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Guides

Plain-language degoogling guides: install GrapheneOS, debloat Android, block trackers, replace Google apps and build privacy habits. No jargon, no fear.

Remove bloatware with ADB — no root How-to 12 min read Remove bloatware with ADB — no root Remove Android bloatware without root: exact adb commands and UAD-ng safe lists for Facebook stubs, OEM assistants and ad services, plus how to undo it.
Private DNS, permissions and settings lockdown How-to 11 min read Private DNS, permissions and settings lockdown A 30-minute settings pass for stock Android: tracker-blocking Private DNS, the permissions that matter, smarter location, and Google toggles to turn off.
Privacy habits that actually matter Explainer 8 min read Privacy habits that actually matter The privacy habits that matter most on any phone: fewer apps, separate identities, encrypted messaging, a spare number, sane backups. Skip the theatre.
The private app starter pack, 2026 Apps 8 min read The private app starter pack, 2026 Signal, Proton, Organic Maps, Aegis — the apps we install on every phone we set up, and the one category where we tell you to keep a Google app.
Private phones for small teams For business 12 min read Private phones for small teams What it actually takes to move a five-person company off stock Android and Google Workspace — the setup we recommend, the costs, and what breaks.
Install GrapheneOS from your browser How-to 20 min read Install GrapheneOS from your browser The full walkthrough. No command line, no soldering, no realistic risk of bricking — about 20 minutes from stock Pixel to GrapheneOS.
Do you actually need a Faraday bag? Gear 6 min read Do you actually need a Faraday bag? When signal-blocking gear is genuinely useful, when it's theater, and how to test one in thirty seconds before you trust it.
Degoogle your life in one weekend Beginner 15 min read Degoogle your life in one weekend A one-weekend plan to degoogle your life: swap your phone OS, email, browser, search and maps without losing your contacts, photos or your mind.
GrapheneOS vs CalyxOS vs /e/OS Explainer 10 min read GrapheneOS vs CalyxOS vs /e/OS GrapheneOS, CalyxOS or /e/OS? Three private Android systems, three philosophies. Compare security, apps, banking and hardware, then pick in minutes.

Where to start

These guides cover the whole job of taking back your phone, from choosing a private operating system to the everyday habits that keep it private. You don’t need to read them in order. Pick the path that matches your phone.

If you have a Pixel, or you’re happy to buy one, start with installing GrapheneOS in a browser tab. It’s the most private option we cover, and the install takes about twenty minutes on a computer with a supported browser such as Chrome, Edge or Brave.

If your phone can’t run a private OS, you can still remove most of the tracking. Begin with the full no-flashing degoogle plan, then go deeper with the settings lockdown, debloating over ADB and a per-app firewall. None of these need root.

If you’re new to all of this, read what degoogling really means first, then plan a weekend with our step-by-step weekend guide.

What the guides cover

  • Installing a private OS: GrapheneOS on Pixels, plus how it stacks up against CalyxOS and /e/OS.
  • Debloating: removing preinstalled apps and Google services from stock Android with ADB, with a way to undo every step.
  • Blocking trackers: Private DNS, permission settings and app firewalls that cut internet access for apps you don’t trust.
  • Replacing Google apps: mail, maps, browser, two-factor codes and app stores, with our picks in the private app directory.
  • Habits and threats: what actually matters day to day, whether a Faraday bag is worth it, and how small teams can roll out private phones.

Each card shows a topic tag (How-to, Explainer, Apps or For business) and an estimated reading time, so you can see at a glance what you’re getting into.

Words you’ll meet in these guides

  • ADB (Android Debug Bridge): Google’s official command-line tool for talking to an Android phone from a computer. Our debloating guide uses it to remove apps without root.
  • Bootloader: the program that starts the phone and decides which operating system it may load. Unlocking it is the first step of installing a private OS, and it erases the phone.
  • Root: full administrator access to Android. None of our guides need it, and we don’t recommend it for most people.
  • F-Droid, Aurora Store and Obtainium: three ways to install apps without the Google Play Store app. F-Droid hosts open-source apps, Aurora Store downloads Play Store apps anonymously, and Obtainium installs apps straight from a developer’s releases.
  • Private DNS: an Android setting that sends your phone’s address lookups to a resolver you choose, which can block known tracker domains for every app at once.

Before you start any guide

Back up your photos, contacts and two-factor codes first. Debloating and settings changes can be undone, but unlocking a bootloader can’t be done without erasing the phone. If a step in a guide doesn’t match what you see on your phone, stop and check the official documentation for your OS or phone maker, since menus differ between brands and Android versions.

Not sure your phone can run a private OS at all? Run the two-step model lookup before you pick a guide. For what’s changed recently, from new OS releases to device support, see the latest degoogled Android stories.