# Galaxy Phone Setup **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/galaxy-phone-setup/26156 **Category:** Questions **Tags:** software, guide **Created:** 2025-03-26T03:53:53Z **Posts:** 31 ## Post 1 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-26T03:53:53Z Hi everyone, Just got a Galaxy S21 and want to set it up prioritizing **security** and **privacy** as much as possible on stock Android. _(I’d prioritize security over privacy if it comes down to it, but feel free to write about the other way around.)_ Looking for advice on: 1. **Key Settings:** What essential privacy/security settings should I change immediately during/after setup (e.g., telemetry, location, permissions)? Any specific Samsung/Google services to disable carefully? 2. **Non-Negotiable Apps:** I _must_ use **Apple Music** , **WhatsApp** and my **banking apps**. What’s the best way to minimize their privacy impact? (Strict permissions? Secure Folder? Network blocking?) 3. **Samsung Apps vs. Alternatives:** Should I stick with Samsung’s Gallery, My Files, Keyboard, etc., or replace them with more private (FOSS?) options? Any recommendations? Thanks for any tips! --- ## Post 2 by @anon63378630 — 2025-03-26T09:39:55Z > [@confusediswhoiam](#): > > Just got a Galaxy S21 and want to set it up prioritizing **security** and **privacy** as much as possible on stock Android Return it or sell it and get a Pixel if possible. --- ## Post 3 by @Astatine — 2025-03-26T09:43:30Z A small tip: just try searching up for information online _rather than_ simply asking. If it doesn’t exist, _then_ ask :slightly_smiling_face:. I believe this guide will cover how to configure your settings. I’ve used it and it’s pretty good. > [@Samsung Hardening Guide](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/android-hardening-guide/17301): > > Hello everyone, I have started writing a guide about “hardening” Samsung Android (oneUI). I haven’t finished because I have yet to cover ADB options. In the meantime, let me know what you guys think of this. ( Sorry for the format, I wrote everything directly in my IDE) "How to harden Googled Samsung Android - PG While we recommend you buy a phone that is fully compatible with our two Android recommended OS (Graphene OS and Divest OS) , you might be unable to do so. This guide is for harm mi… --- ## Post 4 by @Astatine — 2025-03-26T09:45:56Z To add, it receives **Android updates** until 2024, and security patches \*\*until the first quarter of 2024. For reference: [https://www.sammyfans.com/2023/09/15/when-samsung-will-stop-galaxy-s21-series-updates/](https://www.sammyfans.com/2023/09/15/when-samsung-will-stop-galaxy-s21-series-updates/) --- ## Post 5 by @anon21556142 — 2025-03-26T10:41:07Z Honesty it’s a Privacy Nightmare. I would say the first thing you should do is change all your Samsung apps.Use adb or shizoku with canta to remove them. Turn off customization services. Change you browser get nextDNS with rethink and monitor network activities. Block apps from accessing the internet.Set up a work profile with shelter.Remove Galaxy Store and Play Store and install Obtainium F-Droid and aurora --- ## Post 6 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-26T14:56:51Z The seller has no return policy _(I should have thought about it beforehand, especially since it was pre-owned)_ Also, Pixels remain a niche in my country’s market. But regardless, which Pixel phone do you recommend that offers comparable value, in terms of price, to an old Samsung Galaxy S21? * * * P.S. I like your work, keep it up! --- ## Post 7 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-26T15:02:56Z I did, I was not satisfied with my findings and wanted other inputs. A closed mouth doesn’t get fed. I am familiar with the guide, and kept waiting for reponses or updates for months. That’s why I am asking. --- ## Post 8 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-26T15:07:17Z Thank you for the intel. I am kind of used to extended release or really EOL devices, lol --- ## Post 9 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-26T15:21:31Z > [@anon21556142](#): > > Honesty it’s a Privacy Nightmare. Amen. > [@anon21556142](#): > > Use adb or shizoku with canta to remove them. Isn’t adb uninstall not recommended as per [this post](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/advise-against-using-adb-to-disable-or-uninstall-apps-android/22358)? > [@anon21556142](#): > > nextDNS with rethink and Interesting combo. > [@anon21556142](#): > > shelter But Shelter hasn’t been updated ever since 12th of December, 2023. --- ## Post 10 by @anon63378630 — 2025-03-26T16:13:16Z > [@confusediswhoiam](#): > > Shelter hasn’t been updated Shelter is merely a front-end to a built-in system feature. It doesn’t need to be updated particularly often. > [@anon21556142](#): > > nextDNS with rethink Why both? Seems unnecessary. --- ## Post 11 by @anon39816623 — 2025-03-27T02:16:33Z This is the kind of comment that makes people stop caring about privacy. --- ## Post 12 by @anon99163603 — 2025-03-27T09:02:47Z > [@Astatine](#): > > it receives **Android updates** until 2024, and security patches \*\*until the first quarter of 2024. [It will get Android 15 this year](https://news.samsung.com/sg/samsung-electronics-singapore-announces-official-rollout-of-one-ui-7-from-14-april), and [security updates until Q1 2026](https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-sets-the-new-standard-with-four-generations-of-os-upgrades-to-ensure-the-most-up-to-date-and-more-secure-galaxy-experience). > [@anon39816623](#): > > This is the kind of comment that makes people stop caring about privacy. If someone makes an obviously bad choice, I think it should be clearly pointed out. If they don’t care, that is on them. --- ## Post 13 by @anon21556142 — 2025-03-27T09:07:38Z Nextdns can’t block DNS bypass --- ## Post 14 by @anon21556142 — 2025-03-27T09:13:37Z > [@confusediswhoiam](#): > > Isn’t adb uninstall not recommended as per [this post](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/advise-against-using-adb-to-disable-or-uninstall-apps-android/22358)? In that post they were talking about breaking things but of you do carefully nothing will happen. I recommend removing apps before connecting to internet. I am doing it for years --- ## Post 15 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-27T10:52:37Z I came here genuinely hoping for thoughtful privacy solutions for my current phone. What a disappointment to discover the collective wisdom amounted to “buy a different phone” – specifically a Pixel that barely exists in my market. My budget constraints and local availability apparently make me unworthy of privacy. I expected nuanced advice from a community that understands technology has diverse users with different constraints. Instead, I was scolded for supposedly not researching and directed to a guide with all the substance of morning fog. The follow-up “tips” sounded like privacy fortune cookies being read to me. And here I thought privacy was for everyone. --- ## Post 16 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-27T10:56:29Z > If someone makes an obviously bad choice How is not affording a “better” phone a bad choice? I seized the first offer I could afford. > If they don’t care, that is on them. Yeah sure, hence why I am asking stuff here. --- ## Post 17 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-27T10:57:19Z Do you mind sharing your configuration or just a reasonable setup you’d recommend? --- ## Post 18 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-27T10:58:29Z Do you have credible guides or just give me a list of apps you always deal with? --- ## Post 19 by @anon99163603 — 2025-03-27T13:17:45Z > [@confusediswhoiam](#): > > How is not affording a “better” phone a bad choice? The [Samsung A16](https://www.samsung.com/uk/smartphones/galaxy-a/galaxy-a16-black-128gb-sm-a165fzkbeub) is an affordable phone, it is supported until 30 November 2030. You just made a bad choice. --- ## Post 20 by @anon39279085 — 2025-03-27T13:38:57Z even then I would’ve gotten a pixel for the same price as the S10 (used or otherwise) than this really. Yes that’s a W from samsung with the A16 to offer 6 years but I digress. --- ## Post 21 by @anon39279085 — 2025-03-27T13:39:42Z no this is for the benefit of security and privacy. Outside of some hardening and tweaks you’re not getting any serious privacy with using a samsung phone on it’s stock os regardless of possible changes. And we say _if it is possible_ to buy a pixel for a reason. (not to mention an S10) You joined a community that focuses on that and a community where PG themselves recommend pixels and GrapheneOS for a good reason and not other solutions, but in my experience we’re actively looking for methods for those who can’t get the Google Pixel phones so. Not to mention you _literally_ bought a device that is EOL and the best you can do is harm reduction if you’re not willing to switch. [If you want a privacy for all, I recommend techlore but in terms of device they’ll tell you the same anyways, that it is EOL outside of harm reduction which would not help too significantly. PG is a security and privacy (oriented) for all] --- ## Post 22 by @anon21556142 — 2025-03-27T17:24:06Z @confusediswhoiam first setup nextdns and start blocking things you don’t recognize. You can always unblock them. Don’t use any default apps. Replace them with Foss apps. Don’t use Samsung account. It’s hard to provide a full list. Start digging and you will find your own solution. Fell free to ask --- ## Post 23 by @ImTooPhaT — 2025-03-27T18:08:37Z I agree that this community seems to be shilling for Google Pixel (sure, for good reason), which could put people off from privacy. I’ve made an argument that hardening your phone/OS is more important because people will use the phone/OS that they like, regardless of privacy or security. Samsung and iPhones are also more popular and widely available compared to Pixels. I own a Samsung Galaxy A14 which I absolutely LOVE, even if it’s not a flagship phone like the Galaxy S. However, S21 is a bad choice because it’s an old phone that will only be supported for another year. If you intend to prioritize security, you will need to get a new phone next year, if not now. Before getting a new phone, you should find out how long they will be supported. The best choice is to exchange it for another phone. If you can’t do that, then use your current phone, but keep in mind that it will be obsolete next year. The first thing I would do is remove all the bloatware. My Samsung phone came with M$, Google & Samsung proprietary garbage pre-installed. I uninstalled / disabled all of it, except for YouTube and Google Maps. I would also go to your settings and disable all Google apps and other apps that you don’t need. If there are background apps that you’re not familiar with, it may be worth searching for what those apps do. If it breaks one of your apps, then the app will alert you that you need a specific app to be enabled to use the app. For me, I had to keep Google Play enabled, which is fine because I don’t have a Google account. It’s also worth going to the permission settings and changing those settings as well. If you need to use WhatsApp (like me), you don’t need to give WhatsApp permission to all your photos & videos. If you need to share photos & videos, go directly to the file you want to share and use the share button instead. This is so that you only give WhatsApp permission to access and share one specific file, rather than your whole folder. The same applies to Discord & FB Messenger as well (and probably SMS, but we generally favor e2ee messengers). Set-up 2FA / passkeys, don’t add e-mail (or at least use an alias), and don’t back-up your chat to Google Drive (or Samsung Cloud). If you uninstall / disable both apps, then you won’t get any annoying prompts about keeping your account “secure” by using their cloud storage. As for Apple Music, I use Spotify, so I’m not sure if there’s a difference, but you can use an email alias, fake name, virtual cards, and again check the privacy / security settings. There’s not much you can do to make those apps more private or secure because streaming services are designed to collect as much user data as possible to tailor their algorithms (and ads) to their user base. Banking apps are not private, but they should be secure ootb. Again, just check the permissions. If you don’t think a specific app needs permission to access your camera, photos, phone, messages, call history, etc. then turn them off. Lastly, do find FOSS alternatives to proprietary apps. I use Material Files instead of My Files, OpenBoard instead of Samsung Keyboard, Graphene Camera instead of stock camera, Simple Contacts instead of stock contacts heck, even my Calculator and Voice Recorder are FOSS. I would stick with Samsung Gallery if you to use Secure Folder as I believe that’s the only way you can transfer photos to Samsung’s Secure Folder. Enable 2FA on everything, using YuBiKey or 2FA apps recommended. I use Aegis and like it a lot. Download Aurora Store in place of Google Play. Download Shelter to segregate your apps as you can’t create multiple profiles on Samsung anymore (morons!). Information overload, but if you’ve read this far, just start with one sentence at a time. And save up for a new phone soon! --- ## Post 24 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-27T18:49:19Z A used S21 is cheaper than a new A16, plus the former’s specs are more attractive than the latter’s (well, except for software support.) --- ## Post 25 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-27T18:50:16Z Is it okay to use a phone that is extended-supported by GrapheneOS? --- ## Post 26 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-27T18:51:45Z Well, harm education it is. (This was mentioned by the guide that was linked in the beginning.) --- ## Post 27 by @anon39279085 — 2025-03-27T18:52:34Z that’s provided more for harm reduction also I keep seeing people say it has 1 more year, I think it’s more like months considering it’s release, and the 3-4 commited by then. I don’t recommend harm reduction if you could have afforded even a pixel 7a which has at least 2-3 years left or better yet a pixel 8a has around 6 years left. (and they would have been as cheap as the S10 when done right). I still stand on the advice I gave you in brackets. --- ## Post 28 by @confusediswhoiam — 2025-03-27T19:01:31Z I appreciate your response and time. I only have one thing to say: Virtual cards are not supported in my country. --- ## Post 29 by @KevPham — 2025-03-27T21:35:38Z Beyond the general consensus to use a Pixel device instead, you might be interested in this FOSS Apple Music frontend called [Cider](https://cider.sh/). As for WhatsApp, ensure that you disabled auto-downloads of any form of media (images, video etc). You can also disable the ability for an unknown contact to add you to groups. --- ## Post 30 by @anon99163603 — 2025-03-28T04:56:22Z > [@KevPham](#): > > Apple Music frontend called [Cider](https://cider.sh/) That is for desktop and is proprietary. The open-source version is deprecated and the developer deleted part of the dependency. --- ## Post 31 by @KevPham — 2025-03-28T14:48:27Z Ah, I must have not been kept up to date when I was still using Apple Music :frowning: