Guides

Learn how it all works.

Plain-English explainers, complete setup walkthroughs and the privacy blog — everything you need to understand and run a hardened GrapheneOS device.

Start here

Why GrapheneOS What GrapheneOS is, why it matters, and how a properly hardened Pixel differs from a stock phone. The foundation everything else builds on. Read the explainer →

Guides by situation & topic

Start with the guide built for your situation.

On the road Executive Travel Security Protect board material, deals and accounts while travelling. Compartmentalised profiles, enforced VPN, border conduct and fail-safe settings — prepared before you board. Read the guide → Source protection Journalists & Activists A phone built to protect the people you talk to. De-Googled base, isolated profiles, number-free encrypted messaging — honest about what it does and doesn’t do. Read the guide → Encrypted comms Encrypted Messaging Guide Threema vs Signal vs the rest. Why metadata matters more than encryption alone, how to choose by threat level, and how to set it up properly on GrapheneOS. Read the guide → Network privacy VPN Guide What a VPN does and doesn’t do, choosing a trustworthy provider, and configuring always-on with a kill switch and per-profile enforcement on GrapheneOS. Read the guide →

Educational content

Understand the fundamentals — what privacy phones actually do, what “de-Googled” means, and how to use a secure device properly.

Why Normal Smartphones Are Not Private
Data collection, telemetry, and why settings alone cannot fix it
What “De-Googled” Actually Means
What is removed, what remains, and myths vs reality
How to Use a Secure Phone Properly
Profiles, app discipline, network behaviour, and updates
Using a Secure Phone While Traveling
Border checks, device exposure, preparation, and what not to do

Setup & configuration

Device Hardening Guide
Permissions, network hardening, bootloader security, and maintenance
Profiles & Compartmentalisation
Separate user profiles to isolate work, personal, and secure comms
Contacts, Photos & Files
Transferring and managing your data on a new device
iMessage Deregistration
Deregister iMessage so SMS texts reach your new phone

Quick reference

First boot setup
Initial device startup and configuration
SIM and eSIM setup
Activating local and global SIM cards
VPN setup
Mullvad VPN, private DNS, network protection
Banking app compatibility
Banking, MyGov, Medicare in sandboxed Play Services
Moving from iPhone
Full migration walkthrough
Phantom Protocol overview
How the emergency protection system works
Duress PIN setup
Configure silent protective actions
Remote wipe behaviour
Full cryptographic erase from anywhere
Lockdown and reboot behaviour
Auto-reboot timers and lockdown mode that protect data at rest
Encrypted messaging apps
Threema, Signal, Session and others — setup and comparison

Troubleshooting & maintenance

Keep the device running smoothly — fixing apps, connectivity and updates, and tuning battery, notifications and permissions.

App Compatibility Fixes
Configuring apps that need extra setup to run on GrapheneOS
Network Troubleshooting
Fixing mobile data, Wi-Fi and connectivity issues
Update Troubleshooting
Resolving OTA update and patching problems
Wi-Fi, Updates & Patching
OTA updates and network best practices for staying current
Battery & Performance
Optimisation and tuning for GrapheneOS on Pixel devices
Notifications & Permissions
Controlling what apps can access and auditing permissions

Latest

Privacy Blog Longer-form writing on privacy, security and the GrapheneOS ecosystem — analysis, comparisons and practical operational advice. Read the blog →

Ready to order

Reading is the slow way. We can prepare it for you.

Everything in these guides — GrapheneOS, isolated profiles, encrypted messaging, an enforced VPN, protective lockdown — comes configured and verified on every phone we ship. Pick a device or talk to us first.

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