Switching from Stock to GrapheneOS after Device unlock

duckdough

Apologies for any beginner knowledge here, as I am attempting to learn what I can regarding Android and GrapheneOS!

Context: I am currently under a plan with Verizon for my Wife and kids. Currently, I have the IPhone 15 Pro, and for the first time in my life, will be switching to Android with this 10 Pro XL. After that tedious transfer process, the device will remain locked for 60 days after activation, per Verizon policy. Once those 60 days are up, the 10 Pro XL becomes unlocked, and I then can switch over to GrapheneOS like I want.

My question is: I presume I would have to live on stock android 16 while I wait for the device to unlock, in which case I have to move all my data, photos, apps, auth codes, etc... over to stock android 16 from the IPhone 15 Pro. Once the device is unlocked, what is that process to get GrapheneOS on my new 10 Pro XL without wiping apps, auth codes, photos, messages, etc? Do I need to do a backup to move all of these things back onto the 10 Pro XL after GrapheneOS is installed? Has anyone been in a similiar situation and can walk me through what that process would look like?

Maketrades

duckdough

As soon as you install gos the phone will be wiped and all is gone so I would suggest to start making a back up 😂😂

wizoatk

duckdough what is that process to get GrapheneOS on my new 10 Pro XL

Bad news. Pixels purchased from Verizon cannot be OEM unlocked (only carrier unlocked). That means that you cannot install GrapheneOS on them.

https://grapheneos.org/faq#device-support

W1zardK1ng

duckdough If you want to install GrapheneOS buy the unlocked phone from bestbuy, amazon or google store/website. Not from a carrier.

https://www.bestbuy.com/product/google-pixel-10-pro-xl-256gb-unlocked-obsidian/J39TC8JY76
https://amazon.com/dp/B0FFTPPFMZ
https://store.google.com/config/pixel_10_pro

duckdough

Maketrades I would presume the flow would be along the lines like

Apple backup -> Transfer to Android -> Make Android backup -> Install Graphene -> Restore from backup?

I do not know any real solutions for this problem. Do you currently use anything you'd recommend?

duckdough

wizoatk Apologies for maybe not understanding the difference between OEM and carrier unlocking, but the FAQ you linked to does state the following:

"Devices sold in partnership with specific carriers may be locked by the carrier, which will prevent installing GrapheneOS. This is primarily an issue with US carriers and isn't common elsewhere in the world. To avoid this, either don't buy a carrier device, or make sure it can be unlocked. It's the same hardware/firmware/software either way but carriers dislike having devices able to bypass their paywall for tethering, etc., so they disable it for the devices they sell as part of contracts."

Per the context, since I know Verizon allows devices to be 'unlocked' after 60 days, does my situation not fit Graphene's criteria? If not, can you please provide more elaboration / direction on the distinction between OEM and carrier unlocking? To me, that is something new I have not seen in any Graphene setup videos I have seen (though I have not researched much) Thank you!

Psyonico

duckdough since I know Verizon allows devices to be 'unlocked' after 60 days,

That's carrier unlocked, which is not the same as OEM unlock. Carrier unlock allows you to take the phone to T-Mobile or AT&T, for example, OEM unlock is what allows you to install a different operating system.

Verizon will carrier unlock the device after 60 days, but will not OEM unlock it.

userofgos

duckdough Per the context, since I know Verizon allows devices to be 'unlocked' after 60 days, does my situation not fit Graphene's criteria?

No, Carrier unlock is what happens after the 60 day period...not OEM unlock. See their policy for the specifics: https://www.verizon.com/support/device-unlocking-policy/

Here's a quote:

"Unlocking" a device refers only to disabling software that would prevent a consumer from attempting to activate a device designed for one carrier's network on another carrier's network.

So in your case, Version allows you to change carriers after the 60 days.

OEM unlocking is completely different. OEM unlocking is the ability to unlock/relock the device bootloader which allows for modifying the system image and/or installing a different OS.

tarbeez

Is there anyway to bypass the OEM unlock block? I understand that instructions can't be given here (and personally I don't have a locked device) but out of curiosity, is it a thing that is achievable on the gray/black market by flashing a modified firmware or something or is it a completely lost cause forever if you have such a device?

Edit: I remember way way back in the day there would be some exploit found to unlock a device's bootloader and then custom roms would start flowing on XDA developers etc. No such exploits for the Pixels?

Edit 2: I'll search before posting next time, but apparently there are uncollected bounties going back several years reaching 5 figure USD sums to get an exploit for Verizon OEM unlock. Sheesh

duckdough

tarbeez I am seeing one thread on a bounty that enables OEM unlocking from 2018. As well as a guide from 2020. However, I presume the setup would be different considering 10's are ESIM only here in the states and folks on this forum arent trapped in a plan like me haha, so there isnt alot of folks working on getting OEM unlocking inside the carrier ecosystem...

https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-unlock-bootloader-verizon-google-pixel-xl-running-android-10/
https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-unlock-bootloader-on-verizon-pixel-xl.3796030/

de0u

duckdough https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-unlock-bootloader-verizon-google-pixel-xl-running-android-10/
https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-unlock-bootloader-on-verizon-pixel-xl.3796030/

sailfish and marlin are phones from 2016, made by HTC. That information is unrelated to modern Pixel phones.

I believe you will find 100% unanimity on this forum about Verizon flatly refusing to OEM-unlock / bootloader-unlock a phone sold by them.

Here is information from Verizon's forum: https://community.verizon.com/t5/Google-Archive/Pixel-OEM-Unlocking-Support/m-p/1179553

duckdough

de0u No I gotcha, just was confused on the difference between the two - Thank you and everyone else for the guidance! I might go about removing my own phone and buying itself off Google or Best Buy before Black Friday ends today, or I might just wait for the 11. We'll see but thank you guys again!