Hi folks, as a way of giving back to this community, I just wanted to share my experience of setting up an F21 Pro phone in the UK on Smarty and GiffGaff services. I guess O2 or 3 will also work as these sit on the back of those networks.
After spending a whole day on this, hopefully I can save you the time to get this working and also encourage more people to use these phones and get away from doom scrolling.
Personally, I thought they are the best of going 'dumb-ish'
The phone is a 4+64GB F21 Pro. Please check carefully if you are using the 32GB one that the firmware I have here works with that too! You can buy them here and get them delivered in about 10 days! https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003829459139.html - Go for the non google play versions as they are cheaper and you can just follow the steps below to add play store to it.
The below is an updated version of the guide from an original here : https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-xiaomi-qin-f21-pro-custom-firmware-root-playstore-certified.4405615/
I tried various different methods of using aurora app store but google apps didn't always work correctly. Using Google play store appears to be the best way to get all google apps you need working - but that is just my view.
This guide is from 28th July 2024. I have included all the recent apps in the zip that I used.
Link to zip file download: https://mega.nz/file/FU0zxSjA#tkPfpWnvCSowTN0q6AW2CKV4CkOJHwin0HFw2IVmG9U
Setup PC (windows) and Flash phone: Install DriveInstall.exe
Open "SP_Flash_Tool_V5/flash_tool.exe"
select scatter file from the Main Firmware folder = MT6761_Android_scatter.txt (this is the source to use)
turn phone off
unplug usb, then plug back in to the PC via USB.
click download to flash the phone.
Congrats! You now have chinese free apps firmware with TWRP Installed
Getting into TWRP Bootloader: Turn off your phone and boot into TWRP, you can do this by holding the heart key (top left) and the * (star, bottom left) key [then press the power button], you will see the Douqin Logo. Keep holding keys until TWRP boots.
Change TWRP language to English ...
https://droidwin.com/change-language-twrp-recovery/
Copy all files needed to phone -> boot to TWRP and plug in to computer and transfer from "All files to copy to TWRP Folder for installing off the phone" folder
FLASH IMAGE "boot_2.img" to BOOT partition
IMPORTANT! boot is an IMAGE FILE not ZIP FILE. by default, TWRP is set to check for zip file and will not see IMAGE FILES in the directories. YOU NEED TO TAP THE INSTALL IMAGE BUTTON so image files will appear).
I flashed it to both slots.
Reboot into main OS.
Install Magisk-v24.2.apk by clicking on the file. If you are having difficulty, install it from a plugged in USB into the phone to bypass any security blocking you.
Open magisk then click Install Magisk > Select a patch file > choose "boot_2.img" in your directory (path where you transfer it). This should generate a patched version of the magisk boot img. READ where it says it dumped the output file on the console data!
Boot back into TWRP
Locate the patched magisk file and flash it to the BOOT partition. Use the location from the console output.
Reboot to main OS
open MAGISK app go to settings and enable MAGISK HIDE
open MAGISK app, search module (bottom right button) and install "MagiskHide Props Config" (in the zip file provided) then reboot to main OS
Install the Android Terminal app.. so we can spoof our Phones Identity so Google Play works ok:
open Terminal emulator app
type "su" enter (grant permission)
type "props" enter (to run the magiskhide Props config app)
type "1" enter
type "F" enter
type "30" enter
type "25" enter
type "2" enter
type "y" enter
type "y" enter (phone reboots)
Before it has a chance to start reloading, hold the keys to enter TWRP.
Flash open_gapps-arm64-11.0-pico-20220215 to the BOOT partition.
(you may be able to install this earlier in the process but I did it at this point)
After reboot wait gapps to update (around 5-10 mins) then sign in to playstore. You may need to authenticate the login on another android app if you have 2FA.
==
Then install apps via google play so they are all official and working well on the phone:
gboard keyboard TT9 keyboard
Essential Apps you may want: Android Auto
Google Maps
Google Photos
Spotify
Gmail
Calendar
Contacts
Uber/Bolt Taxis
... done!
Hopefully this helps you too!
Some other things I will probably look at :
How to remove some of the stock call/message apps in favour of the Google ones.
Possibly a minimalist launcher... suggestions welcome.