FakeGApps VS GmsCore

Install FakeGapps apk. Install Displax forked SafetyNet Fix Magisk module this version (2.4 version can't pass CTS);

FakeGapps: Signature spoofing for MicroG as an Xposed module

fakegapps exists if one plans to root. I combine it with microg revived

Full setup: 1. Flash crDroid through recovery 2. Flash Magisk through recovery (change filename from Magisk-v25.2.apk to Magisk-v25.2.zip to make it flash'eable) 3. Boot into Android 4. You should have Magisk icon in drawer, open it, it will download client (if not, you can just install Magisk-v25.2.apk) 5. In Magisk go to settings (top right icon) and enable 'Zygisk' option 6. Then in Magisk go to Modules tab, click top button 'Install from storage' - there install microG_Installer_Revived.zip and LSPosed-(...)-zygisk-release.zip (have to be zygisk version) 7. Also install FakeGapps.apk like regular app 8. Reboot 9. Popup will came out that ask you to add shortcut icon to desktop for LSPosed, just add it and open it 10. In LSPosed go to second tab (Modules) and you should have FakeGapps on the list, enter it and check if it's enabled. If not - enable it and restart.

Install FakeGapps (v2 for Andrdoid 12) and reboot; Self-Check in microG Settings app should show all check marks.

That is an overkill. A working way of installing microG on a LineageOS which is not patched for it is to root with Magisk and enable Zygisk in its options, get microG installer revived and Zygisk - LSPosed Magisk modules (both available from FoxMMM too), then install FakeGapps (v2 for Andrdoid 12) and reboot. I've done this on LineageOS 19.1 and microG Settings shows all check marks.

I tried using LSPosed with this fork of FakeGApps but it didn't work.

When I try to use SmaliPatcher, my phone fails to boot 3 times and them goes to TWRP, so I installed LSPosed and am using this fork of the FakeGApps Xposed module: https://github.com/whew-inc/FakeGApps/releases

Install LPSosed module FakeGapps whew-inc fork (https://github.com/whew-inc/FakeGApps/releases)

I, an engineer, am not doing this myself, too. There is a middle ground though: just use a privacy-oriented Android build, like DivestOS. [1]

There are a couple caveats:

1. It is still a bit tricky for a non-technical person to install. Should not be a problem if they know somebody who can help, though. There's been some progress making the process more user friendly recently (e.g. WebUSB-based GrapheneOS installer).

2. There are some papercuts if you don't install Google services on your phone. microG [2] helps with most but some still remain. My main concern with this setup is that I can't use Google Pay this way, but having to bring my card with me every time seems like an acceptable trade off to me.

[1]: https://divestos.org/

[2]: https://microg.org/

I have been running de-googled LineageOS since before it renamed/reformed from CyanogenMod, so since somewhere around 2013/14. That has looked rather different depending on what exactly I need from my phone but I'll share what my current set up looks like.

First, I have don't use any kind of Google/Samsung/Apple Pay wallets so if you do, this may not be helpful; I've never looked into trying to get any of those working. Also, by "de-googled" I mean that I don't have GApps installed on my phone. I do have microG[0] installed as a Magisk[1]/LSPosed[2] module; this allows a few apps to believe I have GApps while most apps do not see/have access. I do not turn on microG for any apps (i.e. no connection to the Google servers/services via microG).

Most of my apps come from F-Droid[3], a few from Aurora Store[4] (a 3rd-part frontend for the Play Store that does not require either an account or GApps installed), a very few from FFupdater[5], and have played with using Obtanium[6] but currently only have one (weather) app updating via it. I have several different repositories configured in F-Droid but I don't generally keep mental track of which repository I am dependent on for which apps; the default, IzzyOnDroid[7], Bitwarden[8], NewPipe[9], microG[10], and Collabora[11] are some of them.

I have two banking apps installed via Aurora Store, one of which requires microG and root-hiding (via Magisk module) while the other doesn't require either. My browsers (Firefox, Firefox Klar, Brave) come from FFupdater and none require microG. My texting (QUIK SMS), email (K-9 Mail), TOTP authenticator (Aegis), password manager (Bitwarden), GPS/Maps (OsmAnd), file syncing (Nextcloud), notes (Nextcloud Notes), HN reader (HN), and Contacts/Calendar sync (DAVx5, ICSx5) apps all come via F-Droid (either the main repo or others). I have many others apps which come from F-Droid or Aurora Store but the above are my most used.

For file, calendar, notes, photo, & contact syncing, I have a Nextcloud server set up and find it to work quite well; the Nextcloud apps are also quite good. Someone who doesn't want to run their own could use a hosted account[12]. Contacts & calendars are synced to Nextcloud via DAVx5 & ICSx5.

The primary challenges I am aware of at this point are hardware (it is increasingly difficult to install LineageOS on most hardware due to bootloader locks), and navigation (OpenStreetMap data usually doesn't include addresses in the USA). For hardware, the solution is essentially just to properly research the phone you want to buy; I always make sure the model is well supported by LineageOS before purchasing and then tend to hang on to it for several years. For navigation, I usually find the address on my desktop or mobile browser (via DuckDuckGo) and then manually input the location into OsmAnd before the trip but I also keep WeGo Here maps installed in case I don't have time for that (it usually takes <2 minutes and rarely more than 5 to manually find & enter the address). Additionally, getting the one banking app to work without GApps was a pain in the butt initially (requiring testing several Magisk & LSPosed modules), but now it just works and I don't really think about it.

Overall, I don't find my version of de-googled to be a detriment; my phone is useful and I have more control over my data and over annoyances (such as unnecessary notifications) than I would otherwise.

[0] https://microg.org

Is anyone here daily-driving microg and can share their experiences? https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/wiki/Implementation-Status does not exactly inspire confidence.

...will need to be rewritten to avoid Google Play Services.

Not true.

All that needs to happen is for open source developers to "re-implement Google’s proprietary Android user space apps and libraries".

https://microg.org/

microG itself connects directly to Google: https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/wiki/Google-Network-Connec...

No shit, of course they do.

>In general, we obviously try to minimize the connections to Google, but some services strictly rely on them and would just not work without.

What exactly do you think they should do instead?

MicroG

In release notes for GmsCore v0.2.29.233013 (https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/releases/tag/v0.2.29.233013), I also see:

Yes, the Xposed module is one way. There are also other ways

Which one should I use? Is this MicroG's official website right? (https://microg.org/)