I can find it there, but only uninstall updates. Guess it's ADB time.

Thanks, I just checked and it was installed so I've uninstalled it

That's some pretty big hurdles to be honest, just a reminder of how sketchy Google is these days.

After going through both my Galaxy 24U and Pixel Tablet initially, I wasn't seeing the option (was looking for the old "Install from unknown sources" which is in a different location (and per app toggles). I went back and manually disabled and enabled the "Android Developer Verifier" app and then saw the option for "Apps from unverified developers" show up. Then was able to follow the steps (very glad you provided that second source which is what led me to what I did).

So I guess if you don't see it. First search in your apps that the verifier app is present. If it is, then go into the app info for it and toggle disable and then enable. Willing to accept that maybe I was just blind to it due to the old way of sideloading that made me miss it in Developer Options. But for sure saw it after the toggles. Now I just need to remember to go back tomorrow to set the "indefinitely" option. Curious if this will allow Play Protect to not try to yeet apps if PP is turned back on. I had to turn it off a couple months ago because it kept flagging SyncThing-Fork installed from F-Droid trying to trick me into uninstalling it (which was weird that was the only app it freaked out about out of all the third-party store and Obtainium apps).

Same

Goto "app details" at the bottom of the settings page for the app. Then select "uninstall updates" should no longer appear in app list.

At this time it is currently better to go with a custom Android ROM. Linux phones are currently have almost 0 security. I say almost 0 because postmarketos does support LUKS encryption, but only on some devices, and pmos uses an "upstream kernel" update model for devices, so a lot of the drivers for supported phones are not fully complete.

None of them have sandboxing, or measured boot, and excluding postmarketos, none of them get driver level security updates either.

Hold up, what magic is this? You can gatekeep installations of any app on their phones? I've looked into doing this with Google Play but as far as I can tell they only enable it for mature content. Which doesn't help to stop my old father in law from installing trash "security" apps on his phone.

Easier said than done, especially as there are more models that don't have any sort of support for those OSs than models that do. Not to mention the hassle to even enable the option to flash it and risk of bricking. Worse, banking apps may refuse to work.

Google and the OEMs never wanted you to own your phone and they are mostly winning on that front.

My daily driver is now a Jolla Phone (2026), still have my Fairphone 6 with /e/OS.

Been using my pixel 6, according to the app list it has been "used since Aug 13" I cannot archive(greyed out), disable says (get this) "It came preinstalled on my device" funny since I've been using this device for years and by its own account was just installed aug 13

This app also got silently installed on my device, but I just updated YouTube Morphe and there was no issue. So for now the app doesn't appear to do anything. I disabled it and will be uninstalling with ADB soon.

unless you use a de-googled rom google play services can't be disabled

You can't without ADB but you can disable it.