What is SirrOS?
SirrOS is a privacy‑focused Linux distribution for mobile devices, built on top of Mobian and aimed at the PinePhone Pro.
The name “Sirr” means “secret” in Arabic, and the system is designed for people who care about anonymity, digital freedom, and full control over their device.
Instead of trying to imitate Android or iOS, SirrOS focuses on giving you a clean, hackable environment with strong privacy tools.
It targets users such as privacy enthusiasts, journalists, activists, developers, or anyone who wants a mobile device that they truly own and can modify.
Not (Yet) a Daily-Driver Phone OS
SirrOS is still immature if you expect a polished “smartphone experience” like Android or iOS.
Phone calls, notifications, and some apps may require extra configuration, and the overall UX can feel rough compared to mainstream mobile systems.
However, that is also part of its appeal.
Instead of being a distraction machine full of social media and tracking, SirrOS lets you step back from always‑online life and use your PinePhone Pro more intentionally.
Tools for Privacy and Security
Out of the box, SirrOS integrates a set of tools to improve privacy, encryption, and anonymity on a mobile device.
These include technologies like Tor, DNS encryption, MAC address spoofing, password managers, and utilities for cleaning metadata from files.
With these tools, the PinePhone Pro can become a pocket device for secure communication and handling sensitive data.
You can route traffic through anonymizing networks, encrypt storage, manage keys, and keep your online footprint as small as possible.
Beyond a Phone: New Use Cases
Because SirrOS is a real Linux system, the PinePhone Pro can be much more than “just a phone.”
You can repurpose it as:
- A small home or personal server.
- A portable router or privacy‑focused gateway.
- A testbed for self‑hosted services.
- A development or experimentation device for learning Linux on ARM.
Instead of chasing the perfect phone UX, SirrOS encourages treating the PinePhone Pro as a flexible, low‑power computer that happens to fit in your pocket.
This makes it interesting for tinkerers, sysadmins, and anyone who likes to build custom setups.
A Device for Digital Detox
SirrOS can also work as part of a digital detox strategy.
By not having the usual polished app stores and addictive social media apps, the device naturally pushes you to use it for more deliberate tasks.
You can keep a minimal set of tools: email, messaging over privacy‑respecting channels, an offline notes app, SSH, and a browser configured for privacy.
The result is a phone‑sized computer that serves you, instead of constantly demanding your attention.
What’s Next
This post is just an introduction to SirrOS and the idea of using the PinePhone Pro as a privacy‑respecting, fully hackable device.
In upcoming posts, we will explore concrete setups and guides where SirrOS is used not as a traditional phone:
- Turning SirrOS into a small home server.
- Using it as a router or privacy gateway.
- Configuring it as a dedicated secure communication device.
- Other creative use cases that go beyond calls and apps.
Stay tuned if you want to transform your PinePhone Pro into something more powerful, private, and purpose‑driven than a typical smartphone.
