Set up error with Google account?

clownsgonnaeatme

Hi all. Newbie to GrapheneOS here.

I've been trying follow several guides to set up my new phone, but I have some questions while trying to set up 2FA.

I set up an anonymous Google account for Play (without phone number or email) in Vanadium, and saw that setting up 2FA using TOTP is a good policy. I installed the Google authenticator app, but even with their app it looks like they still require a phone number in order to turn on 2FA...is there no way around this?

The second issue I encountered is while trying to use the authenticator app, Google asked for my lock screen pin - did I slip up somewhere that they know my pin, or is Googlegoing to know this, no matter what?

Do I need to reset the phone and start my setup all over again to fix the PIN issue?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

c86

clownsgonnaeatme

If you can still access the google account without a phone number, consider using Aegis authenticator unless you really need something from google. No phone number, set your own pin. But you have to manage your own backup for codes - your own cloud or a USB.

https://github.com/beemdevelopment/aegis

If you can't get into your play account, just setup a new one. You can even go as far as deleting play services altogether and reinstalling. But clearing the app storage would be fine.

For your pin issue, just make a new one. You don't need to reset the device, simply clearing the play store storage will be fine.

clownsgonnaeatme

c86
Thanks, I've seen Aegis recommended quite a bit now, so I can try that. I am not set on using a Google app, but figured Google would trust it and be less likely to flag the account in the future.

To clarify, I can still access the account without a phone number, but whenever I try to turn on 2FA in the account it asks for a phone number.

If I reset my lock screen PIN, will Google know the new one? I am not sure how it got it the first time...

de0u

clownsgonnaeatme If I reset my lock screen PIN, will Google know the new one? I am not sure

They didn't. An Android app can ask the system to verify a user credential, but that does not give the credential to the app.

c86

clownsgonnaeatme

Naw, google won't know your pin reset. That's handled on device.

I haven't used google auth but it requesting your pin is the same as Aegis asking for a pin. You can use the one for your lock screen, or you can make a different one just for that app if you want (just don't forget it obviously).

If you're happy with your google account, I'd just get Aegis setup and be on my way with things. It doesn't sound like you need to make anything more difficult in terms of this situation.