Device Privacy
A new computer or phone comes as a rented room. The maker's account sits over it, updates arrive when they decide, reporting runs in the background, and your messages and contacts sit in their cloud. On Windows, macOS, Android and iOS the device is compromised whatever else you add on top, because the maker's software sits underneath all of it.
Device Privacy is our service for moving into a room you own: Linux on your computer, GrapheneOS on your phone, and the apps that watch you swapped for private ones. Pick your device below to see what changes, how the move works, and the app swaps for that system.
Before you start
- 1Back up everything first: documents, photos, messages, contacts and saved passwords. Installing a new system wipes the device.
- 2Write down the apps you use every day, then search for each one in the app list for your system below.
- 3Export what lives in an account rather than on the device, such as browser bookmarks, passwords and two-factor codes.
- 4Check the hardware: most computers from the last ten years run Linux well, and GrapheneOS runs only on supported Google Pixel phones.
Linux for your computer
Replaces Windows or macOS. Open one topic at a time; none of it is homework.
What changes for youNo viruses to chase, nothing reporting back, and an old machine that runs well again.
Viruses stop being your problem
Most viruses, ransomware and malware are written for Windows. Linux is a smaller and harder target, so there is no antivirus subscription to keep paying.
Nothing reports back
Windows and macOS keep sending data to their makers even with the privacy settings switched off. Linux doesn't. What's on your computer stays there.
Your old laptop runs well again
Linux is light. Machines that crawl under Windows start in seconds and keep running for years, with no forced upgrade to stay usable.
No licence fees
No subscriptions, no forced accounts and no adverts in your own menus. The system and its everyday apps are free.
Windows and macOS are sold by companies that also profit from watching you use them. Linux is built by a worldwide community with nothing to sell.
Will my everyday things still work?Yes. Documents, email, photos and video all carry straight across.
Documents, spreadsheets, email, photos and video all have free, capable apps that open the files you already have.
Linux can look and behave like Windows or a Mac, with a taskbar, a menu and click-to-install apps. Most people never touch a command line.
The one catchA few Windows and Mac only programsSome Adobe apps and certain games don't run on Linux. Check yours first.
A few programs, such as some Adobe apps and games with kernel-level anti-cheat, have no Linux version. There is a free equivalent for almost everything else. Check the list below for each program you rely on before you commit.
ProtonDB lists how well each Steam game runs on Linux.
Moving from Windows or macOSFive steps, and you can try Linux before installing anything.
- 1Pick a distribution, the version of Linux you install. Linux Mint feels closest to Windows. Fedora and Ubuntu are other common starting points.
- 2Write the installer to a USB stick with a tool such as Fedora Media Writer or balenaEtcher.
- 3Start the computer from the USB stick and try Linux without installing. Check that Wi-Fi, sound, the screen and your printer work.
- 4Install, either replacing the old system or alongside it so you can choose at start-up while you settle in.
- 5Copy your files back, then install your apps from the software centre.
What carries over and what doesn't
- Documents, photos, music and video open as normal.
- Microsoft Office and Adobe apps have no Linux versions. The list below has the free swaps.
- Many Windows games run through Steam using Proton. Games with kernel-level anti-cheat often don't.
- Most printers and scanners work without installing a driver.
Your apps, the free swaps
59 appsFor almost everything you do now there is a free equivalent on Linux. Most are open source, and they open the files you already have. Search for the program you use now.
Office and documents
LibreOffice
Replaces Microsoft Office
The complete suite: Writer, Calc and Impress. Opens and saves Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, entirely offline.
ONLYOFFICE
Replaces Microsoft 365
The closest look and feel to Microsoft Office, with excellent .docx, .xlsx and .pptx fidelity.
CryptPad
Replaces Google Docs
End-to-end encrypted online docs for when you genuinely need to collaborate.
PDFs
Okular
Replaces Adobe Acrobat Reader
Read, annotate, highlight and sign PDFs. Fast and lightweight.
Xournal++
Replaces Acrobat (handwriting)
Hand-annotate and sign PDFs with a stylus or mouse.
PDF Arranger
Replaces Acrobat (organising)
Merge, split, rotate and reorder pages in seconds.
Master PDF Editor
Replaces Acrobat Pro
Full content editing when you truly need it.
Images, photo and design
Pinta
Replaces Paint.NET
Simple, Paint.NET-style editing for quick crops and touch-ups.
GIMP
Replaces Photoshop
A Photoshop-grade editor for serious work, with layers, masks and the rest.
Krita
Replaces Corel Painter
Built for digital painting and illustration; a favourite of artists.
Inkscape
Replaces Illustrator
Full vector graphics for logos, icons and print artwork.
Darktable
Replaces Lightroom
Non-destructive RAW developing and photo management.
digiKam
Replaces Photo library
Organise your whole photo library with powerful tagging and search.
Shotwell
Replaces Photos app
Light, tidy photo organiser for everyday use.
Photopea
Replaces Photoshop (in browser)
A browser-based Photoshop clone that even opens .psd files.
3D and modelling
Blender
Replaces 3ds Max, Maya or Cinema 4D
Industry-standard 3D for modelling, animation, sculpting, VFX and rendering. Used on real film work.
Video and audio
Kdenlive
Replaces Premiere Pro
Full multi-track video editor; the most popular open-source choice.
Shotcut
Replaces Premiere, Final Cut
Friendly, capable editor that’s quick to pick up.
DaVinci Resolve
Replaces Premiere Pro, Final Cut
Hollywood-grade editing and colour grading, native on Linux.
OBS Studio
Replaces Screen recorders
The standard for screen recording and live streaming.
Audacity
Replaces Adobe Audition
Record and edit audio for podcasts, voiceovers and cleanup.
Email, web and media
Thunderbird
Replaces Outlook
Powerful desktop mail, calendar and contacts; works with any provider.
Evolution
Replaces Outlook
Outlook-style mail, calendar and contacts in one window.
Firefox
Replaces Chrome, Edge
Fast, private and extensible, and not built on Google's engine.
Brave
Replaces Chrome
Blocks ads and trackers out of the box.
Mullvad Browser
Replaces Chrome (hardened)
Anti-fingerprinting browser from Mullvad and the Tor Project.
VLC
Replaces Windows Media Player, QuickTime
Plays essentially any video or audio file you throw at it.
Files and sync
Nextcloud
Replaces OneDrive, iCloud
Your own private cloud for files, calendar and contacts.
Syncthing
Replaces OneDrive, iCloud
Peer-to-peer sync straight between your devices. Nothing lands on anyone's cloud.
Notes and knowledge
Joplin
Replaces Evernote
Markdown notes and to-dos with end-to-end encrypted sync to your own storage.
Logseq
Replaces Notion, Roam
A local-first outliner for linked notes and daily journalling. Your files stay as plain text on your disk.
Obsidian
Replaces OneNote, Notion
A polished knowledge base built on a folder of plain Markdown files you fully own.
Passwords and 2FA
KeePassXC
Replaces LastPass
An offline password vault kept in a single encrypted file, on nobody else's servers.
Bitwarden
Replaces 1Password
Synced passwords across all your devices, and you can self-host the whole thing if you like.
Money and budgeting
GnuCash
Replaces Quicken
Proper double-entry accounts for home and small business, entirely on your own machine.
Actual Budget
Replaces Mint, YNAB
Fast envelope budgeting that runs locally or on your own server, with no bank logins handed to a third party.
KMyMoney
Replaces Quicken
Personal finance with accounts, budgets and reports in a familiar layout.
Meetings and messaging
Jitsi Meet
Replaces Zoom, Teams
Video calls straight from the browser. No account, and no install for guests.
Signal Desktop
Replaces WhatsApp, Messenger
End-to-end encrypted chat and calls on your desktop.
Element
Replaces Slack, Teams
Team chat on the open Matrix network, with the option to host it yourself.
Music and podcasts
Strawberry
Replaces iTunes
A polished player for your own music collection, with proper library management.
Navidrome
Replaces Spotify (your library)
Stream your own music to any device from a server you control.
gPodder
Replaces Podcast apps
Subscribe to and download podcasts without an account or tracking.
Backups
Timeshift
Replaces System Restore
Snapshot your whole system and roll back in minutes if something breaks.
Déjà Dup
Replaces Time Machine
Simple, scheduled, encrypted backups of your files to a drive or your own cloud.
restic
Replaces Backblaze
Fast, encrypted, deduplicated backups to almost anywhere you choose.
Games
Steam (Linux)
Replaces Steam (Windows)
Valve's Proton layer lets you play most of the Windows catalogue on Linux. Thousands of titles just work.
Lutris
Replaces Game launchers
One app to install and manage games from GOG, Epic, Steam and more, with community install scripts.
Heroic Games Launcher
Replaces Epic Games, GOG Galaxy
A clean open-source launcher for your Epic and GOG libraries on Linux.
Security tools
ClamAV
Replaces Norton, McAfee
Open-source antivirus scanner widely used on mail servers and desktops alike.
UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall)
Replaces Windows Firewall
A simple front end for the Linux firewall that blocks or allows ports in plain English.
VeraCrypt
Replaces BitLocker
Create encrypted volumes or encrypt entire drives. Cross-platform and audited.
System and PC management
Stacer
Replaces CCleaner
System optimiser with a dashboard, startup manager and cache cleaner.
BleachBit
Replaces CCleaner
Free up disk space and protect privacy by cleaning caches, logs and temporary files.
GParted
Replaces Disk Management
Partition manager that can resize, move and format drives with a clear visual layout.
Education and learning
GCompris
Replaces ABCmouse, educational apps
Over 180 activities for children aged 2 to 10, covering maths, reading, science, music and more.
Anki
Replaces Quizlet
Spaced-repetition flashcards used by students and professionals worldwide to remember anything.
Stellarium
Replaces Star Walk
A planetarium on your desktop for exploring the night sky in detail.
Weather
GNOME Weather
Replaces Weather apps
Clean, simple weather forecasts with no ads, no tracking and no account required.
GrapheneOS for your phone
Replaces Android or iOS on a supported Google Pixel. Open one topic at a time.
What changes for youThe same Android you know, with Google's tracking taken out and the security turned up.
It stops following you around
GrapheneOS has no Google tracking built in and gives your phone a different Wi-Fi identity on each network, so shops and networks can't trace your movements through the day.
Google is out, your apps aren't
Install your usual apps through the Aurora Store with no Google account. If an app needs Google Play, it runs in a sandbox as an ordinary app with no special access, so most banking apps work too.
You decide what each app can touch
Cut any app off from the internet, or let it see only the one photo or contact you choose. Deny an app the sensors and it gets nothing back.
Locked down when it leaves your hand
The USB-C port goes charging-only when the phone is locked, and the phone restarts into its fully encrypted state after a set time.
It runs on Google Pixel phones because they have the security hardware GrapheneOS builds on.
Will my apps still work?Most do, installed without a Google account.
Banking, messaging, streaming and social apps install from the Aurora Store or from Google Play in its sandbox. Most behave exactly as they do now.
A few apps refuse to run on anything except Google-certified Android. Check the ones you rely on first.
The one catchTap to pay with the phone doesn't workYour physical cards still tap as normal.
Google doesn't allow Google Pay contactless payments on GrapheneOS, so paying with the phone isn't available. Your physical cards still tap exactly as they do today. In Australia the CommBank app currently has its own workaround.
Moving from AndroidFive steps using the official web installer.
- 1Use a supported Pixel phone. The GrapheneOS website lists current models. Some carrier-locked Pixels can't be unlocked, so buy one that isn't.
- 2In Android's developer options, turn on OEM unlocking.
- 3Use the official web installer from another computer. It unlocks the bootloader, which wipes the phone, then installs GrapheneOS.
- 4Lock the bootloader again when the installer tells you to. This keeps the phone's verified boot protection.
- 5Install your apps from the list below, from F-Droid or the Aurora Store, or from Google Play in its sandbox.
Moving from iPhoneA new Pixel, and leaving iMessage and iCloud behind cleanly.
- 1While you still have the iPhone, turn off iMessage and FaceTime in Settings. If you've already moved, use Apple's online page to deregister your number. Otherwise texts from iPhone users can go missing.
- 2Export your contacts from iCloud as a vCard file.
- 3Download your photos from iCloud Photos, or ask for a copy of your data at privacy.apple.com.
- 4Set up the Pixel with GrapheneOS as in the Android steps, then import your contacts and photos.
What carries over and what doesn't
- Apps bought on the App Store don't carry over. Many have Android versions, which you'd need to get again.
- Message history is the hardest part. Our iCloud message data service moves messages and contacts to local or self-hosted storage, off Apple's cloud. Photos, calendars and notes are not part of that service.
Your apps, the private swaps
68 appsEvery Google app, matched with a private replacement. These install with no Google account. Search for the app you use now.
App stores
Aurora Store
Replaces Google Play Store
Installs apps from the full Play catalogue with no Google account.
F-Droid
Replaces Play (open apps)
A curated store of audited, open-source apps.
Obtainium
Replaces Play (auto-updates)
Auto-updates apps straight from their official source, e.g. GitHub.
Browser and search
Vanadium
Replaces Chrome
GrapheneOS's hardened, built-in browser and the most secure option on the phone.
Brave
Replaces Chrome
Blocks ads and trackers by default.
Mull
Replaces Firefox, Chrome
A privacy-hardened Firefox build with anti-fingerprinting.
DuckDuckGo / Brave Search / Startpage
Replaces Google Search
Search without a profile being built on you.
Proton Mail
Replaces Gmail
Encrypted mail and calendar from a privacy-first provider; open-source apps.
Tuta
Replaces Gmail
Encrypted mail that even strips metadata from the subject line.
Mailbox.org
Replaces Gmail, Outlook
A full-featured, privacy-respecting provider based in Germany.
Private chat (FOSS)
Signal (Molly build)
Replaces WhatsApp, Messenger
End-to-end encrypted with minimal metadata; Molly is the hardened build for GrapheneOS.
SimpleX Chat
Replaces WhatsApp, Telegram
No phone number, no account, no identifiers at all.
Element (Matrix)
Replaces Teams, Slack
Decentralised, encrypted chat you can even self-host.
Briar
Replaces Messaging (resilient)
Works peer-to-peer, even with no internet. Built for resilience.
Maps and navigation
OsmAnd
Replaces Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze
Offline turn-by-turn on OpenStreetMap; no location-history profiling.
Organic Maps
Replaces Google, Apple Maps
Light, clean, fully offline maps.
Family and location sharing
Paralino
Replaces Life360, Find My
End-to-end encrypted family location sharing with geofence alerts and privacy zones. EU-based, and it can't sell what it can't read.
Traccar
Replaces Life360 (self-hosted)
Run your own location-tracking server so the data lives entirely with you.
GPSLogger
Replaces Google Timeline
Logs your track to your own cloud or a file, with no third party in the middle.
Photos
Ente
Replaces Google Photos
End-to-end encrypted photo backup. You hold the keys.
Immich
Replaces Google Photos
A self-hosted, Google-Photos-style library on your own server.
YouTube, video and podcasts
NewPipe
Replaces YouTube app
YouTube with no ads, no account and no watch-history profiling; background play included.
LibreTube
Replaces YouTube (via Piped)
Streams YouTube through Piped proxies, so Google never sees your device.
Piped
Replaces YouTube (web)
A privacy-proxied YouTube front-end you can even self-host.
FreeTube
Replaces YouTube (desktop)
Private YouTube client for the desktop; subscriptions stay local.
Grayjay
Replaces YouTube, multi-platform
One app across YouTube, Rumble and more.
AntennaPod
Replaces Google, Apple Podcasts
Podcasts are open RSS, so no gatekeeper is needed.
Social and communities
Mastodon
Replaces X, Twitter
Federated social with no ads and no algorithm steering you.
Lemmy
Replaces Reddit
Community link-sharing and discussion, run by communities not a corporation.
RedReader
Replaces Reddit app
Reddit with no ads or tracking; clean and fast.
PixelFed
Replaces Instagram
Photo sharing without the ad-tech and the algorithm.
Keyboard
HeliBoard
Replaces Gboard, SwiftKey
Full-featured keyboard; your keystrokes never leave the device.
OpenBoard
Replaces Gboard
Simple, offline, no telemetry.
FUTO Keyboard
Replaces Gboard, SwiftKey
Great swipe typing and on-device voice input.
Passwords and 2FA
Bitwarden
Replaces LastPass
A vault only you can open. Self-host it with Vaultwarden if you like.
KeePassDX
Replaces Saved passwords
A fully offline vault held as a file you control.
Aegis
Replaces Google Authenticator
2FA codes with an encrypted, exportable backup you keep.
2FAS
Replaces Authy
Simple 2FA with encrypted backups.
Ente Auth
Replaces Authy
2FA that syncs encrypted across your devices.
Notes and local-first
Joplin
Replaces Evernote, Keep
End-to-end encrypted notes; local-first, syncs where you choose.
Standard Notes
Replaces Google Keep
Encrypted notes built for the long term.
Obsidian
Replaces Notion, OneNote
Local-first notes stored as plain files you own.
Cloud, sync and remote access
Nextcloud
Replaces Google Drive, iCloud
Your own private cloud for files, calendar, contacts and photos.
Syncthing
Replaces Drive, Dropbox
Peer-to-peer sync straight between your devices. Nothing lands on anyone's cloud.
Proton Drive
Replaces Google Drive
End-to-end encrypted storage if you’d rather not self-host.
RustDesk
Replaces TeamViewer, AnyDesk
Remote access to your machines, and you can host the relay yourself.
Fitness and health
FitoTrack
Replaces Google Fit
Track walks, runs and rides with charts and maps. Ad-free, no account, nothing sent home.
OpenTracks
Replaces Strava, Google Fit
Records activities with heart-rate and cadence sensors; your data stays on the device.
Calls, SMS and contacts
Fossify Phone
Replaces Google Phone
A clean dialler with no analytics, from the team continuing Simple Mobile Tools.
Fossify Contacts
Replaces Google Contacts
Your address book, stored locally and yours to sync where you choose.
Fossify Messages
Replaces Google Messages
Simple, private SMS/MMS with no tracking.
Files, scanning and documents
Fossify File Manager
Replaces Files by Google
Browse and manage files with no ads and no telemetry.
OpenNoteScanner
Replaces CamScanner
Scan documents to PDF entirely on the device. Nothing is uploaded.
Reading and RSS
Feeder
Replaces Feedly, Google News
Follow any site by RSS. Your reading list, with no algorithm deciding for you.
KOReader
Replaces Kindle app
A superb e-book reader (EPUB, PDF and more) with no store lock-in.
Video calls
Jitsi Meet
Replaces Zoom, Teams, Meet
Encrypted group video calls in the browser or app. No account, and you can self-host it.
Network and tracker blocking
RethinkDNS
Replaces Paid ad-blockers, VPN apps
A firewall, tracker blocker and private DNS in one. See and stop what each app sends home.
NetGuard
Replaces App network access
A no-root firewall to block internet access per app.
TrackerControl
Replaces Hidden ad-tech SDKs
Exposes and blocks the tracking libraries hidden inside other apps.
Backups
Seedvault
Replaces Google backup
Encrypted whole-phone backup built into GrapheneOS, saved to your own storage rather than Google's.
Weather
Breezy Weather
Replaces Ad-laden weather apps
Clean weather with no ad-SDK location harvesting.
Games
Shattered Pixel Dungeon
Replaces Mobile games (ad-free)
A brilliant roguelike with no ads, no in-app purchases and no tracking.
Mindustry
Replaces Strategy, tower defence
Open-source factory-building tower defence with depth to spare.
Office and documents
Collabora Office
Replaces Google Docs, Sheets
A full mobile office suite based on LibreOffice. View and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on your phone.
PDF viewing and editing
MuPDF
Replaces Google PDF Viewer
Lightweight, fast and open-source PDF reader with no tracking.
Music player
Auxio
Replaces Google Play Music, Spotify
A clean, fast local music player that plays your files. No account, no streaming, no tracking.
Vinyl Music Player
Replaces Default music player
A well-designed Material player for your own music collection.
Education and learning
AnkiDroid
Replaces Quizlet
Spaced-repetition flashcards that sync with the desktop app.