I found little tidbits of info here and there but thought I’d put it all in one place in case it helps someone.
I have the Pixel Buds Pro paired with a Pixel 9 XL running GrapheneOS. Media (Spotify, YouTube, etc.) always worked, but I couldn’t hear or speak during calls until I did the following:
Steps that worked for me
Don’t keep the Pixel Buds app installed
- It can help at first for doing the sound check and finding the right sized tips.
- After that, uninstall it. Keeping it installed was the main culprit for me.
Have sandboxed Google Play installed
- Not sure if removing it breaks things.
- Calls only worked for me after installing the sandboxed Play Store from the GrapheneOS app store.
Re-pair using system Bluetooth settings
- Forget your Pixel Buds in Bluetooth settings.
- Reset them: open the case halfway and hold the button until the light flashes.
- Keep the buds inside the case while resetting and pairing (this mattered for me).
- When they appear in available devices, tap them manually in Bluetooth settings.
- Don’t click on pop-ups asking to connect through the Pixel Buds helper.
After this, I was finally able to hear and speak during calls with the buds.