Hi. Finally getting around to using pixel 7a with graphene. Been installed, sitting here for months, never used. I configured some settings, and made two extra profiles, that's about it. So brand new phone, and install. (Sorry for the long winded, I'm very tired and trying to recall details... If this is in the wrong "sub forum", please move it for me?).

I decided to get moving with this, and the first thing I wanted to do was install PIA VPN (private internet access). I considered first having to install aurora store. Then I thought I'd check for apk from PIA directly. Found this on their site: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/download/android-vpn-app. Then had a look here on forum, and then also at PIA site for these instructions: https://helpdesk.privateinternetaccess.com/guides/android/install-3/android-installing-the-pia-apk-file#android-installing-the-pia-apk-file_step-2-download-permissions (which notes this: "In the case where users want to use MACE (not available in the Google Play Store version), we recommend downloading the APK version of the PIA Android App. Use the instructions below:". I wanted to do it manually anyways, so all good.

I downloaded the apk, put it on clean microsd card (exfat format). I used a usb-c to micro sd adapter, and inserted that into the phone. I was in a secondary profile that I wanted to use to test stuff out (eg. I wanted to test google play services on this profile later), anyways. I opened app drawer, then went to Files app, hamburger menu, selected "Untitled" (the microsd card), saw the "pia-android...." apk file, and clicked it to install. (Note: I think this first time, I installed it from the sdcard directly, I didn't copy it to the downloads folder on the phone first) I forget some details or order of the details/steps I took...:

Ok, first I think the "allow network permission" pop up came, I said "no" at first, knowing I could just do that after the install. (I'm 99% sure I already had "install unknown apps" set to allowed for "Files" (I just don't remember doing it, could've been months ago), and I don't think I had it set to allowed for "Settings".
Anyways, it installed the app successfully. After that I think I "ejected" the sdcard/adapter. Then I went to open the app. On the first screen, I scrolled down to "Login" (I already have an account). At enter credentials screen I saw the "No Internet connection is available" banner at top of PIA login screen. I thought "oh right, allow network permission isn't on" and I think I went to turn that on and then came back to enter credentials (Note: my wifi wasn't on this whole time, and there's no SIM in the phone). I long pressed the PIA app, went to enable network permission. I entered credentials, and hit login...

I'm getting this issue where the furthest I can get into the actual application is the opening "splash" screen(?) where I briefly see a white background with the "PIA" and the logo appear, but it's "closing" (it's doing a "wipe" transition of the words and logo towards the center of the screen) and disappears in under half a second, then it's just white screen.
I tried closing and reopening. Sometimes, If I'd leave the app then click the app icon on the home screen it doesn't open anything. But if I click the app icon from the "apps" drawer, it will open it to that now blank white page that is the app...

I've tried several things; uninstalling and reinstalling, uninstalling then copying file to phone (downloads folder) and installing from there, uninstalling and reinstalling in a different auxiliary profile, installing to the main profile, deleting the apk from the sdcard on my pc - then re-downloading it to sdcard and trying to reinstall, turning on wifi on phone and using vanadium to download apk from PIA site directly to the phone and installing from there. I also had turned on "install apps from "Settings", along with "Files". Maybe more stuff too, my brain is fried - I tried this last thing at night. I also cleared the apps cache/data in "app info" several times.

I duno what to do. This was going to be step 1 for me and something's not going right.

Oh! Somewhere early in this process, maybe after first issue, I also thought to look for updates to graphene (not that that would be the issue...) and did those updates.