How to de-google a phone, or custom ROM

Hello,

I just heard DLN Xtend 66, and in there, the hosts talk about having their phones either de-googled or have custon ROMs, like lineage,

My Q is, is there a guide on how to install ROMs on phones, for the non-savvy users?,

I do not mind un-googleling my own phone, exept I have no idea of how to achieve this.

Thanks.

XDA developers forum is where everyone congregates to share ROMs and discuss installation.

The official LineageOS page

GrapheneOS is a privacy focused OS that’s pretty popular as well.

What it comes down to is what phone you have and what OS supports that hardware. Some phones can be unlocked easily and some can not be unlocked at all.

2 Likes

And be very very sure to check the serial number of your phone and see if it corresponds with the software. Also, research a good deal before you begin.
I’ve had more phones bricked than actually working, trying to do this.
But that could be because a) i live in Europe, b) Lineage/Graphene etc… are us based and (mostly) use us based hardware, c) wrong hardware (older phones (3-4 years old), d) i just had bad luck or are completely incompetent. (but i followed instructions to the letter).

2 Likes

I only had problems with the TWRP software. It seemed to install and I could boot the phone into it once. I messed something up and rebooted but could never get TWRP to come up again, even after trying to reinstall it.

Luckily it doesn’t need to be installed and I could have saved a couple steps and time. You just boot TWRP over USB with a simple command. It’s faster and easier in my opinion.

I always DuckDuckGo “Xda” and “phone make/model” to see what they have. I’m in the process of looking to upgrade an old Moto Phone too. Knock on wood, I’ve not had problem and I’ve done roughly 4-5 phones. Motos and Samsungs mostly. But I always get used/older phones I know have support from some custom ROM. I always watch/read several articles on how to get into bootloader and install something like TWRP first. I’ve found XDA to have very vague instructions on that sometimes.

Also, if it’s your first time, don’t be TOO nervous. I’ve had a few phones get stuck in a bootloop or take about 10+ minutes to boot the first time, even if none of the instructions mention that. You can usually backup a step or two and try again.

Let us know how it turns out or if you need help!

1 Like

Ok. Thank you for that piece of information. I have a phone stuck in a loop here, but i’ll give it another go. See what happens.

1 Like

Some phones are easier to root and ROM than others. What kind of phone do you have?

If i remember correctly, i don’t have it handy, it’s a samsung galaxy 4 or something around that. It’s at least 4 years old.

Ya, Samsung devices are usually ROM able, but I always found them to be a pain. Just take your time as you are learning the steps needed to ROM your devices. It can’t be rushed!

2 Likes

Funny that they recommend Chrome/-ium to install the OS via the web USB method.

Back to OP’s question. I use a Nokia phone that I just did not log into any Google account, so Google is still there but I only use F-Droid and some APK’s but no app from Google itself. It runs better and charges faster and I disabled almost all features (better said spying capabilities) of Google’s ecosystem. This way you can also test and see if you can live e.g. without Google Maps etc.

The other one is an old Samsung that runs Ubuntu Touch, again not tied to any Google service. It is far easier to install than any other ROM in my opinion because it comes with a great installer that you can run on any Linux distribution. But of course first you have to see if your device is supported.

This is mine:

No, I can’t. What do I have to do to get residential addresses into OsmAnd or Organic Maps? I will happily download the GIS parcel data and do whatever it takes if it means I can just type in an address and actually end up at that address. Some things just have no replacement currently in the FOSS realm (that I know of)

1 Like

I remember the “olden days”, where we had to consult a map, or ask for directions. Which still works these days. (at least where i live).
I have several maps in my car, just in case the navigation craps out (again). Oh, and a compass to. Just in case. These have never failed me before. The only error that could occur was me getting it wrong.
I just don’t trust navigation like google and / or others no more. I’ve been led through one way streets, bycicle paths and forest roads once too many.
You can definitely live without google maps etc… Just think, what if your phone craps out? I don’t trust my navigation only to a battery.

2 Likes

For those looking for a decent Google Maps alternative (it is my default navigation app) is the one used in /e/: Magic Earth

Couldn’t find it on Aurora Droid, but its also on APKmirror I’d assume (but it’s up to you to keep it updated). It uses OpenStreetMaps charts but with their own traffic density on top, and you get 3 route options just like GMaps. Estimated arrival times should be taken with a grain of salt but you can use it completely offline if you want.

3 Likes

Thank You!! This is the ONLY OpenStreetMap based app I’ve tried that actually has residential addresses for my area.

Thank you. Link for anyone interested:

“PRIVACY FIRST!
• We do not track you. We do not profile you. We do not trade in your personal data; moreover, we do not have it.”

I found it in the Aurora store

Great suggestion and available on a lot of platforms