Hi all,

When factory resetting on GOS will the phone be a totally clean device after the fact, even if the said device had google play services installed?

I ask as I've read that a full factory reset can still contain device identifiers that google implements for recovery purposes from the previous instance (if that is correct term). This has peeked my interest also due to all recent news regard device inspection at airports around the world becoming frequent.

I should add, would data of the previously installed apps be retrievable in anyway?

    Wadder "google implements for recovery purposes from the previous instance"

    This is an aspect of stock OS that is not apart of GOS, it is not related to google play services.

      Wadder I ask as I've read that a full factory reset can still contain device identifiers [...]

      A factory reset does not change the serial number, IMEI, or hardware MAC addresses. It may well not clear the Widevine certificate.

      A factory reset wipes the user data partition. Device identifiers (such as serial numbers) are not stored in the user data partition.

        Apps don't have access to hardware identifiers anyway as far as i know. So don't worry about that not being reset. Everything else gets deleted.

        To simplify: You as a user can only write data to a single partition. Any data such as pictures or app data is stored there. That entire thing gets nuked when you reset the phone along with the keys that it was encrypted with. Its not recoverable even if you havent set an encryption password.

          de0u I think this changes after a reset. Its a soft identifier like ANDROID_ID, not tied to the hardware.
          Private Space or profiles can work around this.

          • de0u replied to this.

              trashaccount I think this changes after a reset.

              Is that based on having done a reset and observed a change? The referenced thread contains/mentions multiple reports that it does not change after a reset, so if it does change that would be good to know.

                  de0u I recall GrapheneOS on X saying that it does. The original issue also states that it stays until a reset.
                  I might remember it wrong though.