microG

If you've installed an alternative Android operating system without Google services, you've probably noticed that some apps stop working properly. Push notifications that don't arrive, maps that fail to load, banking apps that refuse to start. This happens because many apps depend on Google Play Services — a proprietary Google package that acts as an intermediary for a range of functionality.

microG is an open-source project that reimplements the Google Play Services API without using Google's code. In practice, it tricks apps into thinking Google services are present when they aren't. Push notifications start working again, Google Maps-based views inside apps get replaced with OpenStreetMap, and the vast majority of apps become functional again.

It's not a perfect solution: some apps that are deeply tied to the Google ecosystem may continue to have issues. But for the vast majority of cases, microG is the missing piece that makes a de-Googled smartphone genuinely usable in daily life. Below you'll find details and useful resources for installation.