this post was submitted on 14 Feb 2026
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The Signal messenger and protocol.

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Signal doesn't work with MicroG (fixed) (lemmy.ml)
submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by zazarpro@lemmy.ml to c/signal@lemmy.ml
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I tried to set up Signal with my MicroG setup but it just says 'Missing Google Play Services' after entering my phone number. Everything is turned on in MicroG (including cloud messaging and device registration) and other apps that use cloud messaging work. I have a bit of a niche setup (fakegapps + rooted stock rom) but I doubt that would cause problems.

Thanks in advance :)

Edit: I forgot to note, I'm doing this mostly for battery savings

Edit 2: I was able to fix it by installing under /system/app; comment thread: https://lemmy.ml/post/43156989/23961778;

Warning!! You need to have MicroG installed as an user app, already, for this to work.

Steps:

Create a folder on your pc with this structure (might not work for other devices; - means subdirectory): folder and also keep in mind you need to have these apps removed with Magisk so Android doesn't even know they exist:

-module.prop

-system

--product

---app

----GmsCore

-----GmsCore.apk

----Phonesky

-----Phonesky.apk

--system_ext

---app

----GoogleServicesFramework

-----GoogleServicesFramework.apk

module.prop should contain this (without the spaces empty lines): id=yournameforthemodule

name=yournameforthemodule

version=v1.0

versionCode=1

author=yourname

description=blabla

The apks should be this: GmsCore: core MicroG apk ( latest release as of typing: https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/releases/download/v0.3.12.250932/com.google.android.gms-250932024.apk ; or for Huawei: https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/releases/download/v0.3.12.250932/com.google.android.gms-250932024-hw.apk )

Phonesky: fakestore ( https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/releases/download/v0.3.12.250932/com.android.vending-84022624.apk ; Huawei: https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/releases/download/v0.3.12.250932/com.android.vending-84022624-hw.apk )

GoogleServicesFramework: ( updates rarely: https://github.com/microg/GsfProxy/releases/download/v0.1.0/GsfProxy.apk ; Huawei same )

After doing this zip the two folders so it looks like this:

archive:

-system

--....

-module.prop

and flash it to Magisk like any regular module.

I, also, created a Git repo. It's not the best considering I never used Git, but with this you just need to add the apk's: https://gitlab.com/zazarpro/microg-unprivileged-install

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[–] Quacksalber@sh.itjust.works 11 points 5 months ago

Have you tried Molly? It's a Signal-compatible client with supposedly no Play Service requirement. Only downside is that it'll take longer for patches to reach you.

[–] onoira@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 5 months ago (1 children)

someone else suggested Molly, but be mindful that if you use database encryption you cannot receive notifications without configuring a UnifiedPush provider with MollySocket. in my experience, this means calling is essentially broken unless both parties are 'online' so to speak.

[–] onoira@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 5 months ago

would be cool if the person who downvoted my comment told me what i said wrong so i and others can learn from my mistake.

[–] infeeeee@lemmy.zip 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

It works perfectly fine, using it for years.

IIRC the "checkin" code maybe needed:

If your device is having trouble registering with Firebase Cloud Messaging, you may need to

  • Open the system phone app and dial *#*#2432546#*#* (or *#*#CHECKIN#*#*) to manually register the device as described here.
  • If typing via the keypad does not work, check this out: (execute as root) adb shell am broadcast -a android.provider.Telephony.SECRET_CODE -d android_secret_code://2432546 --receiver-include-background

After this, reinstall signal.

There are some other tips here, check them out:

https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/wiki/Helpful-Information

Other apps can register? Is it signal specific, or GCM is not working correctly (I guess it's the latter)

We have a microg community, I'm the mod there: !microg@discuss.tchncs.de

[–] zazarpro@lemmy.ml 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It is Signal specific, all other apps, atleast on my phone, that use cloud messaging work.

[–] infeeeee@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I remember last time I reinstalled my phone I had to fiddle with something to make Signal work, but I don't remember what it was, it was one of the tips from the page I linked.

Does other apps show up in the Cloud Messaging list in the Companion App? Also after you change something reinstall Signal, as it only checks if GMS available after installation, not later.

[–] zazarpro@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I reinstalled Signal from the website apk and got the same message. I currently have 5 apps registered, all displayed in the companion app.

[–] infeeeee@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I always install it from aurora. Is it the same as from the website?

[–] zazarpro@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Just tried it with Aurora and I get the same message

[–] infeeeee@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I found an old similar issue, where a full reinstall helped random apps not registering: https://github.com/microg/GmsCore/issues/2092

You wrote you are rooted, but install microg as a system app not as a magisk module, when I installed as a magisk module I had some bugs.

I had the best experience installing it with minmicrog: https://github.com/FriendlyNeighborhoodShane/MinMicroG_releases/releases It contains everything all in one. It uses upstream apks, so even though it seems old, you can just update everything after installation.

[–] zazarpro@lemmy.ml 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Oh, I installed MicroG as an user app. I'll try installing it as a system app as a last resort, since reinstalling every messaging would be really tedious.

Also, one question. What do you mean by not installing it as a Magisk module? I'm not sure what other way there is, other than directly writing to /system

[–] infeeeee@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You wrote you are rooted, I guessed you rooted with Magisk. Magisk has a module system, you can install apps as system apps without actually modifying the /system partition. Microg doesn't like this.

If you are rooted you can very easily reinstall every app with neobackup.

[–] zazarpro@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

How should I install it as a system app if not from a Magisk module?

[–] infeeeee@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

MinMicroG from recovery with a system- prefix: https://github.com/FriendlyNeighborhoodShane/MinMicroG?tab=readme-ov-file#uninstallation-and-notes

Or this from recovery: https://github.com/micro5k/microg-unofficial-installer

Or with adb: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/43526134/adb-install-system-app#50629380

Or with app systemizer: https://xdaforums.com/t/module-terminal-app-systemizer-v17-3-1.3585851/ I guess if you install this systemizer from recovery it will be installed as a system app? I'm not sure about this.

Maybe try it with magisk first, it's easy. I used microg for a while that way, and and it was usable.

[–] zazarpro@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 months ago

Alright, I was able to fix it by installing it under /system/app which doesn't require any extra configuring. I'll share how I did this in an edit of the post. Thanks for all the help :)

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 4 points 5 months ago

You can use Molly. It is a signal fork that still allows you access to all of the same signal contacts and network, but it works on devices without Google shit services.

[–] Tundra@sh.itjust.works 0 points 5 months ago

https://signal.org/android/apk/