I need Google Play Services for certain apps (government ID, banking app), how to do it in a smart way? Running LineageOS
from sniggleboots@lemm.ee to degoogle@lemmy.ml on 19 Mar 2025 13:49
https://lemm.ee/post/58878287
from sniggleboots@lemm.ee to degoogle@lemmy.ml on 19 Mar 2025 13:49
https://lemm.ee/post/58878287
Hello! I recently switched to LineageOS and have been enjoying it fine. However, certain apps just refuse to work without engoogling them, sadly, and I need help doing it without making my entire phone a google-shaped target.
I’ve tried installing the apk’s manually or getting them through Aurora (once I got that to work), but no dice, they invariably give me some error code at the last hurdle, seemingly indicating a reliance on the services I’m trying not to install.
The alternative is keeping my SIM-less old phone around, the apps still work. I’m not sure how, considering they’re tied to my phone number. I don’t need those apps every day, so it wouldn’t be a huge bother, I’m just worried it’ll stop working after a while, and then I’m SOL.
threaded - newest
Have you tried MicroG? https://microg.org
It spoofs Play services to a lot of apps that (claim they) require it. MicroG even have their own Lineage fork.
I did try MicroG! It’s possible that I fucked it up, this stuff isn’t my forté. Do you have any examples of apps that work fine with MicroG? If those also don’t work, I know it’s something I did.
It depends on the app, really. Some will work and some won't: My Danish digital ID crapped out immediately, my Swedish one works fine. That's with all systems go according to the MicroG checklist.
My best guess is that MicroG does work, but some apps will check the bootloader and refuse to open if it's unlocked as mine is?
I never was successful getting things like that working on LOS. They seem to work fine on Graphene with sandboxed Play, but the phones that works on are limited.
Those apps will not work for security reasons. They check that the device is not compromised, meaning that the system is known not to contain any malicious software. It is unfortunately impossible to be sure that a custom firmware is safe.
I use /e/OS instead of Lineage now. It comes with MicroG and everything just works. I have a personal profile and a work profile. I keep them separate. No issues at all.
sadly there’s no /e/os support for my current phone. I only just got it as well, that spurred me into switching over
Switch to GrapheneOS with a profile for sandboxed GServices. There’s a github repo tracking banking app compatibility on GrapheneOS(GrapheneOS is quite secure while some banking apps require phones to be LESS secure) so check that first.
GrapheneOS is not supported by my device either, sadly.
When my banking app decided to pull that crap, I switched to a whole other bank. My new bank is not one of those new Neo banks and so I can use the website and do everything on that.
I applaud your determination