/e/OS Setup Guide

1. Power On: Press and hold the power button on the side of the phone.
2. Warning Messages: You can safely ignore warning messages like "This device's bootloader is unlocked and its software integrity can't be verified..." or "This device is not running official software."
3. Welcome: At the welcome screen, tap Start
4. Language: Select your preferred language.
5. Turn on Cellular Data (if applicable): If your device is equipped to make phone calls and you have a SIM card installed and are not connected to a Wi-Fi network, you will have the option to use cellular data to complete the setup process.
   
6. SIM card missing (if applicable): If your device is equipped to make phone calls and if you do not have a SIM card installed, you will get this screen with the option to install one at this point or setup eSIM.
7. Internet: Connect to a WiFi network by selecting the name of your WiFi network and entering the passphrase.
8. Set up Parental Control (if applicable): You have the option of activating parental control if the device will be used by a child
9. Date and Time: Set your time zone and adjust current date and time if needed.
10. Location services: Determine whether to give apps permission to the device's location data. Optionally you may set up location data permissions within the individual app settings later.
11. Update Recovery: It is safe to check the box allowing the Recovery partition to be updated alongside the OS
12. Navigation: Choose your preferred navigation method. This can be changed later in system settings.
    
13. Fingerprint or Facial recognition setup: Some devices are equipped to use fingerprint or facial recognition to unlock the screen. Follow the on-screen instructions or select Skip to skip this step.
    
14. Protect your device: Set up a PIN, password or pattern to unlock the screen. This is an optional step however it will prevent unauthorized access to your phone by another individual.
15. Sync your cloud account: If you decide to use the email and cloud services offered by /e/ Foundation, choose CREATE ACCOUNT or SIGN IN. Otherwise select Skip.
16. Tap Start to complete initial setup.
    

Go to Settings app > System > microG. You'll be presented with settings to disable or enable device registration, cloud messaging, Google SafetyNet, and Exposure Notifications.

1. Self Check: Enabled by default. It is recommended to leave the settings as is unless you know what you are doing.
2. Google Accounts: If you have a Google account and need to sign in, go to Account and sign in with your credentials. It is highly recommended that you do not use this feature as it will connect your device and identity with Google. Instead of relying on Google services, find alternatives that accomplish the same goal but respect your privacy.
3. Google Device Registration: Enabled by default. This setting registers your device to Google services and creates a unique device identifier. microG strips identifying bits other than your Google account name from registration data. In other words, it creates a required identity with Google services, but as long as you do not sign in to an account (Step 3), the registration will remain anonymous. If you decide not to install apps that require Google services then disable this setting.
4. Cloud Messaging: Enabled by default. The description says "Cloud Messaging is a push notification provider used by many third-party applications. To use it you must enable device registration." Some apps that require Google services use this function to push notifications. If you choose to disable this setting, some apps will not send notifications.
5. Google Safety Net: Enabled by default. Some apps from the Google Play Store depend on Google Safety Net to ensure the operating system is properly secured. For example banking apps like Square and PayPal, or shopping apps like Amazon require it. We recommend not to use banking apps or apps to make purchases.
6. Location: Go to Location Modules and check that at least one Network-based geolocation module and one Address lookup module are enabled, specifically "While using the app". For information about installing alternative modules, see more about MicroG's Unified Network Location Providers.

1. Open App Lounge app 
2. Accept the end-user license agreement
3. To view and install only open-source privacy-friendly apps from F-Droid, select PWA AND OPEN SOURCE APPS. Or, to view and install apps from F-Droid and Google Play Store Anonymously, select ANONYMOUS MODE. We recommend not selecting SIGN IN WITH GOOGLE
4. The repository database will be updated and you will see a list of available apps
5. Search for apps and tap to download and install
6. If you want to change preferences, select Settings in the bottom right corner

• App Lounge - The /e/OS app repository
• Browser - Open source web browser from e Foundation
• Calculator - A straightforward calculator app
• Calendar - To start using, go to app settings to add a calendar
• Camera - Open-source camera app capable of capturing still images and video
• Clock - The Android open source clock; includes an alarm, timer, and stopwatch
• Contacts - An Android open source contacts app
• Files - An open source file browser
• Gallery - A very straightforward and easy to use photo gallery
• Mail - An IMAP and POP3 mail client that makes it easy to connect to an existing email account
• Maps - /e/OS includes Magic Earth as the default maps and navigation app
• Messaging (if applicable) - For devices equipped with carrier services, this is the open-source SMS/MMS text messaging app
• Music - A music player that sorts music by artist, album and playlists
• Notes - Simple open-source notes app
• Phone Dialer (if applicable) - For devices equipped with carrier services, this is the standard open-source phone dialer app
• Recorder - Open source voice recorder app
• Settings - Change system settings and configure the device
• Tasks - A simple open-source tasks app

1. Use privacy-friendly apps: Look for the open-source tag in the App Lounge for the best privacy-friendly apps.
2. Stay away from Big Tech: Apps made by Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple and other Big Tech corporations should be avoided based on their practice of selling your personal data for profit and tracking your activity.
3. The less apps on your device, the better the privacy. Ask yourself, "Do I really need this app?". If there is a software program you can install on a PC or laptop instead, that is a better option.
4. Instead of installing a company's app, access their website from a web browser; For quick access, use the browser's Add to Home screen feature to create an app icon.

• Enable Adaptive brightness: Adaptive brightness may be disabled by default. To enable it, open Settings app > Display > Adaptive brightness > tap toggle button to enable
• Customize home screen: Select Settings app > Wallpaper & style to change home screen appearance (download our favorite wallpapers at https://digitalprivacy.shop/wallpaper)
• System navigation: Choose how you navigate with gestures by going to Settings app > System > Gestures > System navigation
  
• Display settings: Go to Settings app > Display to adjust brightness, lock screen, screen timeout, theme, font size, auto-rotate, screen saver, and more
  

1. Reduce App Dependency: The fewer apps on your phone, the more secure and private it will be. We challenge you to only install what you need. This will increase available storage space and reduce the potential for leaked data through random apps.
2. Review App Permissions: Apps don't always need the permissions they request. Go to Settings > Apps > See All ## Apps. Then select each app and review permission settings. Change to Approve, Deny, or Ask Every Time as necessary.
3. Install a Firewall: Install a firewall like NetGuard to restrict network access on a per-app basis. Once installed, scan through the list of apps and decide whether to restrict network communication. Be cautious of restricting system apps that appear in the list.
4. Setup Multiple User Profiles: If you must install proprietary commercial (closed source) apps, create a "Work" profile and isolate them from your personal data. Learn more.
5. Activate Private DNS: Why is DNS important? Learn more. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Private DNS. Select Private DNS provider hostname and enter base.dns.mullvad.net. Or follow our guide to select a specific DNS resolver of your choice.
6. Install a VPN: A virtual private network encrypts the data being sent from your device by tunneling to a VPN server, effectively cloaking your data and preventing ISP interception. Additionally, to the downstream recipient, your device's location will appear to be the location of the VPN server. This feature is useful when accessing websites that restrict access from specific countries. For a no-cost alternative that uses the TOR network, I highly recommend Orbot, by Guardian Project. There are also three free VPN services available on F-Droid: the CalyxVPN, RiseUpVPN, or ProtonVPN. However paid VPNs offer more features and higher speeds.
7. Regularly Disable Network Transmission: Get in the habit of disabling Location, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Camera, and Microphone when not in use. You can easily disable them by swiping down from the top of your home screen to access the Quick Settings tiles. For added security, place the device in a Faraday bag when not in use.