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Escaping the Digital Treadmill: How to Daily Drive a Flip phone in 2025 - TCL Flip 2

Tyler Boni on March 12, 2025

I finally did it. After years of feeling like my phone owned me instead of the other way around, I purchased a TCL Flip 2 – an Android-powered flip...
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Ryan Arif

Wow, what a great article. I had given up on finding a decent launcher for this phone, and a few other problems I was experiencing. You've revealed some excellent solutions I was able to implement.

Just got a quick question: What did you do to get quick access to the original notification bar and original recent apps list from launcher3?

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Tyler Boni

Thanks Ryan! Currently For the notification list, I am using the Button mapper app and I remapped the top right soft key to show notifications. I don't tend to use the recent apps list unfortunately. Cheers!

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Ryan Arif

Ah, I see! How do you navigate that pull down notifications list?! It's kinda hard without a touch screen. Are you just using the mouse, or am I missing something?

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Kosher Boy

Very true! It's kind of annoying to use the pull down notifications without a touch screen. It would be amazing if you can set a button to open the notification list which you open with left soft key on the stock launcher.

Regarding recent apps, on most phones you can map a button to open recent apps but on the TCL based off the fact that it's a "fake" list (I saw that somewhere, not really sure what it means) you can't.

If you want more info on the TCL you may want to join these forums forums.jtechforums.org/invites/6ps...

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Tyler Boni

There is a shortcut to open the notifications that the top left soft key opens, I dont have the TCL on me at the moment, but if you play around with the available shortcuts in button mapper you can open the default notifications menu.

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michael berrisford

Really enjoyed reading your article, thanks for posting.

I have 2 TCL Flip 2 phones, my daily driver has software version KEFS, and I bought another one to play with which has KEKA. I noticed you got a TCL GO Flip 2, what software version does that have?

I tried to use the link (see below) in the section "I flashed this image with no issues".
github.com/tylerboni/tcl-flip2/rel...

but it returned a "404" code?

Thanks.

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Kosher Boy

If your trying to install apk's on the one running KEKA version the process is a bit harder. See here forums.jtechforums.org/t/rooting-a...

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michael berrisford

I will probably skip KEKA, especially as I just found out it doesn't support Group messaging!!

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Kosher Boy

I don't think that is accurate.

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michael_berrisford_c3fddd profile image
michael berrisford

I believe you are correct, my bad.

Under Settings in the Messages KEFS app, there is an option for Group Messaging, which is missing in the KEKA app.

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Kosher Boy

So if it's missing then it has group messaging or it's not?

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michael berrisford

Did more research, looks like the links are in github.com/TylerBoni (note uppercase)!

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Kosher Boy • Edited

Loved this article! Thanks.

I personally use this phone with LiteGapps. It slows down the phone a lot but it's worth it.

You may find this site jtechforums.org/invites/a6JXxdKiQK useful.

If you get anywhere with android auto please share here jtechforums.org/t/android-auto-on-.... It's something I wanted to have on my TCL Flip 2 for a while already.

PS Why don't you use NeutronScott's Magisk module as your virtual mouse?

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Tyler Boni

I have created my own mouse. It is located here: github.com/TylerBoni/FlipMouse

Let me know how it works out for you. I have been using it for a few days and loving it. The button mappings are a bit different because I wanted the ability to type while the mouse was on. You also do not hold the star key to activate the mouse. It is a toggle, and you hold the key t open the contacts.

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Tyler Boni • Edited

Thanks! I will definitely keep you updated.

I had some issues with vMouse that I don't think were actually related to vMouse, but I had already gotten the system mouse working. I will revisit it and update the post!

Update: I tested out vMouse2, and had some bugs (mainly unable to click after presing the 3 key). There is currently an open issue for the bug. I tried the later mouse release and it is not currently working for me. I will fork the project and see if I can improve it. Thanks for the suggestion!

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Kosher Boy

So the 3 button is messed up. Though the one button does the same thing as the three and it works. jtechforums.org/t/vmouse-2-on-the-....

If you do put some work in to that mouse maybe post it here so those part of that community (a couple of them with TCL's) cam benefit. Thanks.

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Solomon R-B • Edited

which bluebubbles version are you running? how long does it take to boot up? sometimes it can take over a minute for mine to boot... maybe it's because i don't have a ton of space on device or have a lot of conversations in my imessage history EDIT: and thank you for the guide - super helpful. your mouse is working great (my one change is that i'd like closing the phone to turn off mouse mode - if i close the phone and touch the volume rocker to check the time, it doesn't work if mouse mode is activated)

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Tyler Boni

I run bluebubbles on a mac mini, so it just runs 24/7. If you mean on the phone, it is pretty much instant for me. My server version is 1.9.7.

Oh yes that would be a great improvement!! I have not had any time to mess with the mouse, and am calling it "good enough" right now. I really hope some other devs pick up the repo and contribute. I will create an enhancement request for this feature!

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Kosher Boy • Edited

In regards to lowering your resolution you may find this guide helpful:
forums.jtechforums.org/t/resizing-...

It allows you to keep the phone on the default resolution and lower the DPI on specific apps (and customize each apps DPI as well).

I used it and it's amazing to have the regular stock apps on the regular resolution and lowered resolution for the added apps.

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Kosher Boy

Did you come across this module when working on Android Auto github.com/sn-00-x/aa4mg?

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Tyler Boni

Yes, I was not able to make it work. Have you had success?

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Kosher Boy

No. I have LiteGapps so that module is not for me.

You can check out the steps I took here forums.jtechforums.org/t/android-a...

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Kosher Boy

What was the error you got. It may help if you set the props ro.config.low_ram to false. Tricking the device to think it has high RAM.

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Kosher Boy

The way you use your pointer are you able to scroll? Because with the magisk module you are able to and it comes in very useful.

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Tyler Boni • Edited

You can’t scroll with the “stock” mouse. I have written a new virtual mouse module with all of the intended features of vMouse. So far no bugs. I plan to release it this weekend, I will update here. It would be great to have some other users test. I believe it could work for more non-touch phones.