-
I know this may be hard to explain, but try using more of the outside part of your index finger, and not so much the fleshy part. It can be a little uncomfortable at first. One trick I would suggest is, Try to get as much of the outside part of your finger barring the third fret in (C shape). Just use the index finger, and then anchor your middle finger kind of on top to help press the index finger into the fret. Just do this for a bit until you start getting a nice clean sound. Then start lifting the middle finger off and try that for a bit. Also, pressing the body of the guitar into your body, creating a bit of leverage toward the headstock will also help with not squeezing the neck too much with your thumb and fingers. Just work on the index finger for a bit, and then start incorporating the other strings when you feel more comfortable.
Don’t give up on barre chords. They are vital in my opinion, and I practice barre chords everyday. They’re still hard to nail though. Sometimes I’ll just play the F shape up and down the fretboard for some fun practice.