Setup guide

Everything you need to know to get your null device up and running. Start to finish in under 10 minutes.

01 — Getting started

First boot & PIN setup

Your null device arrives with GrapheneOS, Orbot, and SimpleX Chat pre-installed and configured. When you power it on for the first time, you'll set your PIN and you're ready to go.

  1. 1 Press and hold the power button to turn on the device.
  2. 2 Enter the PIN provided with your device to unlock it.
  3. 3 Change your PIN: go to Settings → Security → Screen lock and set your own. Choose something strong, at least 6 digits. Avoid patterns like 123456.
  4. 4 Connect to Wi-Fi or insert a SIM card for mobile data.
  5. 5 Open Orbot and confirm it shows "Connected." This powers the Tor connection that routes your SimpleX traffic.
Note: The PIN keypad is scrambled by default. The digits randomize their position every time you unlock. This prevents shoulder surfing and smudge pattern attacks.
Important: There is no password recovery. If you forget your PIN, the device cannot be unlocked. After a set number of failed attempts, it will wipe itself. Write your PIN down and store it somewhere secure and separate from the device.
02 — Security features

Duress PIN, auto-reboot & profiles

Your device includes several security features you should set up right away.

Duress PIN

A secondary PIN that, when entered at the lock screen, immediately and irreversibly wipes all data on the device.

  1. 1 Go to Settings → Security → Duress PIN.
  2. 2 Set a PIN that is different from your unlock PIN.
  3. 3 If you are ever forced to unlock your device, enter the duress PIN instead. The device will wipe instantly.
This is irreversible. Once the duress PIN is entered, all data is destroyed. There is no confirmation prompt and no recovery. Make sure anyone who uses the device knows which PIN is which.

Auto-reboot & re-encryption

The device is set to automatically reboot after 18 hours of idle time. After reboot, all data is encrypted until the PIN is entered again. You can change this timeout.

  1. 1 Go to Settings → Security → Auto reboot.
  2. 2 Set your preferred timeout (e.g., 12 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours).
Why this matters: A phone that's powered on but locked is more vulnerable than one that's freshly rebooted. After reboot, the encryption keys are not in memory. The device is in its most secure state (Before First Unlock).

Separate user profiles

GrapheneOS supports multiple user profiles, each fully isolated and independently encrypted.

  1. 1 Go to Settings → System → Multiple users.
  2. 2 Tap "Add user" to create a new profile.
  3. 3 Set a separate PIN for the new profile.
  4. 4 Switch between profiles from the lock screen or from Settings → System → Multiple users.

Each profile has its own apps, data, and encryption keys. Apps in one profile cannot access data from another. If someone inspects one profile, they won't see anything from the others.

Tip: Use your primary profile for everyday use and a secondary profile for sensitive communications. If forced to unlock the device, you can show the clean primary profile while your private profile remains hidden and encrypted.
03 — Messaging

Using SimpleX Chat

SimpleX Chat is pre-installed and connected to null's private relay servers over Tor. No account, phone number, or identifying information is needed.

Adding a contact

  1. 1 Open SimpleX Chat and tap the + button.
  2. 2 Tap "Create one-time link" to generate an invite.
  3. 3 Share this link with your contact through a secure channel: in person, via another encrypted app, or written down.
  4. 4 Your contact opens the link in their SimpleX app and accepts. You're connected.

To accept someone else's invite: tap + → "Paste received link" and paste the link they shared with you.

Note: Invite links are single-use. After a connection is established, the link can't be reused or intercepted. Each connection uses a unique pair of messaging queues, so conversations are fully isolated from each other.

Voice and video calls

SimpleX supports encrypted voice and video calls routed through Tor. Tap the phone or camera icon in any conversation to start a call.

Sending files

Files are transferred through null's private XFTP server over Tor. Tap the attachment icon in any conversation to send files, photos, or documents.

04 — Troubleshooting

If something isn't working

Most issues come down to the Tor connection. Start here:

  1. 1 Open Orbot. Does it show "Connected" with a green status? If not, check your Wi-Fi or mobile data connection and tap the button to start Orbot.
  2. 2 Once Orbot shows connected, open SimpleX Chat. Try sending a message. If it delivers, everything is working.
  3. 3 If messages are stuck on "sending," wait a minute. Tor connections can be slow, especially on first launch.
  4. 4 If messages still won't send, try closing and reopening SimpleX Chat.
  5. 5 If the problem persists, reboot the device. Orbot will reconnect automatically after unlock.
Important: Do not modify Orbot's client authorization settings or SimpleX's network/server configuration. Changing these settings will break your connection to the private relay network. For maximum privacy, use the default installed applications with the default settings.