GrapheneOS: which phone to buy and how to install it
GrapheneOS is a hardened, open-source phone operating system you install yourself, as long as you buy the right Pixel.
GrapheneOS officially supports only Google Pixel phones today, and the project recommends buying a Pixel 8 or newer, which comes with at least seven years of support from launch. Buy an unlocked phone, not a carrier model, then install GrapheneOS yourself with the official web installer at grapheneos.org. Motorola has partnered with the project, but its first supported phone is a flagship expected in 2027, and no Motorola phone runs GrapheneOS today.
What GrapheneOS is
GrapheneOS is a free, open-source version of Android built by an independent nonprofit project. It ships with no Google apps or services. It hardens the parts of Android that attackers go after and adds privacy controls stock Android does not have.
If you need apps that depend on Google, you can install sandboxed Google Play from the GrapheneOS App Store. It runs as an ordinary app with no special access or privileges, and you choose which user profiles get it.
Features you will notice in daily use:
- A Network permission toggle that cuts an app off from the internet entirely.
- A Sensors toggle for sensors that Android has no permission for.
- Storage Scopes and Contact Scopes, which let an app work while seeing only the files or contacts you pick.
- A duress PIN or password that irreversibly wipes the phone when entered.
- Auto reboot, which restarts a locked phone after a set time so its data goes back to rest.
- USB-C port control, which blocks attacks through the port while the phone is running.
- Vanadium, a hardened Chromium browser, and the Auditor app, which verifies the phone's software against tampering.
Which phone to buy for GrapheneOS
GrapheneOS strongly recommends buying only an 8th-generation Pixel or newer. Those models get at least seven years of support from launch and have hardware memory tagging, a CPU feature GrapheneOS uses by default to protect the OS and compatible apps against exploitation.
| Phone | Minimum support until |
|---|---|
| Pixel 10a | March 2033 |
| Pixel 10 Pro Fold | October 2032 |
| Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL | August 2032 |
| Pixel 9a | April 2032 |
| Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, 9 Pro Fold | August 2031 |
| Pixel 8a | May 2031 |
| Pixel 8, 8 Pro | October 2030 |
Older supported models (Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 6a, the Pixel 7 series, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet) had five-year guarantees, and the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro reached their minimum support date in October 2026, so skip all of them.
Do not buy a Pixel 11 for GrapheneOS yet. It is not on the supported list. GrapheneOS says the series launched without working memory tagging, that support may follow if Google ships it with Android 17 QPR2 in December 2026, and that nobody should buy one assuming GrapheneOS will come to it.
On a budget, GrapheneOS itself suggests a used Pixel 8 or Pixel 8a.
Avoid carrier models. US carriers often disable bootloader unlocking on phones they sell. The carrier may be able to lift that lock remotely, but GrapheneOS warns its support staff probably will not. Buy an unlocked phone from Google or a retailer that sells the unlocked version.
Motorola and GrapheneOS: where things stand
On March 2, 2026, GrapheneOS announced a long-term partnership with Motorola to build future devices that meet its privacy and security standards with official GrapheneOS support.
GrapheneOS has since said the first supported Motorola phone will be a high-end flagship launching in 2027, priced above Pixels. The current Motorola Signature (2026), Razr Fold (2026), and Razr Ultra (2026) come close but lack memory tagging, adequate secure element integration, and other features Motorola is adding for 2027. Cheaper Motorola models will take longer.
Until that phone ships, the official device list is Pixels only, so buy a Pixel if you want GrapheneOS now.
How to install GrapheneOS
Use the official web installer at grapheneos.org/install/web. It needs a computer with at least 2 GB of free memory and 32 GB of free storage, running Windows 10 or 11, macOS 14 or later, a supported Linux, ChromeOS, or Android. Use Chrome, Chromium, Microsoft Edge, or Brave with Shields turned off. Plug the phone straight into the computer, ideally with the cable from its box, not through a hub. Skip third-party install guides, which the project warns are often out of date.
- 1On the phone, open Settings > About phone and tap Build number repeatedly until developer mode turns on. Then go to Settings > System > Developer options and toggle on OEM unlocking. On models that carriers can sell locked, the phone needs an internet connection for this step.
- 2Turn the phone off, then hold volume down while it boots until you see a red warning triangle and the words Fastboot Mode. Do not press Start yet.
- 3Connect the phone to your computer and open the web installer.
- 4Click Unlock bootloader, then confirm on the phone with the volume and power buttons. This wipes everything on it.
- 5Click Download release to fetch the GrapheneOS factory images.
- 6Click Flash release. Leave the phone alone until the installer finishes. It reboots the phone on its own along the way.
- 7Click Lock bootloader and confirm on the phone. This turns verified boot back on and wipes the phone again.
- 8Press the power button with Start selected to boot GrapheneOS.
- 9On the last setup screen, leave the OEM unlocking toggle checked so OEM unlocking gets disabled again.
- 10Optionally, verify the install with the Auditor app, using a second Android phone.
GrapheneOS does not endorse any company that sells phones with it preinstalled. Its official advice is to buy a supported phone and install it yourself.
GrapheneOS vs CalyxOS vs iOS
| GrapheneOS | CalyxOS | iPhone (iOS) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | Independent nonprofit open-source project | Calyx Institute, a New York nonprofit | Apple |
| Phones | Pixel only (a Motorola flagship expected in 2027) | Pixel 6 through 9a plus the 10a, Fairphone 5 and 6, and a few budget Motorola models | iPhone only |
| Google apps | Optional sandboxed Google Play with no special privileges | microG, an open-source stand-in for Play services | None by default; Google apps install like any other app |
| Update record | Current | Paused development in August 2025, resumed full updates in July 2026 | Current |
I would pick GrapheneOS over CalyxOS because CalyxOS went almost a year without maintained releases, by its own account, and a phone that stops getting security patches should not be trusted with money. An iPhone with Lockdown Mode (iOS 16 and later), Apple's optional mode for people who may be personally targeted, is a reasonable choice if you are already deep in Apple's world, but you are trusting Apple's closed code and Apple's account system.
What works and what does not
Most Play Store apps work once sandboxed Google Play is installed. Banking apps are the usual exception. GrapheneOS calls them a particularly problematic class of apps, because some check whether the phone runs Google-certified software. GrapheneOS passes the basic integrity check but is not Google-certified, so some banking apps refuse to run.
Google's own help page says Wallet refuses contactless payments on phones that run a custom operating system or have modified factory software, so tap to pay is off the table. Android Auto works: install it from the GrapheneOS App Store and turn on its wired or wireless Android Auto permission toggles.
Why a hardened phone matters for your bitcoin
Your phone holds the authenticator codes for your exchange accounts, the email that resets them, and probably a spending wallet. A hardened phone makes each of those harder to steal. Keep your savings on a hardware wallet anyway, where a phone exploit cannot reach the keys. The duress PIN is worth setting up as well: if someone forces you to unlock the phone, entering it wipes the device instead of opening your apps. The wipe is irreversible, so keep backups of anything you need.
Frequently asked questions
What phones support GrapheneOS?
Google Pixel devices only: the Pixel 6 through the Pixel 10a phones, plus the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet. GrapheneOS recommends a Pixel 8 or newer for the seven-year support guarantee. The Pixel 11 is not supported yet.
Does GrapheneOS work on Motorola phones?
No Motorola phone runs it yet, but GrapheneOS and Motorola announced a partnership in March 2026, and GrapheneOS says the first supported Motorola phone will be a high-end flagship launching in 2027. Today's Motorola phones fall short of its requirements.
Can I buy a phone with GrapheneOS preinstalled?
Some companies sell them, but GrapheneOS is not affiliated with any of them and does not endorse them. Its official recommendation is to buy a supported Pixel and install GrapheneOS yourself with the web installer.
Do banking apps work on GrapheneOS?
Many do, with sandboxed Google Play installed. Some refuse because they require Google-certified software, which GrapheneOS is not. Google Wallet contactless payments do not work at all.
Is GrapheneOS better than CalyxOS?
For security, I would pick GrapheneOS. It turns on hardware memory tagging by default on 8th-generation and newer Pixels, and CalyxOS paused development for most of a year before resuming in July 2026. CalyxOS supports more phone brands.