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As you may know, Google removed the option to sign in Google Messages with QR Pairing. Now, they force you to do it ONLY with a Google account. People who don't have and don't want to create one, or people that just prefer QR pairing can still do it. But with a workaround:
- Download (or use) a Google Messages version that still allows QR pairing (like one from January 2026). It can be downloaded from Uptodown store. I tried installing it from an apk directly but it failed.
- Open the link: https://messages.google.com/web/authentication
- Sign in following the instructions on the screen.
Do it as soon as possible because Google might remove this option soon.
So you left Big Tech entirely. You followed an interesting journey on it. I guess it was hard, especially in the beginning. Of course, people on Lemmy/Mastodon know more about technology than normies from Reddit or X. I also want to run GrapheneOS, I heard in 2027 it will be released on Motorola. I have Trisquel. Any step away from Big Tech and towards FOSS alternatives is excellent, so congratulations on all of them!
Thanks. A few months ago I tried going back ro stock pixel, and lasted only 2 days before feeling overwhelmed at the sheer amount of data being transferred and how much they constantly push for you to enable shit you don't want.
I hope more people can find their way out of big tech. One step at a time, and it can certainly be achieved. And it just keeps getting easier and easier as you go along.