How to Install and Use Open GApps

Last Updated: 2024-10-28

For users who wish to use Google Play on FydeOS, you'll need to manually configure Open GApps. Below are the steps to install and configure Open GApps for different Android versions.

Pre-requisite: Enable Developer Mode and Disable Rootfs Verification

For all Android versions (9, 11, and 13), before proceeding with Open GApps installation, you need to:

1. Enable Developer Mode
   Open FydeOS Settings and enable Developer Mode.

   Note: If Developer Mode doesn’t enable or reverts after reboot, ensure your BIOS is set to boot using UEFI. Developer Mode is only supported on UEFI, not Legacy Boot.

2. Disable Rootfs Verification
   Follow this tutorial to disable the read-only file system:
   Disable Rootfs Verification

Once you have enabled Developer Mode and disabled Rootfs verification, proceed with the steps below depending on your Android version.

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For Android 9, 11 Users:

Option 1: Automatic Installation via FydeOS

1. Open the FydeOS App Store.
2. Navigate to the "Made by FydeOS" section.
3. Click on "Configure Open GApps."
4. Click "Install."
5. Once installed, open the application and follow the on-screen instructions.

In most cases, this process should work seamlessly. However, if you encounter issues such as slow network speeds or installation failures, proceed to Option 2 for manual installation.

Option 2: Manual Installation (In Case of Issues)

If automatic installation fails or is too slow, you can manually download and install the Open GApps package:

Step 1: Download the Open GApps Package

1. Go to the official Open GApps website: https://opengapps.org/.
2. Select your device's architecture (ARM, ARM64, etc.).
3. Choose Android 9.0 or Android 11, and select the Pico version of Open GApps.

   For Surface Pro 7/7+/8 and Raspberry Pi 5 devices, use Android 11.

4. Click Download to begin.

Step 2: Install the Open GApps Package

1. Open the Open GApps app on your FydeOS device.
2. Choose Select the local file, and navigate to the folder where you downloaded the Open GApps package.
3. Click Okay to begin the installation.
4. After installation, reboot your device to apply the changes.

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For Android 13 Users:

Applicable to the amd64-fydeos_iris variant.

Since the Open GApps project no longer supports newer versions like Android 13, there is currently no straightforward method. However, you can use the following workaround to install Google Play by extracting necessary components from a ChromeOS recovery image.

Workaround: Installing Open GApps for Android 13

Step 1: Download ChromeOS Recovery Image

1. Go to https://cros.tech/.
2. Search for "atlas" or any other x86-based ChromeOS device.
3. Click "Recovery Images" to reveal the dropdown menu.
4. Select the appropriate version number (e.g., FydeOS v19 corresponds to version 126).
5. Download the image (approximately 1.8 GB in size).

Step 2: Install Open GApps Using the Recovery Image

1. Open the Open GApps app on FydeOS.
2. Select the ChromeOS recovery image that you downloaded.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
4. Reboot the device after installation to apply changes.