My Android phone setup: Apps, config et al

This is how I setup my Android phone (both new, as well as if I factory reset an existing device). I have also listed a looooooong list of apps that I use:

Backup (before formatting the phone)

Here is the list of data/apps/config that I backup before I factory reset an Android device:

- Whatsapp:
  - Open Whatsapp and backup/sync Whatsapp messages to Google Drive
  - Optionally, copy entire Whatsapp folder manually on laptop. Or just copy Images/Videos/Documents/Audio/GIFs folders from Whatsapp to laptop
- Backup data from Internal storage:
  - InternalStorage/DCIM/
  - InternalStorage/Pictures/
  - InternalStorage/Whatsapp/
- Backup data from SD card (if needed):
  - SD-card/DCIM/ (if camera app is saving photos onto SD card)
  - Backup/Save open tab URLs in Chrome on Android: https://android.stackexchange.com/a/193858
  - Backup names of installed apps (preferably by adding them to this blogpost)
  - Backup SMSes locally (or to Gmail, using an app listed below): SMS Backup & Restore (backup to local storage) OR SMS Backup+ (backup SMS logs to Gmail)
  - Backup Automate workflows etc.

Install Android custom ROM and GApps

Install Android

Flash some “lightweight” ROM.
Flash OpenGApps ARM version (preferably “Pico”).
On first boot, login to Google Account; And finish Android onboarding.
Optional: Move `SD-card/Whatsapp/` from SD-card to Internal Storage.

Disable pre-installed apps:

Default “Email” app (if any)
Default “Internet” app (if any)
Default “Exchange” app (if any)
Default “Calender” app (if any)

Setup Android

Enable Developer options (by repeatedly clicking on Build number (under “About phone”)
If more than one SIM card, select default sim for “Data”, “Calls” and “SMS”.
Optional: Set external SD card as default location to install apps
Root device (if ROM is not pre-rooted already; If it is pre-rooted, Select Developer options > Root access > Apps only
Enable “USB Debugging” under Developer Options.
Disable “Auto-update apps over wifi” in Play Store settings
Install Google Camera modded apk for your device (from https://www.xda-developers.com/)
Install and setup Greenify
Install Island to be able to run two instances of same app (“Dual apps”)
Setup Find my Device

Apps

Apps which might already be installed on most custom ROMs

Calculator
Clock (with Alarm)
Contacts/Phone
File Manager
FM Radio
Gallery
Messaging/SMS
Music player

Core apps that you need to install

Open source App store: FDroid
Apps to block ads: AdAway or DNS66 (from F-droid)
Tiny Flashlight (if torch feature isn’t available already)
Gmail
Google Calendar
Google Maps
Google Chrome
Truecaller
ZIP viewer
Splitwise
(Google) Drive
Google Docs
Dropbox
Gboard
No Screen Off
Play Games
Quora
Notifications History
Strava
Mi Fit (for Mi Band)

Marketing:

Andlytics
Buffer
Canva
Crowdfire
FatRank
Google Ads
Google Analytics
Play console
Playbook (by Google)
Primer (by Google)
SERPMojo
YT Studio

Professional Networking:

CohortPlus
Linkedin
Nodd
Shapr

Payments, Banking and Personal Finance:

Artos
BHIM
Google Pay
Paytm
PhonePe
Coinbase
Zebpay
DBS India
HDFC
iMobile by ICICI
YONO by SBI
Suryoday Bank
Fincare Bank
Payback
MyWay Wealth
Paytm Money
Zerodha Kite
Zeta

Social:

Twitter
Instagram
Facebook Lite
Messenger Lite
Whatsapp
Meetup
Telegram
LinkedIn

Media and entertainment:

Airtel Xstream
Hotstar
Netflix
Prime Video
AltBalaji
Zee5
SonyLIV
Voot
Youtube Music
Shazam Lite
Videoder
Youtube go (to download Youtube videos)
Youtube

Work:

Slack
Hangouts
(Google) Meet

Knowledge:

Goodreads
Google News
Google Play Books
Inoreader (RSS Reader)
Materialistic (Hacker News client)
Medium
Pinterest
Pocket
Castbox
Audible
ProductHunt (Web app)

Transportation:

Bounce
Drivezy
Ola cabs
Ola Lite
Rapido
Uber
Vogo
Yulu
Zoomcar

Todo, Calendars and more:

Google Calendar
Wunderlist
Gtasks
Gtasks license (app)
Workflowy

Food and Grocery:

Swiggy
UberEats
Zomato
Dunzo
Bigbasket
Grofers
Prime Now

Smart home

LG SmartThinQ (for LG smart washing machine)
Smart Life (for smart bulbs and switches)
Mi Home (for Mi Wifi Repeater)
Google Home (for Google Home mini)

Tech:

Automate
Busybox
ConnectBot
FakeGPS
JuiceSSH, SSHDroid
Linux Deploy
MacroDroid
VNC Viewer (RealVNC)
RepetitouchPro
Hacker’s Keyboard

Island:

I install two instances of these apps:

Dunzo
Olacabs
Uber
Rapido
Suryoday Bank
Fincare Bank
Paytm Money
Whataspp

Travel apps

Booking.com
Airbnb
TripAdvisor
ATM locator: TBD
Download Offline maps in Google Maps
Ixigo

India only Apps

Airtel
Amazon India
Flipkart
BookMyShow
Playo
Redbus
Olx
Myntra
ACT Fibernet

Image Editors

TinyPlanetGlobePhoto
Paletta
Pixaloop
PICNIC

Add android Widgets on homescreen

No Screen Off
Torch
Truecaller
Calender

Add Responsive Websites or PWA icons

Uber
ProductHunt