GrapheneOS

GrapheneOS at a glance

GrapheneOS is an open-source, Android-based operating system focused on security and privacy hardening. It is primarily installed on Google Pixel smartphones and adds hardening measures beyond stock Android, such as a hardened libc, additional exploit mitigations, a refined permission model, and a dedicated sandbox for Google Play services. It is suited for organizations and individuals with elevated mobile security requirements, for example for sensitive communication in enterprise contexts.

Releases are typically published as monthly security updates, complemented by occasional feature releases. Version numbers follow a date-based scheme, and new builds first move through an alpha channel, then a beta channel, before reaching the stable channel. Announcements are published on the official releases page as well as through an Atom feed.

When updating, it is important to note that GrapheneOS has device-specific support periods tied to the update guarantees of the respective Pixel model. Updates are normally delivered automatically through the built-in system updater; for IT operations it is important to track the support end date of the specific device model in use, since no further security updates are provided once that period ends.