Moving from /e/os to Fairphone OS - Security Patch Update Question

Using /e/OS Migrate to /e/OS
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TLDR; If my /e/os security patch is later than the latest Fairphone OS security patch do I just have to wait for an update to Fairphone OS?

I recently purchased a Fairphone 6 with /e/os. I thought I would be able to make /e/os work for me, but some issues keep adding up, and I don’t want to deal with them. Right now I’m trying to see if I can flash the Fairphone OS.

I kinda get the whole flashing and bootlocking after reading these two guides and forum posts:

I understand the concern about the security patch levels where if you are installing an OS with an older patch you could brick your phone. The problem I have now is I can’t install the latest Fairphone OS since it has an older security patch than the latest /e/os (which was installed when I got the device.)

Latest Fairphone Version:
Version: FP6.QREL.15.178.0
Release Date: 05 March 2026
Security Patch: 05 February 2026

My Current /e/os Version:
Version: 3.6-a15-20260312593772-official-FP6
Build Date: Thu Mar 12 18:03:46 UTC 2026
Security Patch: March 1, 2026

Obviously the security patch date for /e/os is later, so I probably would risk bricking. I could just install the Fairphone OS and not lock the bootloader, but then I would have to setup my phone again when I lock the bootloader since it would wipe the data.

Is my understanding correct that I would just have to wait for a new Fairphone OS to be released, otherwise I would have to setup my phone twice?

Thank you! I do appreciate the goal of /e/os and hope folks are able to make it work for them!

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Hello @jane06, Welcome to the /e/ users forum.

i think you have perfectly understood the “android security update” constraints

but

i can’t figure what they can be on a device with a relocked bootloader…

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Hi piero! Thanks for the response. I appreciate that!

The “some issues keep adding up” was just in reference to my issues with /e/os. Just have come across a few of bugs (system restarting randomly, wifi disconnecting randomly, framerate issues, texts coming in out of order). I also realized I like some google apps usability more than the open source apps. I know I’m selling my privacy which sucks, but for me I’m not at the point mentally where that outweighs usability issues. Mainly with Google Maps and Google Messages which I couldn’t seem to get to work on /e/os. RCS is a big one to since it just makes communicating with friends and family a little easier. :sweat_smile: google has built a walled garden and I’m not sure I have the time and space to leave.

Appreciate the response regardless. Sounds like I’ll have to wait for an update to Fairphone OS. I’m asking Murena right now if they can flash it for me if I send the device back. Probably not a question for this forum but do you know how often Fairphone OS updates are? If not all good!

Thanks!

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https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/24463713641234-The-Fairphone-Gen-6-Release-Notes

this is not normal behavior

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Thanks for the link! Seems like it’s once every 1-2 months.

Yeah it’s unfortunate I’m running into these issues. Of course they could also be caused by the Fairphone hardware itself. Hard to know. I was able to get google maps to work but google messages still seems to not be able to work: [BOUNTY] RCS Support [14999$] · Issue #2994 · microg/GmsCore · GitHub

Probably would switch back to /e/os in the future when RCS comes to microg.