STATUS //
Active
PLATFORM //
Pixel 10a
GrapheneOS
LAST UPDATED //
July 2026
Bonfire is my Pixel 10a running GrapheneOS.
It replaced an older phone running LineageOS and microG with a cleaner
setup built around GrapheneOS defaults and apps that work without Google
Play services.
BASELINE //
Pixel 10a
GrapheneOS
Bootloader relocked
OEM unlocking disabled
Sandboxed Google Play not installed
GrapheneOS defaults retained unless there is a clear reason to change
BROWSING //
Vanadium is my primary browser.
Brave is mostly kept for synchronized Nexus and administrative
bookmarks, and as a fallback when Vanadium is acting up.
APPLICATION APPROACH //
I prefer maintained, privacy-respecting applications that work without
Google Play services or mandatory accounts.
The current setup includes:
Bitwarden
Capy Reader
HeliBoard
Markor
Organic Maps
Proton Authenticator
Syncthing
Tempus
Thunderbird
Vanadium
NOTES AND FILES //
Markor handles ordinary Markdown notes.
Syncthing connects Bonfire to my existing Nexus Sync folder, keeping
notes available on the phone, Windows, and Nexus without depending on a
proprietary notes platform.
NETWORKING //
Tailscale is available when I need private remote access, but it is not
configured as an always-on VPN.
Proton VPN covers public Wi-Fi when I need it, but like Tailscale, it
isn't running all the time either.
Android Private DNS remains on Automatic because local DNS and home.arpa
resolution are already handled by Firelink and Nexus.
I want the phone to stay minimal without making it annoying to use or
loading it back up with telemetry and background services.