Having trouble installing Couchsurfing App with the Aurora Store or APKpure

WiredRhino

Hello dear GrapheneOS community

I just installed GrapheneOS on my phone and I am very happy with it. As the title says though, I'm having trouble installing the Couchsurfing App with the Aurora Store. I can download and install it. But it doesn't let me open it. It just says "Install with Google Play". I already tried with the Session Installer, as well with the Native Installer. Both didn't work.

I also tried to download the App from APKpure, which also didn't work.

On Gitlab I found someone having the same problem (https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore/-/issues/136). They recommend to use the root method, but on the one hand Aurora Store deosn't let me use it (It says: No root access. Grant it or change the installer) and on the other hand it didn't seem to work out for him who asked the question.

Pixel 6, Aurora Store v4.1.1.41

Would be a pity if I had to download Google Play just for this one app. If someone has an idea, I would be very happy to hear it :)

matchboxbananasynergy

WiredRhino Hi there! I tried this on my end through Aurora Store and was able to reproduce the same behavior.

It seems this app actually checks where it's installed from and refuses to run unless it's installed from Google Play Store.

You could install Sandboxed Google Play on a different user profile just for that app if you don't want to use Sandboxed Google Play on your main profile.

Would that work as a compromise? I don't think there's anything that GrapheneOS can do if the apps decides to check for that.

WiredRhino

matchboxbananasynergy

Thanks a lot for your answer and trying it out yourself. I think installing sandboxed Google Play on a different user profile is the way to go. Do you know if there are ways to get a more "anonymous" Google Account without giving away ones phone number. I already searched around to find a solution on the web, but didn't find a satisfying solution.
Or do you think it's hopeless anyway once you use a Google Account to access the Play store?

matchboxbananasynergy

WiredRhino I know that a lot of people have had success creating a Google account without a phone number through Play Store or Gmail (the apps), but there's no surefire way to do it. Not using a VPN would be a good start.

WiredRhino

matchboxbananasynergy
Do you know how they did it?

decadentist

I've found a workaround. The app apperantly only checks it once and only if you start the app in the canonical way. You can tap and hold the app icon and create an app shortcut to Inbox or Hangout. When you open the app this way it works, but you don't land on the home section inside the app. A small inconvenience.

You can also create an App Shortcut with "App Manager". Download it from Github. Start the app, goto "activities" and scroll down to "Main Activity" and select "Create Shortcut". This way it starts on the home acreen.

Hope it helps.

de0u

decadentist Thanks for the report!