Phone

Periodic Phone Wipe Notes

I got into the habit of wiping my phone every 6 months (takes about an hour) in order to:

Streamline the process
Validate the backups
Re-examine which apps should stay
Remove leftover data
Figure out the pains and find alternatives

My phone is a Pixel 8 with GrapheneOS, it has an always-on VPN, and a lot of self-hosting related apps.

Backup

Snapshot
- Homepages
- Toggles
- App drawer
Export
- Wireguard
- Gadgetbridge
- Lawnchair
- Ntfy
- Termux
Backup the entire phone to the PC

Install

Follow the official documentation.

Configuration

Copy exports and snapshots back
Initial configuration
- Network & Internet
  - Private DNS: quietsy.dns.domain.tld
  - Internet connectivity checks: off
  - Internet
    - Network preferences
      - Turn on wi-fi automatically: off
      - Notify for public networks: off
  - SIMs
    - VoLTE: off
    - Preferred network type: LTE
    - Allow 2G: off
  - VPN
    - Always-on VPN: on
    - Block connections without VPN: off
- Connected devices
  - Connection preferences
    - NFC: off
    - Printing: off
- Apps
  - Sandboxed Google Play
    - Reroute location requests to the OS: on
    - Google location accuracy: off
  - Special app access
    - Special access to hardware accelerators for Google apps: on
    - Unrestricted mobile data: Linphone, FindMyDevice
- Notifications
  - Wireless emergency alerts: off
  - Hide silent notifications in status bar: on
  - Notification dot on app icon: on
  - Enhanced notifications: on
  - Notifications on lock screen: off
  - Bubbles: on
- Sound & vibration
  - Spatial audio: off
  - Vibration & haptics: on
  - Dial pad tones: off
  - Screen locking sound: off
  - Charging sounds and vibrations: off
  - Tap & click sounds: off
  - Always show icon when in vibrate mode: on
  - Set ringtone and notification sound
- Display
  - Adaptive brightness: on
  - Lock screen
    - Privacy: don't show notifications at all
    - Shortcuts
      - Flashlight
      - Camera
    - Dynamic clock: on
    - Always show time and info: off
    - Tap to check phone: on
    - Lift to check phone: off
    - Wake screen for notifications: on
  - Screen timeout: 1 minute
  - Dark theme: on
  - Night light: off
  - Auto-rotate screen: off
  - Smooth display: off
  - Increase touch sensitivity: off
  - Screen saver: off
- Wallpaper & style
  - Set wallpaper
  - Show notifications on the lock screen: off
- Battery
  - Battery saver: off
  - Charging optimization: limit to 80%
  - Battery percentage: on
  - Battery share: off
- System
  - Keyboard
    - Futo
      - Keyboard & Typing
        
        Show number row: on
        
        Show action/suggestions bar: on
        
        Automatic spaces mode: automatically insert spaces only after inserting suggestions
        
        Swipe typing: on
        
        Auto-correction: on
        
        Auto-capitalization: on
        
        Double-space period: on
        
        Sound on keypress: off
        
        Popup on keypress: on
        
        Vibrate on keypress: on
        
        Vibration: minimum
        
        Clipboard history: on
  - Gestures
    - Quickly open camera: on
    - Navigation mode: gesture navigation
    - Tap to check phone: on
    - Lift to check phone: off
  - Date & time
    - Use 24-hour format: on
  - System updates
    - Require battery above warning: on
    - Require device to be charging: off
    - Automatic reboot: on
  - Developer options
    - OEM unlocking: off
    - USB debugging: off
    - Wireless debugging: off
    - Mobile data always active: off
    - Disable bluetooth LE audio hardware offload: on
- Security & privacy
  - Security
    - Screen lock
      - Scramble PIN input layout: on
      - Enhanced PIN privacy: on
      - Lock after screen timeout: 5 seconds
      - Power button instantly locks: on
      - Allow camera access when locked: on
    - Fingerprint unlock
      - Add both hands
      - Use for screen unlocking: on
  - Privacy
    - Camera access: on
    - Microphone access: on
    - Show clipboard access: on
    - Show passwords: off
    - Allow sensors permission to apps by default: off
    - Save screenshot timestamp to EXIF: off
    - Notifications on lock screen: all
    - Show media on lock screen: on
  - Exploit protection
    - Auto reboot: 18 hours
    - USB-C port: charging-only when locked, except before first unlock
    - Hardened memory allocator: disable camera
    - Memory tagging: check
    - Native code debugging: check, disable protonmail
    - Webview JIT: check, disable PDF viewer
    - DCL via memory: check, allow google play services, vanadium
    - DCL via storage: off
    - Secure app spawning: on
  - More privacy & security
    - Allow sensors permission to apps by default: off
    - Notify about system process crashes: on
    - Automatic exploit protection compatibility mode: on
- Location
  - Location services
    - Wi-fi scanning: off
    - Bluetooth scanning: off
- Safety & emergency
  - Wireless emergency alerts: off

Apps

App store priority for installation: accrescent > obtainium + appverifier (github) > obtainium (f-droid)

Appverifier
- Permissions: none
- Background usage: optimized
Audiobookshelf
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: optimized
Auditor
- Enable remote verification: on
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: unrestricted
Bitwarden (password manager)
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: optimized
Breezy weather
- Permissions: network, notifications, sensors
- Background usage: unrestricted
Davx5 (sync contacts)
- Permissions: calendar, contacts, network, notifications
- Background usage: unrestricted
Finamp (music)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: optimized
Findmydevice
- Permissions: camera, contacts, location, network, notifications, phone, sensors
- Background usage: unrestricted
Floccus (bookmark sync)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: off
Gadgetbridge (cloudless gadgets)
- Permissions: calendar, call logs, contacts, location, nearby devices, network, notifications, phone, sensors, sms
- Background usage: unrestricted
Immich (photos)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: optimized
Jellyfin (media)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: unrestricted
LibreTube (youtube)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: unrestricted
Linphone (voip)
- Permissions: contacts, microphone, network, notifications, phone, sensors
- Background usage: unrestricted
Molly
- Permissions: contacts, network, notifications, phone, sensors
- Background usage: optimized
Nextcloud news (rss reader)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: none
Nextcloud (self-hosted cloud)
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: unrestricted
Nextcloud notes
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: none
Ntfy (notifications)
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: unrestricted
Obtainium
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: optimized
Organic maps (navigation)
- Permissions: location, network, sensors
- Background usage: none
OSS document scanner
- Permissions: none
- Background usage: optimized
Proton calendar
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: optimized
Proton mail
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: optimized
SimpleLogin
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: none
Termux
- Permissions: files (storage scope /backup/), network, notifications
- Background usage: optimized
Vanadium (browser)
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: optimized
Wireguard (vpn)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: optimized
Configure all apps
Set folders to auto upload to nextcloud
- Photos
- Videos
- Call recordings
- Snapshots
- Backup

Private Space

For apps that require google play store.

Discord
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: optimized
Google Play Services (sandboxed)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: unrestricted
Google Play Store (sandboxed)
- Permissions: network, notifications
- Background usage: optimized
Google Services Framework (sandboxed)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: optimized
Wireguard (vpn)
- Permissions: network
- Background usage: optimized