grapheneos.org

What is GrapheneOS?

GrapheneOS is a security- and privacy-focused mobile operating system built on Android, developed as a non-profit open source project. It keeps Android app compatibility, so most apps you already use can still run, but it hardens the underlying system rather than adding a separate app layer. Its emphasis is on sandboxing, exploit mitigations and a stricter permission model, with the goal of blocking whole classes of vulnerabilities instead of patching them one by one.

Its approach to usability is notable: where possible, protections are always on with no configuration burden. Where that isn't feasible, it exposes explicit toggles — for example a Network permission, a Sensors permission, and restrictions that apply while the device is locked (USB-C and pogo pins, camera, quick tiles). That makes it a reasonable fit for people who want stronger defaults without giving up ordinary phone use, and for those willing to manage a few extra settings.

Two practical points stand out:

• No Google apps or services are included, so you supply your own app sources and accounts rather than relying on a bundled Google stack.
• Device support is selective. GrapheneOS targets a limited set of devices, so check the supported list before buying hardware. It also ships its own apps, including Vanadium (a hardened Chromium-based browser and WebView), a minimal PDF viewer, a hardware-based Auditor app for local and remote device verification, and a privacy-focused camera app, plus the Seedvault encrypted backup system.

If you're considering it, start by confirming your current phone is on the supported device list, then read the install instructions and the features overview on GrapheneOS before flashing anything. A useful decision criterion: if you depend heavily on Google services for core phone functions, plan how you'll replace them first; if you mainly want hardened security with Android app compatibility, the trade-off is smaller.

How do I install GrapheneOS on a supported device?

Installing GrapheneOS means replacing your phone's existing operating system with a hardened build of Android, so the process starts with the right hardware and ends with a clean, verified setup. The project publishes its own official installation instructions and release files, and those are the only sources you should follow.

GrapheneOS

Before you start

• Check device support. GrapheneOS supports a limited set of devices, so confirm yours is listed on the project's device support page before doing anything else.
• Unlock the bootloader. Installation requires an unlocked bootloader, which typically means a full data wipe. Back up anything you want to keep first.
• Use a computer with a data-capable USB cable. The web-based installer runs from a desktop browser and talks to the phone over USB.

The general flow

1. Read the official install page for your exact device model and follow its steps in order.
2. Enable developer options and USB debugging on the phone.
3. Unlock the bootloader when prompted.
4. Run the project's web installer, which downloads and flashes the official release for your device.
5. Re-lock the bootloader at the end, as directed. This restores verified boot and is an important part of the security model.
6. Set up the phone, then install apps. GrapheneOS has no Google apps or services by default; if you need Play services, the project documents the supported way to add them.

Practical notes

• Audience: this is for people who want stronger privacy and security than stock Android provides and are comfortable following technical instructions. It is not a casual one-tap upgrade.
• Trade-off: you may lose some manufacturer features, and some banking or DRM-dependent apps can behave differently. Test your essential apps after setup.
• Verification: the project also offers its Auditor app for local and remote attestation, which lets you check that a device is running genuine, unmodified GrapheneOS.

Next step

Go to the official install page, select your device model, and work through the steps exactly as written. If your model is not listed, do not attempt the install — unsupported devices will not receive the project's security updates.

Which phones are compatible with GrapheneOS?

GrapheneOS is not a general-purpose Android replacement you can flash onto any phone. It targets a short list of Google Pixel devices, because those phones meet its hardware security requirements — a verified boot chain that can be relocked with custom keys, timely firmware and driver updates, and the hardware-backed security features GrapheneOS relies on. If your phone is not a supported Pixel, the practical answer is that it is not compatible.

GrapheneOS

What "compatible" means here

• Supported Pixel models — current and recent Pixel generations are the focus; the project lists exactly which models receive official releases.
• Carrier variants — a Pixel bought from a carrier is usually the same hardware, but a carrier-locked bootloader can block installation until the device is unlocked and eligible.
• End of support — older Pixels drop off the list once Google stops shipping firmware and security patches, since GrapheneOS depends on those updates.

Devices that are not compatible

• Most non-Pixel Android phones, including flagship Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi and Motorola models. Even where a bootloader can be unlocked, the required security properties are typically missing.
• iPhones, obviously, and any device without an unlockable bootloader.

How to decide

1. Check the official device support list on GrapheneOS before buying anything.
2. Prefer a carrier-unlocked Pixel bought outright; a locked bootloader is the most common dead end.
3. Budget for a model still inside Google's update window — a cheap older Pixel may be supported today but lose updates soon.

If you already own a Pixel, the next step is to compare your exact model against that list, then read the install page for the unlock and flashing steps.

Can I run Android apps on GrapheneOS without Google services?

Yes. GrapheneOS is built to run Android apps while leaving Google apps and services out of the base system. The project describes itself as a privacy- and security-focused mobile OS with Android app compatibility, and it states that it will never include Google apps or services. That means the typical Google account setup, Play Services framework and Play Store are not part of the default experience.

What that means in practice

• Apps generally work through Android compatibility. GrapheneOS is based on the Android Open Source Project, so standard Android apps can be installed and run.
• Google-dependent features may not. Apps that rely on Google Play Services for sign-in, push notifications, maps, in-app purchases or location can behave differently or fail unless you supply those components yourself.
• You choose your app source. You can install apps via alternatives such as F-Droid or by sideloading APKs. Some users install Google Play services in a sandboxed profile if they need specific apps, but that reintroduces Google code and its trade-offs.
• Sandboxing is the point. GrapheneOS emphasises fortified app sandboxes, exploit mitigations and a stricter permission model, so apps run with more isolation from each other and from the system.

A realistic example

If your daily apps are Signal, a password manager, a browser and a maps app from an alternative store, you can likely run them without Google services. If you depend on banking apps that check for Play Services integrity, or on Google Photos backup, expect friction — you may need workarounds or a second profile.

How to decide

Check each must-have app for whether it requires Google Play Services. If only one or two do, a separate sandboxed profile with those services may be enough. If most of your apps do, the privacy benefit shrinks and you should weigh that against the convenience. Start with the official install and features pages at GrapheneOS.

How does GrapheneOS protect my privacy and security compared to standard Android?

GrapheneOS is a hardened version of Android, so it keeps Android app compatibility while adding security and privacy protections that standard Android does not include. Its focus is on the operating system's foundations—sandboxing, exploit mitigations and the permission model—rather than on a single privacy feature.

Where it differs

• No Google apps or services by default. GrapheneOS ships without Google Play Services or Google apps. You can still install them if you choose, but the default posture is a device that is not tied into Google's ecosystem. This matters most for people who want to avoid Google account and background-service data collection without giving up mainstream apps.
• Hardened app sandbox and security boundaries. GrapheneOS fortifies the sandbox that isolates apps from each other and from the system. Even a malicious app is contained more tightly, which reduces the damage a single compromised app can do.
• Exploit mitigations. It deploys technologies designed to eliminate whole classes of vulnerabilities and make common attack paths substantially harder to exploit. This is a difference in kind from the incremental fixes typical of stock Android.
• Granular permission toggles. Beyond standard Android permissions, GrapheneOS adds controls such as a Network permission (to cut an app off from the internet entirely) and a Sensors permission, plus restrictions that apply when the device is locked—covering USB-C and pogo pins, the camera and quick tiles. These let you limit an app's reach without uninstalling it.
• Its own privacy-focused apps. Vanadium is a hardened Chromium-based browser and WebView built for GrapheneOS. There is also a minimal PDF viewer, an Auditor app for local and remote device verification and attestation, and a privacy-focused camera app. Seedvault encrypted backup, initially developed for GrapheneOS, is included externally.

Practical trade-offs

The main cost is convenience: apps that depend on Google Play Services may need workarounds, and the extra toggles add some configuration. GrapheneOS tries to keep features always-on with no user-facing complexity where possible, but it does expose more controls when a trade-off is unavoidable.

A useful next step

If you are deciding whether to switch, list the apps you actually rely on and check whether any require Google Play Services to function. If they do not, GrapheneOS gives you a meaningfully stronger baseline than stock Android. If they do, you can still install the Google components, but you lose much of the default privacy advantage—so the decision usually comes down to which apps you are willing to replace. You can review the project's feature and installation pages at GrapheneOS before committing.

What apps and services does GrapheneOS provide, such as Vanadium and Auditor?

GrapheneOS is a privacy- and security-focused mobile operating system with Android app compatibility, developed as a non-profit open source project. Beyond the OS itself, it ships or develops several apps and services aimed at hardening everyday use.

First-party apps and services

• Vanadium — a hardened variant of the Chromium browser and WebView built specifically for GrapheneOS, used for web browsing and for rendering web content inside apps.
• PDF Viewer — a minimal, security-focused viewer for PDF files.
• Auditor — a hardware-based app for local and remote verification and attestation of devices, useful if you want to confirm a device is running genuine, unmodified software.
• Camera — a modern camera app with privacy and security as its focus.

Related but externally developed

• Seedvault — an encrypted backup solution that was initially developed for inclusion in GrapheneOS but is maintained externally.

What it does not provide GrapheneOS does not include Google apps or services. The OS is built on the Android Open Source Project with substantial changes to sandboxing, exploit mitigations and the permission model, and it adds user-facing controls such as a Network permission, a Sensors permission, and restrictions when the device is locked (for example USB-C and pogo pins, camera and quick tiles).

Practical takeaway If your priority is avoiding Google services while keeping Android app compatibility, GrapheneOS supplies the core apps you need to get started — browser, PDF viewer, camera and backup — plus a verification tool. Expect to source other apps yourself, since there is no bundled Google Play services or Google app suite.

A useful next step is to check the official device support list before planning a switch, because GrapheneOS only supports specific hardware models. Start at GrapheneOS for the features, releases and install pages.