Frequently Asked Questions
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Features
Can you add feature X?
You can suggest it, but it’s unlikely that we’ll add it unless we find it particularly useful.
Examples of features that will not be added, because they are proprietary and cannot legally be used in ProtonAOSP without tedious reverse engineering that takes away from development time:
- New Google Assistant
- Weather on the lock screen or ambient display
- Now Playing song on the lock screen or ambient display
- “Rules” automation in Settings
- Pixel Launcher
- Live Space
It is also very unlikely that we will add customization features, as this is not a customization-focused ROM.
Why are Pixel features missing?
Many Pixel-exclusive features are proprietary and cannot be added without tedious reverse engineering that takes away from development time. See Pixel-exclusive features for detailed lists of supported and missing features.
Where are the customization settings?
ProtonAOSP is not a customization-focused ROM. As such, it is unlikely that we will add any customization options. You may be better served by other ROMs if maximum customization is important to you.
What features does ProtonAOSP have?
See Features for an overview of ProtonAOSP’s features.
What Google apps are included?
Official “gapps” builds include a bare minimum set of apps for full functionality, and nothing more. This includes:
| App | Reason |
|---|---|
| Google Play Services | Required for Google and third-party apps |
| Google Setup Wizard | Required for Google Play Services to work properly |
| Google Search | Required for Google Assistant hotword detection (“Ok Google” trigger) to work properly |
| Google Text-To-Speech | AOSP is missing a TTS implementation |
| Google Photos | AOSP Gallery is lacking in maintenance and functionality |
| Google Phone | Required for call screening |
| Android Auto | Only works as a system app |
| Digital Wellbeing | Only works as a system app |
| Play Store | Allows downloading apps from Google Play |
We only include this set of apps and will not add more for size and privacy reasons. You can install more Google apps from the Play Store.
Call screening will not work in Google Dialer if you install it from the Play Store, but unfortunately, it won’t be added to the system for size and privacy reasons. You can try rooting and “systemizing” the app if you still want the feature.
Can you add more Google apps?
No. From the answer above:
We only include this set of apps and will not add more for size and privacy reasons. You can install more Google apps from the Play Store.
Call screening will not work in Google Dialer if you install it from the Play Store, but unfortunately, it won’t be added to the system for size and privacy reasons. You can try rooting and “systemizing” the app if you still want the feature.
Are hotspot and tethering supported?
Yes, Wi-Fi hotspot and USB tethering both work on officially-supported devices. This includes hardware acceleration (via Qualcomm’s IPA processor), just like Google’s stock OS.
Is battery life good on ProtonAOSP?
Battery life is a highly personal thing that is different for each individual user, so we can’t predict how good the battery life will be for you or how many hours of screen-on time you will get. We don’t make tweaks specifically for battery life, but for most users, battery life is considerably better than Google’s stock OS because of the reduced bloat and fewer background services.
Updates
When is the next update?
ProtonAOSP is a free and open-source project, and anyone can use it for free. We are not obligated to release updates whenever you want them, and you are not entitled to them. Be patient; updates will be released when they are ready.
Asking for ETAs
Repeatedly asking for updates (“ETAs”) through the use of euphemisms in the community, such as “Is there an update coming soon?” will not be tolerated.
Will I get automatic updates?
No, ProtonAOSP does not have automatic over-the-air (OTA) updates, but it is possible that they will be added in the future. In the meantime, we recommend using the web installer for quick and easy updates in under 4 minutes.
Where are the old versions?
You can find all versions of ProtonAOSP under Versions in the sidebar (floating menu button on mobile).
Can I update without wiping data?
Yes, you can update to a newer version of ProtonAOSP while keeping all your data. It is not necessary to “clean flash” or wipe data when upgrading.
Can I downgrade to an older version?
We don’t recommend using old versions of ProtonAOSP, but you can safely downgrade to an older version without losing data.
Will I lose root after updating?
Yes, root will be lost after updating because the entire system gets replaced during the update process. You will need to root again after each update.
Problems
Why is SafetyNet failing?
Google’s SafetyNet attestation passes out-of-the-box, but it may fail if you’ve made changes to the system. See Passing SafetyNet for more information.
SIM Manager keeps stopping
This is caused by our support for eSIM on Pixel devices. Google’s eSIM manager depends on Google Play Services, so if you installed the minimal version without subsequently installing microG, it will crash in the background.
You can fix this with any of the following solutions:
- Installing Google services
- Installing Gcam Services Provider
- Disabling eSIM by running this command on a computer:
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.google.android.euicc
This will likely be fixed soon by disabling eSIM automatically in such cases.
Carrier Services keeps stopping
This is the same underlying issue as “SIM Manager keeps stopping,” which is answered above.
The solutions are the same — you can fix this with any of the following:
- Installing Google services
- Installing Gcam Services Provider
- Disabling Carrier Services by running this command on a computer:
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.google.android.ims
Settings Services keeps stopping
Settings Services is a proprietary Google app that only works on the stock Pixel OS. It’s not part of ProtonAOSP, but you may have gotten it by restoring a Google backup from stock.
To fix this issue, uninstall “Settings Services” in Settings -> Apps -> All apps.
Adaptive Connectivity Services keeps stopping
Adaptive Connectivity Services is a proprietary Google app, not part of ProtonAOSP, but you may have gotten it by restoring a Google backup from stock.
To fix this issue, uninstall “Adaptive Connectivity Services” in Settings -> Apps -> All apps.
RCS doesn’t activate
RCS may fail to activate if you didn’t deactivate it before installing ProtonAOSP by disabling “Enable chat features” in Google Messages. To fix the issue, disable it using Google’s online tool and try activating RCS again.
Now Playing doesn’t work
On Pixel devices, Now Playing will show the current song as a minimized notification, so check your notification shade. It’s not on the lock screen or ambient display because those are proprietary features.
Opening the notification shade is laggy
This is caused by the frosted glass blur effect that we use in the notification shade and quick settings, which may be laggy in certain heavy scenarios on some devices. You can choose to disable blur in Settings -> Developer options -> Enable blurs.
Our custom blur implementation is already considerably faster than Google’s, although there is still more room for improvement.
USB file transfer doesn’t work
The persistent USB notifcation was intentionally removed because it adds to notification clutter and is not consistent with other settings. Instead, you can change the USB mode (MTP file transfer, tethering, etc.) in Settings -> Connected devices -> USB. This setting has not been moved or changed from stock.
Google Pay isn’t in the power menu
Google Pay integration in the power menu is a part of Google Play Services. Unfortunately, it tends to be unreliable to register on new installs, even on Google’s stock OS. Your best bet is to wait a few days for Google Play Services to register the integration.
Text selection is missing in Recents
Text selection in the recents overview is a proprietary Pixel feature, so it will not be added until we have a custom implementation.
However, if you are rooted, you can install Pixel Launcher manually and use QuickSwitch to enable full functionality. This will make recents text selection work at the cost of losing ProtonAOSP’s launcher changes.
I found a bug
Please check all the other problems to make sure it isn’t already covered. If you’re sure that it’s a new bug, see Community for ways to report it.
Visuals
Is there a black theme?
Unlike Google’s stock OS, the dark theme is dark gray instead of pure (“AMOLED”) black. This is because black themes have many problems from a design standpoint:
- A black background makes it impossible to express depth using tonal variations.
- On OLED displays, the overly high contrast of white-on-black text is harsh on the eyes for some people.
- On AMOLED displays, black smearing is a major problem at low brightness.
- Black can’t be tinted to match other Material You colors.
If you want a black theme purely to save power, take a look at XDA’s analysis. Black saves a marginal amount of power compared to dark gray themes according to the tests — not enough to make a practical difference.
Where can I get the wallpapers?
All bundled wallpapers can be found in Settings -> Display -> Styles & wallpapers.
If you like the wallpapers and want to use them outside of ProtonAOSP, see Wallpapers for other ways to get them.
What does ProtonAOSP look like?
See Screenshots for a taste of ProtonAOSP without installing it yourself.
Privacy & security
Is ProtonAOSP good for privacy?
ProtonAOSP is not a privacy-focused ROM. It has more privacy-related features than most ROMs, but privacy is not its core focus. You may be better served by other ROMs if maximum privacy is important to you.
Is ProtonAOSP secure?
In general, ProtonAOSP is just as secure as Google’s stock OS, including signing with private keys and verified boot (AVB). You can optionally re-lock the bootloader after installing ProtonAOSP in order to use verified boot and benefit from improved physical security, as well as resistance against persistent attacks.
However, ProtonAOSP is not a security-focused ROM. It has some minor security features, but security is not its core focus. You may be better served by other ROMs if maximum security is important to you.
Isn’t the web installer insecure?
No, the web installer is just as safe and secure as manual installation in most cases. See Common misconceptions for more information.
Advanced
How do I root ProtonAOSP?
Rooting is not officially supported; root at your own risk. See Rooting for more information.
Miscellaneous
How can I support the project?
We’re glad you like it! See Donate for ways to support us financially.
If you can’t donate, that’s okay! You can still help us by spreading the word about ProtonAOSP and joining the community. Sharing positivity goes a long way.
Where’s the proof for your claims?
ProtonAOSP is an open-source project, so anyone can download the source code and verify our claims.
Our performance claims are the result of empirically testing the changes we make — we do not simply make up numbers. The official performance numbers are from a Pixel 5 running a pre-release build of ProtonAOSP 11.4.0. See Performance for more information, including the technical details of our changes.