Its without a doubt one of the least detrimental privacy-focused solutions to your mobile experience: I spent a month testing GrapheneOS and it almost
made me ditch my Android phone entirely

Date:
Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:26:35 +0000

Description:
I spent a month testing the privacy-focused GrapheneOS, and it left me torn about its security solutions.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter I dont often consider ditching Android, but GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused alternative, poses an interesting question: what security features am I missing out on by using Google s mobile operating system (OS)?

GrapheneOS is an open-source mobile OS, designed for Google Pixel phones (and soon Motorola devices), that promises better security capabilities like improved sandboxing, exploitation protections, and more complete
vulnerability patching. But what compromises does GrapheneOS ask you to make for all this added security and more importantly, are they worth the trade-off? I spent a month testing GrapheneOS on a Pixel 8 Pro to find out. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: The first glance
Switching to an alternative, specialized OS is never going to be as simple as setting up a regular Android phone. That said, after only 10 minutes setting up GrapheneOS via the GrapheneOS website , I quickly found myself looking at something that, at a glance, resembled the Android I normally use.

The GrapheneOS home screen is near app-less, but its by no means unfamiliar. The software keeps the functionalities of the Android app drawer and quick control panel, and the menus are near-identical. App icons also retain a similar design to Android proper. You may like GrapheneOS patches an Android VPN bypass that Google decided to leave alone I'm a digital minimalist, which is why I think more Android phone makers need to take cues from Nothing OS Android vs iOS security: which OS is safer?

Yes, its a strange feeling to load up an Android phone that doesnt have a single drop of Google about it. Theres no Play Store, Gmail, or Docs to speak of in GrapheneOS by default. But, if anything, this is an instant reminder that this software aims to take control of your data from Google and give it back to you.

Whats more, since the choices are now yours when it comes to your data, you can always choose to reinstate the tools you need. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Getting to grips (Image credit: Future // Rob Dunne) And so, my first port of call when using GrapheneOS for the first time was to reinstall the Google Play Store from within the softwares own App Store. That might seem like a bonkers move, but heres why doing so is crucial.

GrapheneOSs App Store is limited. Aside from a few essentials such as a calculator, camera, and the like, theres little there. The key inclusions? Accrescent, a private app store primarily filled with open-source solutions
to everyday phone uses, and the Google Play Store and Play Services.

But GrapheneOS sandboxes the Google Play Store and Play Services much like it would any other app. This means that, unlike on regular Android where, as several legal cases have proven, Google can pinch data as it likes,
GrapheneOS restricts its background capabilities and general permissions.
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This gives you control of all the usability features youd see on the front end, such as notifications and location or network access, and theres no need to worry about unwanted Google access behind closed doors.

What this also means is that, if youre truly privacy-conscious, you can still install VPNs, antivirus software, password managers, and more thatd otherwise be out of reach if you relied on only whats available directly. Preventing overreach One of the core principles of GrapheneOS is stopping unnecessary data sharing and reducing the risk of attacks that come from unnecessary data collection and coding. As a result, no app downloaded in GrapheneOS is quite what youd get on regular Android, but thankfully, youll probably never notice
for two key reasons.

Key permissions, such as network or microphone access, are the users to
permit before using an app, meaning you can ensure the apps you use have only the permissions they need. Meanwhile, background problems such as covert data sharing and storage risks are handled automatically by GrapheneOS.

In short, you can install all the apps you need, use them as normal, and know theyre not collecting or spreading your data in ways youre unaware of. Whats more, aside from a few instances Ill cover later, GrapheneOS is near flawless at policing this data.

If youre after other, more technical protections, you can dive into settings. Aside from the regular Android options, you also get a new area called
Exploit Protection. Here, you can set up your phone to protect against
threats such as juice jacking (stealing data or installing malware via USB ports), or unwanted Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections

With all of these options available, what quickly became apparent is how integral such settings are to keeping security measures from impacting everyday use. GrapheneOS features were explicitly in my control to ensure
apps functioned properly without overreaching, and background processes
either neednt be tampered with or could be set once and left. All without remotely impacting overall device efficiency.

I used GrapheneOS with a Pixel 8 Pro for a month, and I never once noticed my battery life drain more than usual, nor encountered any unexpected
performance dips. This is despite me using the phone for gaming enabling
only the Google services required to do so streaming, and everything else Id normally expect to do on my device. The inevitable compromise (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne) Compared to other privacy-focused mobile solutions, GrapheneOS is without a doubt one of the least detrimental to your mobile experience. But its not perfect.

First off, if you want to use it, you need a Pixel phone. Ironically, despite the OS aiming to give you some distance from Googles overreaching services, its devices are the only ones with the required security capabilities to install GrapheneOS properly. So if, like me, youre used to literally any
other Android device, youre out of luck (though Motorola phones are
supposedly joining the ranks soon).

Second, GrapheneOS is not flawless at everything. In the time I spent using the software, banking apps and Android Auto (once downloaded) proved to be near-impossible to get to work regularly. Theres a bunch of support available on the GrapheneOS website if youre willing to tinker to fix issues, but
again, its not quite the seamless compatibility youd get with regular
Android. Would I make the switch to GrapheneOS? From a month of using it, its easy to see why GrapheneOS is gaining traction. Its super secure, even going as far as to patch VPN vulnerabilities before regular Android gets the
chance, and, unlike the best privacy-focused phones, using it with a premium Pixel phone means theres far less of a drop in performance.

That said, its current restriction to Pixel phones is far from ideal for techies, and theres still just enough incompatibility with certain types of apps to be a frustration day to day. Google Pay doesnt work, leaving you needing to use alternatives such as Curve or a paired smart watch; many banking apps limit functionality, and youll likely be left wondering if any app-related problems you encounter are down to the OS.

Its also unfortunate that, as yet, theres little reason not to make the Play Store your first install. Open-source app-lovers will find some comfort in
the options available in the Accrescent store, but even, so theres very
little to choose between. Before you know it, your Google-free phone is more of an Android device on a tighter leash.

So while GrapheneOS is brilliant in some aspects compared to most privacy solutions, it definitely leaves me wanting more. For now, its a no from me.

Given time and wider compatibility, itd be easy to recommend GrapheneOS given its added security capabilities in a world of growing threats. But with the availability of tools such as VPNs and antiviruses on regular Android, non-security-focused individuals are unlikely to see enough difference to warrant the current frustrations GrapheneOS can bring. Price comparison: Find the best deal for your next phone Contract Deals Sim Free Recommended Data (high to low) Data (low to high) Monthly cost (high to low) Monthly cost (low to high) Price (high to low) Price (low to high) Contract Deals Sim Free See all prices (14065 found) Filter Recommended Data (high to low) Data (low to high) Monthly cost (high to low) Monthly cost (low to high) Price (high to low) Price (low to high) voucher Google Pixel Buds 2a (Hazel) Google Pixel 10 (Upgrade 128GB Blue) 24 months data 100GB 9 upfront Monthly 24.99 /mth 9 upfront 24.99 /mth View at Carphone Warehouse voucher gift Google Pixel 10a (256GB HDR) 36 months data 30GB 30 upfront Monthly 27.58 /mth 30 upfront
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