#fdroid

Source:

De-googling Journey This post is partly due to the whole YouTube boycott/blackout going on due to the privacy invading (and frankly EXTREMELY DUMB) AI age verification. So, what I have succeeded in doing thus far:

1. Stopped downloading apps from Google Play: replaced with Github and F-Droid Basic repos.

2. Stopped using Google Drive for Fanfiction and Non-Fanfic writing: replaced with a partly online-offline system using LibreOffice (offline, Laptop), Ellipsus (supposed privacy centered cloud for writing), and Material Notes (offline, android phone). Libreoffice and (soon) Material Notes will be holding the "master" copies of my works as Ellipsus is purely a middleman for cloud syncing, I update my offline copies as soon as I can.

3. Partly stopped using Gmail: Use FairEmail as main frontend on phone, keep Gmail in secure folder (isolated environment) and only use Gmail browser on laptop.

4. Replaced various Google services with other open source options available on Github and F-droid. Using Fossify Calender and Contacts for local storage on my phone.

5. Stopped using Chrome (technically that was last year): replaced it with LibreWolf (laptop), Duckduckgo (mobile browser), and Waterfox (mobile browser). DuckDuckGo is the main search engine on all of them (if there are other recommendations, do tell.)

6. (Mostly) stopped using Google Messages on my phone: replaced it with Signal. Sidenote, I switched to this after the whole fiasco a few months ago, plus both google messages was risk of being downright BROKEN and my old online messenger, Viber, is so far corrupted with ads it's ridiculous. It was a change made out of necessity as well as privacy...

7. Due to recent events, I have replaced my patched YouTube apps with FreeTube for both Android and Laptop. I don't know how much longer I can hold out on this blackout, but even if I do go back on YouTube, I am not using the main app/site anymore. I'll be using Freetube for watching. YouTube will only be for cataloging videos via the almighty algorithm, to which I then either watch on FreeTube or "save for later" offline (I've been playing this game for a LONG time). This has and will continue to dwindle my screentime on YouTube. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a good (frontend) replacement for YouTube Music... a decent replacement is Kreate, but the podcast function is very... rough to say the least. Which is unfortunate since I primarily use YT Music for podcasts (I also patched this app so no ads, yipee).

8. Additionally, I've basically disabled all permissions on the main google app on my phone, only using it for the "Google Feed" option. I still get good articles through there, but I've trying to balance it with a self curated RSS feed and either opening articles in DuckDuckGo or saving to Instapaper.

9. I stopped using Gboard as my default keyboard: replaced it with Heliboard instead.

10. I plan on fully replacing the Google Drive suite with Nextcloud soon, but that involves a self-hosted server and intermediate networking... which is a large project as I figure out what exactly I can recycle/repurposed before thinking I need to buy things.

I've been debating on whether I want to try and root a phone to finalize a "de-google" and use a different OS, but I do not know if I want to accept the tradeoffs. So it's a final decision.

It's a little ironic I'm trying to de-google whilst using an android phone, but I still find Android much more flexible than iOS, and personally, I prefer the flexibility, plus the phone I'm using still supports SD cards and headphone jacks. But... it's, it's been a journey, and it seems like it'll be a long one indeed...

For anyone who may want to start, this de-googling list is where I started my journey: https://github.com/tycrek/degoogle

Here's how, and also apparently there are some Things you can do about it:

Please note that starting September 2026, some Google Play Store alternatives may not be able to used, thanks to Google's new policy, which will end anonymous app distribution. Also, always research externally when downloading an app.

F-Droid 💝🤖

Many open-source and privacy-focused apps.

Aurora Store 💝🤖

Navigates similarly to the Play Store.

Revanced YT no more?????!!!!! Noooooo

Newpipe the GOAT no more???!!!!!! Noooooo