A Pixel 9 Pro test shows that GrapheneOS runs sandboxed Google Play apps, preserves many banking services, enables RCS texting, and receives rapid system updates. However, installation requires an officially supported Pixel phone, wipes local data, and removes certain Pixel-exclusive features.
Recent updates to Android have felt increasingly overwhelming, with artificial intelligence added to apps and services such as Google Photos, Pixel Screenshots, and Gmail. Because many of these features rely on personal data, privacy concerns prompted the author to test GrapheneOS. The author had previously assumed that the operating system was only for hardcore privacy enthusiasts willing to sacrifice everyday conveniences for better security.
In addition, the author had not flashed a custom ROM on a smartphone in more than a decade and was reluctant to repeat that process. Driven by curiosity, the author installed GrapheneOS on a Google Pixel 9 Pro to evaluate it firsthand. Spending time with the platform demonstrated that many assumptions and misconceptions were incorrect.
One persistent assumption about GrapheneOS is that installing it requires abandoning the Google ecosystem and losing access to the Google Play Store and other Google services. That is not the case. GrapheneOS allows users to install the Google Play Store and download apps from it, just like on a regular Android phone. Users can continue using Google applications such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, Calendar, and Maps without giving up the Google ecosystem.
The difference involves how Google services run on the device. On stock Android, Google Play Services operates with privileged system-level access. Under GrapheneOS, those services run as regular sandboxed apps without elevated permissions. While this could occasionally lead to compatibility issues, the author encountered none during testing, and apps like YouTube work without problem. Switching does mean losing access to certain Pixel-exclusive features like Pixel Screenshots and Magic Cue, but users who rely primarily on Google apps and services can still use most of them on GrapheneOS without much trouble.
Anyone who has installed a custom ROM on a phone may remember how tedious the process used to be, including downloading files, flashing custom recoveries, wiping the phone, and troubleshooting unexpected errors. Installing GrapheneOS is straightforward by comparison. The project provides a web-based installer that guides users through the entire setup. All that is required is a supported Pixel smartphone, a computer with a Chromium-based browser, and a USB cable.
The installer is easy to follow, even for those who have never flashed a custom ROM before. However, device compatibility must be kept in mind. GrapheneOS currently supports only select Google Pixel devices, so it cannot be installed on a Samsung Galaxy or other Android phones. Users must check whether their Pixel model is officially supported and remember that the bootloader must be unlocked during installation. In addition, the installation process completely wipes the phone, making it essential to back up photos, messages, and other important data beforehand.
A common concern with Android phones—even when enabling something as simple as Developer Options—is whether banking and payment apps will continue working. The author expected the situation to be worse on GrapheneOS, but that was not the case. Many banking and payment apps rely on Google’s Play Integrity API to verify device security, and GrapheneOS supports this API through sandboxed Google Play Services.
Because the operating system supports the Play Integrity API in this sandboxed mode, many banking and payment apps can work without major issues. Individual results depend on which specific banking apps an owner uses and how strict those services are regarding device security, as some may fail stricter integrity checks. However, the idea that banking and payment apps will not work on GrapheneOS is incorrect, and many everyday apps continue to work just fine.
GrapheneOS is currently only officially available on Google Pixel devices. One notable advantage of Pixel phones is how quickly they receive software updates directly from Google. The author assumed that switching to GrapheneOS would mean giving up those regular Android updates, but that did not happen.
The GrapheneOS team releases updates regularly, and devices receive them over the air (OTA) like a standard Android phone. The team also rolls out security patches quickly, while adding extra security improvements on top of Android. Major Android updates arrive quickly as well. GrapheneOS released its Android 17 update a day after Google rolled it out to Pixel devices. Switching to a privacy-focused operating system does not require missing out on regular software updates.
Another misconception was that RCS texting would stop working on an Android phone running GrapheneOS. In the author’s experience, RCS messaging worked on the Pixel 9 Pro without much trouble. Setup requires installing sandboxed Google Play Services and the Google Play Store, followed by downloading Google Messages.
Users might have to manually enable RCS by navigating to Google Messages settings and turning on RCS chats. Once activated, messaging functions normally. RCS support requires carrier compatibility, and activation may vary depending on the device and Google’s verification requirements. Nevertheless, getting it to work demonstrated that switching to GrapheneOS does not necessarily mean giving up RCS messaging.
Misconceptions surround GrapheneOS, and the team behind it does not always make it easy to understand what the operating system actually offers. However, after using it on a Pixel 9 Pro, the author found it to be one of their favorite Android experiences, highlighted by its privacy-first approach and the absence of unnecessary AI features.
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Robert Haba is the founder and editor-in-chief of Droid Tools. A lifelong gadget enthusiast with over a decade following the Android ecosystem, he built this publication to cut through the noise and give readers honest, real-world coverage of the tech they actually use.
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