Some of the biggest data breaches in history have come from servers running software many years out of date, exploiting vulnerabilities patched years ago. There is an obvious solution here, but what if you don’t get a notification that a new update is available?

Graphene is my favourite operating system for phones. It has just about everything I want from a phone as well as the latest and greatest security updates from their dedicated team. Even stock Android has taken security updates from Graphene and applied it to the Googled version.

Part of that security, is the lack of Google services or even a substitute for it, as the team does not like the minor possibility for vulnerability with the services they have not developed themselves. Without Google services or a substitute like MicroG (as found on Calyx or /e/), apps cannot send notifications in the regular way. That means apps have to make workarounds, or you have to manually check your apps for updates.

FairEmail uses an always on background notification to get around this, potentially reducing battery life a little in exchange for giving you up to date notifications on when an email comes through. F-Droid similarly notifies you when new updates for apps are available. The Aurora Store however, does not, meaning you need to manually check it to see if there are updates for your apps installed through there.

Making sure your apps and phone are up to date will keep security vulnerabilities to a minimum, as they are generally patched as soon as issues are discovered. That security focus is why the Graphene updater is so streamlined, updating in the background as soon as the update is available and the phone is connected to the internet, only requiring the user to reboot to complete the process.

The point is, check the Aurora Store for updates regularly, it’s the only way to know if there is an update available for the apps you’ve installed through there. If there is an update available, install it as soon as possible. If you’re not on Graphene, make sure to update your operating system as soon as possible when there is an update.

Check out our Top Apps For De-Googled Phones Article Here