How to Install LineageOS on Your Android Device
LineageOS is the most popular ROM for Android devices. It garners vast success due to its near-stock Android experience with no bloatware, and a clean and uncluttered interface. It provides regular security updates and bug fixes that often lack in some stock ROMs. Additionally, it gives you a higher level of customization than the stock Android firmware.
Even better, this ROM supports an extensive list of devices, including older ones that no longer receive official updates. Here is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to installing LineageOS on your Android phone.
What You Need Before Installing LineageOS
You can install LineageOS via Windows, Mac, or Linux. We’re focusing on Windows in this guide, so have a Windows PC and a USB cable for your Android device ready.
Before you begin,install the OEM USB driversfor your phone, to ensure your device is recognized when connected to the PC.
Next, back up all your vital data on the device since the installation process wipes everything in the internal memory. While doing this, ensure your device is fully charged.
Set Up ADB and Fastboot
You also need to set up the ADB and Fastboot tools on your PC. These help you to control your Android device by running terminal commands via USB. For instance, Fastboot allows you to perform tasks like unlocking the bootloader, flashing system images, and more.
Download the ADB and Fastboot tools from theAndroid Developerwebsite in the form of the SDK Platform-Tools package. Unzip the downloaded package and find the contents of interest in theplatform-toolsfolder. Keep this folder in mind.
Enable USB Debugging
Next, enable USB Debugging on your Android device. To unlock this option, launch theSettingsapp, openAbout phone, scroll down till you find theBuild numbersection, and then tap on it until you see a notification informing you that you’re now a developer. If you have configured a screen lock, it will be needed in this step.
After that, go back to theSettingsapp, and due to differences in Android versions, search for the wordsDeveloper optionsin the search bar at the top. Tap on theDeveloper optionssearch result when it pops up, scroll down to theDebuggingsection, and enable theUSB debuggingtoggle.
You’re now almost ready to start. You now just need to confirm your device’s CPU architecture. This will be helpful when downloading a Google Apps installation package. Download theTreble Infoapp from Google Play Store, open it, and check theArchitecturesection. Most devices will be ARM or ARM64.
Double-check the prerequisites above and continue to the next step.
Step 1: Download LineageOS and Everything Else You Need
Before continuing, confirm that LineageOS is available to download for your device. Some devices with official support include the Google Pixel lineup, select Samsung phones (but not recent Galaxy S models), as well as devices from Xiaomi, Motorola, Asus, and more.
Visit theofficial LineageOS devices website, choose your device manufacturer category, select your device model name, open thebuildssection, and download the ROM installation package (a ZIP file) you wish to install.
If you are out of luck on the official website, visit the reputableXDA forumsand check for your device. On XDA, how-to-install instructions will be provided, so keep an eye out for that.
Download a Recovery
The stock Android recovery does not support flashing a custom ROM package, so you need a custom recovery. If your Android device is officially supported, download Lineage Recovery for it. Again, head over to the website and open thebuildssection.
Depending on your device partitioning scheme, the Lineage Recovery can be downloaded as arecovery.img,boot.img, orvendor_boot.img.
As for unofficial devices, check the XDA forums for popular custom Android recoveries like TWRP or thetop TWRP recovery alternatives. The forum posts will provide download links and installation instructions.
Download the Google Apps
LineageOS does not ship with Google apps. Therefore, if you wish to have Google Play Store functionality, download an add-on application package from the recommendedLineageOS Google Apps website. Ensure you download the proper Google Apps package for your device architecture (which you should have checked above) and match the ROM version you plan to install.
For convenience, place all the files you have downloaded in theplatform-toolsfolder you unzipped previously—the ROM file, the recovery image, and the Google Apps package.
Step 2: Unlock the Bootloader
You must unlock your device’s bootloader for the ultimate gateway to fully-fledged Android modding. Unlocking the bootloader means that you disable the security restrictions put in place by the manufacturer that prevent you from flashing your device partitions.
Luckily, many popular manufacturers like Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, Sony, and OnePlus allow you to unlock the bootloader. However, keep in mind that an unlocked bootloader may void the warranty of your device.
Unlocking the bootloader will wipe your phone, so make sure you’ve backed up your data before you begin.
If your device is unlockable, follow ourhow to unlock the Android bootloader guide. Once done, re-enable USB Debugging since your device is factory reset during the unlock process.
Step 3: Install the Custom Recovery
To install the recovery image file, start by opening aCommand Promptwindow. Open theplatform-toolsfolder, typecmdin the address bar, and hitEnter. This is the only Command Prompt window you will use for all the subsequent steps since you should have copied all the files into the same folder.
Next, connect your device to the PC and type the following ADB command into the Command Prompt window to confirm the device is connected.
You’ll be prompted to allow USB debugging in a pop-up that appears on the phone screen. Then, reboot your device into bootloader mode by running the command below.
Once in bootloader mode, flash therecovery.imgfile using the following command.
If you have aboot.imgfor recovery instead, execute the command below.
And forvendor_boot.imgfile, run the following command.
After you have flashed the correct recovery image, reboot into recovery mode using the following command.
If the command doesn’t take you into recovery mode, use your device-specific key-combination method as an alternative. For instance, many devices require you to long press thePower button+Volume Up keywhen off.
Step 4: Install LineageOS Using Custom Recovery
Your device should now be in Recovery Mode and should be able to see the Lineage Recovery UI.
On the recovery interface, tapFactory reset, thenFormat data/factory reset, and selectFormat datato confirm. This process will wipe all the data associated with the current system on your device. After that, use the back arrow in the top-left corner to return to the main menu.
It is time to activateADB sideload modeto help you flash the ROM. ADB sideload mode allows you to push and install a ZIP package on your Android device using a single command on your PC. To do this, tapApply updateand select theApply from ADBoption.
Ensure your device is still connected to the PC. Execute the command below to confirm that your device is connected in sideload mode. You will get feedback on your Android device serial number and the wordsideloadas output.
To sideload the ROM via ADB, run the following command. Replace the wordromnamewith the actual filename of the ROM file you downloaded.
Be patient as the ROM is installed, and once the process is complete, the recovery will exit the sideload mode and take you to the main screen. A success message will also be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Step 5: Install Google Apps Add-On (Optional)
If you prefer a vanilla experience on LineageOS, skip this step, but you will not have any Google Play Services installed on your device.
To install the Google apps, and assuming you are still in recovery mode, tapAdvancedand selectReboot to recoveryoption. Once back in recovery, activate ADB sideload mode as you did for the ROM and flash the Google Apps ZIP package you downloaded using theadb sideloadcommand.
Step 6: Reboot Into LineageOS
After completing all the steps above, you are ready to boot into the LineageOS system. Tap on theReboot system nowoption and wait for the boot process to complete. The first boot takes some time, so be patient.
The moment you see the welcome screen, the installation process is a success. Go through the initial Android setup process and restore your data before exploring all the goodies in store for you.
Revitalize Your Android Device With LineageOS
Custom ROMs breathe new life into old and new devices, and LineageOS is one of the best examples as it extends the life span of Android devices significantly compared to the manufacturers.
If you have an old Android device that stopped getting security updates, there is a possibility to turn that around by installing LineageOS. Alternatively, you can find an even wider number of devices being supported with unofficial builds on the XDA forums. All in all, this is a custom ROM that you should not miss out on.
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