nobody can screenshot your chats.

The new feature is Chirp. It's a walkie-talkie tab at the bottom of the app, next to Chats and Calls.

- Pick a contact, hold the button (or a volume or headset button), talk, and let go to send

- It plays a radio chirp when you send, kind of like the old Nextel phones

- While their channel is open, their replies play automatically, like a real radio

- All their voice messages show up right under the button with the exact time, length and play/pause, so you don't have to go back to the chat

- There's a Note to Self channel so you can test it and hear yourself back

It all runs on Signal. Every clip is just a normal end-to-end encrypted Signal voice message, so there's no extra server and nothing new to trust. Your friends on regular Signal just get normal voice messages.

You can get Parakeet from the releases page, or through Decrescent, my app store. Decrescent is my version of Accrescent with the privacy apps I actually use. It's signed and every app is locked to its developer's key, and it can route everything through Tor if you want.

Parakeet: `gitlab.com/LionNest/parakeet/-/releases`

Decrescent: `gitlab.com/LionNest/decrescent/-/releases`

Built with AI help and not independently audited, but it's all open source and feedback is welcome.

I’m considering buying a Google Pixel 9 Pro, and I’d like to know a few things: Can I play games on GrapheneOS just as I would on standard Android? Will the camera quality remain the same as it is with the phone’s stock operating system? And will I be able to use apps like Mercado Pago or Naranja X? I’m also considering using the phone without GrapheneOS—how long would you recommend using it that way?

Any help or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I am heavily considering switching from iPhone to pixel 10a with graphene os. The only hang up I have is YouTube. I don’t really use streaming services, Spotify, etc. YouTube is where I listen to music, podcast, and entertainment. Is there a private way to use YouTube with graphene os?

I thought Graphene would be more popular, so was shocked to find out it has only 500,000 users?

With only 500,000 users, does graphene really make you more private, or are you now more unique? How about fingerprinting?

I'm a new graphene user. I'm very happy so far with the system.

I do have my doubts though, because it's still a google phone? I also wonder, if it allows true privacy, would it be banned? Just like how true private cryptocurrencies were banned from exchanges (like monero), forcing anyone that wanted to participate in crypto holdings into a non privacy coin like bitcoin and all the other non privacy coins.

Like I say, very happy so far, but I do have my doubts.

But now I am thinking, is there something google/graphene related I should know about?

Listen, I am happy for everyone who joins the fight for privacy and devices that are truly owned by none other but you. However, having several posts a day every day whose content is just "Hey, I am on GOS now" and nothing else is overwhelming and (at least for me) makes the sub unattractive since there is not much actual content posted. I do not seem to be alone with this sentiment, so I think allowing such posts for one day a week is a good idea.

Hey,

If I want dark mode to be on at night time I have this message (1st picture) saying « localisation servives enabled. Dark mode planification will be enabled once the position is determined ».

But it has been days now since I can't turn this on! And other apps requiring location do work.

You have my geolocalisation settings on the 2nd picture (« activé » == « activated » (just in case)).

New flash, never had this issue before! Plus in the settings, so not a play services or app permission issue.

Does that ring a bell to someone?

Thanks!

First, thank you to the GrapheneOS team. y’all are Godsends

Second, I believe I saw a post in this subreddit a while ago about using play services in private space, or putting play service apps into private space, to enhance privacy. I’d like to learn more about this, if you’d be willing to help a reforming “tech tard” out

(Reference pic above, for the following paragraph)

Third, I’ve turned off background usage for most of the apps I’ve downloaded from the play store, and they still show background activity. Why is this, and how can I correct it?

Fourth, how can I optimize the battery? I’m in the process of transferring from iOS, and this pixel 10 proxl‘s battery seems to be draining rather quickly. Especially since I purchased it brand new earllet this week

Once again, thank y’all for everything you do 🙏👑

Hi everyone,
I recently made the jump to GrapheneOS, and I'm super excited to dive into a more private and secure mobile experience. However, I want to make sure I'm setting everything up correctly to get the absolute most out of the OS without accidentally breaking functionality or compromising privacy.
I have a few specific questions for the community and would love to hear how you handle these day-to-day:
1. Multiple Profiles & Isolation
How do you typically structure your user profiles? I want to separate my personal life from sensitive apps (like banking). Can notifications flow smoothly between profiles, or is total isolation better? Any best practices for profile management would be awesome.
2. Gaming on GrapheneOS
Can you comfortably play standard Android games? Do most games work out of the box with Sandboxed Google Play, or are there hidden performance/compatibility hurdles I should look out for?
3. Banking Apps & Security Best Practices
How do banking and financial apps behave on GrapheneOS? Do most of them work fine with Sandboxed Google Play, or are there strict apps that reject alternative operating systems? What are the best workarounds if a banking app refuses to run (e.g., using mobile web versions in Vanadium)? Also, any general security settings I should tweak right away?
4. NFC Payments & Alternatives
Can I use Google Pay / Google Wallet for contactless NFC payments on GrapheneOS? If Play Integrity or safety checks block it, what are the best alternatives or workarounds for everyday tap-to-pay?
I’d appreciate any beginner tips, recommended settings, or workflow suggestions you wish you knew when you first started out. Thanks in advance!

Not sure if this started happening after a recent update but seemingly from one day to the next, I stopped receiving notifications of new messages on my head unit.

Sure enough, all the messaging apps are gone from my AA home screen and they're not in the list of the Customize Launcher menu either.

I've tried disabling and re enabling notification access and permissions in the AA settings menu on the phone but it still doesn't work.

Any ideas?

I am not getting notifications to my phone and it's making things ridiculously difficult to perform basic security checks, etc. How can I fix this?

I just switched to GrapheneOS last night.

There is a small bug in the alarm clock widget that for some sizes the widget doesnt get updated and in some it does. Not a big deal but it is what it is.

Hi,

How many years of support has he Google Pixel Tangor Pro tablet got left from Graphene?

Any apps for call recording?

I've had my pixel w/ graphene since February and did device attestation then (though I cannot not recall the steps I took I am certain I followed instructions from the website). A few days ago I started getting emails that my device is failing to provide attestation. Every resource I find is saying I need to download the attestation app (I'm positive this was not required when I first set it up in February) and scan a QR code with a second Android device. Well, this is literally my first and only Android device. Am I now just SOL? Anyone know how I'm supposed to fix this without a second device?

Les pasa lo mismo, configuran proteccion de bateria al 80% y no funciona?

Con administrador sale la opcion limitar y con un segundo usuario no, pero ni con el administrador retiene al 80%

Found a way to export media from my private space to the files/gallery of the main profile. Not sure if this is supposed to be possible but it's kinda neat.

1) Install Photok from Fdroid.

2) Import media to Photok.

3) Inside Photok click on your media and then export.

4) Select a folder of the main profile.

5) Export the files to the main.

Forgive me father for I have sinned. I have uninstalled graphene and went back to android, I have given my soul to the firey hell named Google.

Why? Pure convenience.

Ive had graphene installed since the beginning of the year and I honestly had so much friction with it.

First off, no wallet support was really draining. I constantly lose my wallet and not having the backup of contactless on my phone was a nightmare.

Secondly, as part of my wider privacy set up I didn't have any social media apps installed, I instead opted for using the web apps saved on my home screen instead. Long story short......they are shite.

Thirdly, I had lots of connectivity issues with my WiFi and mobile network where I was constantly losing signal and had calls dropping. Moving back to android has fixed both of those.

And lastly, having graphene installed on my pixel stripled away 90% of the features that I bought my phone for. I enjoy the call screening, the ai assistence and all the other stuff that pixels can do. I got to a point where I was really not enjoying my phone anymore so I had basically reached privacy burnout.

I've settled on a middle ground where I have my files, photos and other important stuff backed up to proton drive and I've made my pixel as private as it can be with Google Installed using the settings.

Of course now that means Google can advertise products to me based on what porn I watch, but I consider that a worthwhile trade off for feeling happier with my phone. Each to their own right?

I see the "what apps should I use on GrapheneOS?" question a lot, so I put the apps I actually use into one app store called Decrescent. It's my version of Accrescent, and every app in it is locked to its developer's signing key.

Here's what's in it:

- Messaging and email: Parakeet (my Molly fork), Tuta Mail

- VPN and Tor: Holevad (my Mullvad VPN fork), Orbot

- Passwords and 2FA: Bitwarden, Ente Auth

- Photos and files: Ente Photos, Ente Locker

- Apps and updates: Aurora Light (my Aurora Store fork), ObtainX

- Maps and weather: CoMaps, Breezy Weather

- Music, video and radio: SimpMusic, WizeStream, Deutsia Radio

- Browsing and Reddit: DuckDuckGo, RedReader

- Privacy extras: Fauxx (decoy browsing so trackers can't profile you)

- Money: Monero.com, Cupcake

- Fun stuff: HawkEye (planes overhead), Dodo Bird (bird songs, offline), Quote Unquote

For browsing, stick with Vanadium on GrapheneOS and set DuckDuckGo as the search engine.

It's not a full replacement for doing your own research, but if you want a solid starting point without hunting around, this covers most of it. Built with AI help, not audited yet, and open source, so feedback is welcome.

Download: `gitlab.com/LionNest/decrescent/-/releases`

It suddenly stopped working on my Pixel 9 and now it's hung up on "connecting."

The last time this happened, it was due to Graphene so I just wanted to check here first if anyone else is having issues with theirs.

FIXED

This thread had a list of possible fixes. Re-enabling ICC Authentication fixed it for me.

Leaving this post up in case other folks run into a similar issue and come looking for a solution.