De-Googling Android is simpler than you think—no special phone required

I recently replaced my beloved Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 with a de-Google Android phone, but was devastated to learn that my group chats would no longer be accessible. I’ve since returned to stock Android, but learned a much simpler way to remove Google in the process that involves fewer compromises.

Do not sign in to a Google account during setup

Your phone will still work great

Credit: Bertel King / How-To Geek

When setting up a new Android phone, there comes a point in the process where Google asks you to sign in to your account. Tucked away in the corner is a button that simply says “Skip.” By tapping on it, you can continue without logging into anything.

What are the disadvantages of this? Well, various Google apps won’t work, but Google Maps and YouTube will work if you’re not willing to look for an alternative. The biggest loss is the inability to download apps from the Play Store. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives to the Play Store, as well as another way to download software from Google’s app store.

Open a browser and download another app store

It is essential to do this before launching Google.

Google Chrome has the same function for me as Internet Explorer in the past: it’s the browser I open to download another (I currently use Firefox instead). In this case I also need to make sure to install another way to get apps.

First, you want F-Droid, a well-established source of free and open source apps for Android phones and tablets. F-Droid also has the added benefit of warning you when an app has so-called anti-features, such as relying on a web server that isn’t open source. When we recommend our favorite open source Android apps, you can expect to find most of them on F-Droid.

Next we will download Aurora, which you can find in F-Droid or you can download Aurora directly from a browser. Aurora is an alternative way to download apps from the Play Store without needing to sign in to a Google account. It generates an anonymous account in your name, but you need to log in to your Google account if you want to restore paid apps. Like F-Droid, Aurora will provide you with privacy information about each app and will also tell you if an app requires Google Play Services. This is important information to know, and depends on what you personally want to do with Google.

Now, before we go looking for all those extra apps we want, let’s first do something about the ones we don’t want.

Remove or disable all included Google apps

You can even disable the Play Store and Google Play Services

Credit: Bertel King / How-To Geek

With the installation of new app stores, it’s time to remove as many Google apps as possible. My current phone comes with a relatively standard version of Android, which means most apps are Google bloatware that companies have to ship if they want to sell a device that includes the Play Store. Fortunately, almost all of these apps can be uninstalled or disabled.

I’ve disabled all Google apps that I can viably swap for something else. This means I said goodbye to apps like Files by Google, Google Calendar, YouTube Music, and even Google’s Phone app. The only Google app I interact with regularly is Google Messages, which has unfortunately become the only way to send RCS messages on Android. I would prefer to use one of the open source alternatives to Google Messages, but that would mean moving away from RCS group chats.

To Google’s credit, we can now disable the Play Store, removing it as a way to download apps or manage updates. I chose to do it. For now, this is where I stopped my de-Google journey, but you can go even further by turning off Google Play Services. At this point you will lose many features. RCS messaging will no longer be an option and you won’t be able to use Android Auto or Google Wallet either. Many apps will no longer be able to send you notifications.

With the Google Play Service disabled, you’ve taken the last big step to limit Google tracking. But even if you choose not to, by not signing into a Google account and looking for private alternatives to Google apps, you generate less information and better anonymize the remaining metrics that Google generates on your device.

This is perhaps the most convenient way to un-Google

I bought the Murena Fairphone 6 because I like supporting free and open source software that can be purchased outright. After all, recommending people learn about ADB and fastboot just isn’t practical. This lazier approach is perhaps the most realistic option available for most people. You don’t have to pay the extra for a new phone, and you can do it on the phone you already own without having to touch a single line of code or risk breaking anything. The best part? Depending on your choice of apps, your phone will largely continue to work as it always has.

Brand

moray eel

Display

6.31 inches

The Murena Fairphone (Gen. 6) is the perfect option to combine privacy and durability. Powered by the /e/OS operating system, Fairphone (Gen. 6) protects you and your data at all times, while protecting the planet.