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Although stock Android isn’t without its flaws, Google gives every custom ROM developer a chance to make things better with their creations, and several smartphone brands like OnePlus and Samsung have stepped up the game with OxygenOS and One UI respectively. Meanwhile, independent custom ROMs like LineageOS also stay abreast with the latest Android updates, delivering them to a community of enthusiastic users. However, it also means older versions need to be discontinued, and it's time to pull the plug on LineageOS 18.1 now.
LineageOS goes Android 14 and gets revamped system apps
Android’s most popular custom ROM is now based on the latest stable release of the OS
There is hardly any other custom ROM for Android as popular as LineageOS. The ROM has been around for years and is available for a wide range of devices, keeping them relevant and in a working state for years after the original device maker abandoned them. Typically, the team behind LineageOS is quick to release unofficial builds of their ROM after a new Android version drops. A stable release arrives after a few months, usually in April of the following year. With LineageOS 21, the team is besting its previous efforts and dropping its stable build almost two months before its usual timeframe.
The LG V30 is back from the dead with official LineageOS support
It’s the first LG device to be added to Lineage’s official roster in 6 years
The meteoric rise and devastating fall of LG Mobile was something to behold — the company went from a relative unknown to one of Google's biggest partners in building out the Android ecosystem, then a series of lukewarm launches and budget cutbacks led to the dissolution of what was once Samsung's chief rival in the smartphone space. Along the way, we got fantastic devices like the flagship G series and the multimedia-focused V lineup, but these incredible phones have been largely abandoned since 2021 — until now.
Free your Tensor-powered Pixel phone from Google with LineageOS 20
The first LineageOS release is here for the Google Pixel 7 and other Tensor-powered phones
Google’s latest Pixel phones come with their very own Tensor chipset, a custom-made processor that’s available in the second generation already for the Google Pixel 7 series. This custom chipset certainly posed a challenge for both Google developers and custom ROM makers alike, as Google initially struggled to keep up with its own security update schedule and there was no official LineageOS release for the Pixel handsets for a long time. This is now changing, as LineageOS 20 has been made available for all Pixel phones powered by Tensor processors.
The Sony Xperia 5 II gets some Android 13 love thanks to LineageOS 20
LineageOS 20 includes an all-new default camera app and other additions
LineageOS is undoubtedly one of the most popular custom ROMs currently going around. Its developers dropped a massive surprise on us by releasing the Android 13-based LineageOS 20 earlier than we'd have expected. Since the announcement on New Year's Eve, we’ve seen the addition of several devices to the LineageOS 20 compatibility list including the Google Pixel 2 not too long ago. Maintainers have now added even more devices to the list.
LineageOS 20 brings Android 13 to the Google Pixel 2
Breathe new life into your Pixel 2 with LineageOS 20
Most Android manufacturers nowadays promise four years of OS updates for their devices. However, this policy only applies to their newer devices, with older phones usually abandoned after a couple of OS updates. This is where custom ROMs come in, as they can breathe new life into an aging but a perfectly usable smartphone. If you still use the Google Pixel 2 or have one lying around in your drawer, which the company abandoned after Android 11, you can now try Android 13 on it courtesy of LineageOS 20.
Samsung Galaxy A52 4G and Galaxy A72 get a taste of Android 13-based LineageOS 20
If you aren’t happy with Samsung’s One UI 5 skin
Since rising from the ashes of CyanogenMod, Lineage OS has been one of the best alternative mobile operating systems for those who prefer a near-stock Android experience rather than any flavor of Android installed on their smartphones. It has become arguably the biggest aftermarket distribution platform for Android since launching in late 2016, and it has never stopped breathing new life into old Android phones. LineageOS 20, based on Android 13, was only launched in late December, but it has already made its way to a handful of devices that it promised to support. The latest handsets to receive the custom ROM are Samsung’s Galaxy A52 4G and Galaxy A72 (via XDA Developers).
LineageOS 20 is off to a roaring start with builders and maintainers working on the Android 13 mod for a whopping 57 devices. That roster now includes four new devices from Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi and German upstart Shift. Some owners will definitely appreciate the Lineage treatment on these releases.
Custom ROM gives the OnePlus 2 a new lease on life with surprisingly stable Android 13 build
Official support ended way back in the days of Marshmallow
The OnePlus 2 — no, not the OnePlus Nord 2, the actual second phone ever released by OnePlus — is getting some modern day attention. Thanks to an unofficial LineageOS build, Android 13 has arrived for the 2015 smartphone, bringing it up to modern standards nearly eight years after its launch.
LineageOS 20, based on Android 13 QPR1, arrives stupid quick
Starring a brand spankin' new camera app
There's shedloads of quiet work that go into keeping a custom Android build alive. It's the galactic, ethereal hum that makes this space vibrant with players such as Paranoid Android or the descendant of the OG Cyanogenmod, LineageOS. On the last day of 2022, the Lineage devteam is out with a furiously ambitious version bump, giving its take on Android 13 with LineageOS 20.
After retiring Android 10-based LineageOS 17.1 builds in February this year, the LineageOS team released the Android 12 version of their ROM in April, packing several enhancements and features. The initial build was only available for a limited number of devices. Since then, though, the team has constantly been adding support for new phones. With its latest round of updates, LineageOS 19 is gaining support for five more devices, including the entire OnePlus 8 series and Samsung's mid-range Galaxy A52 4G and Galaxy A72.
Android 12-based LineageOS 19 arrives for OnePlus Nord N200, Redmi 7, and FairPhone 3
Installing the ROM should be a piece of cake
There's a wide variety of custom ROMs out there right now. Some go all out on including as many features as possible, while others try to provide a Pixel-like experience, but one among them really stands out. LineageOS has become a must-know name in the custom ROM community over the last several years, boasting a truly impressive number of officially supported devices. Its latest version, Android 12-based LineageOS 19, is currently extending support to more handsets following its debut earlier this year. The latest to join in the fun is the OnePlus Nord N200, Redmi 7, and the FairPhone 3.
You can now install LineageOS 19 on your OnePlus 9 and ditch OxygenOS for good
LineageOS 19 builds also arrive for Poco X3 Pro and Xiaomi Mi A1
Following the release of Android 12-based LineageOS 19 in late April, the team behind the ROM has constantly been working on adding support for more devices. The initial build was only available for a handful of devices, including the Google Pixel lineup, Asus ZenFone 5z/8, Moto G7 series, and select other devices from Samsung, OnePlus, and Lenovo. Since then, the ROM has added support for a bunch of devices to its build roster, like the Galaxy S10 series, Essential PH-1, and the Xiaomi Mi 10T series. Less than a month later, the team is further expanding the official LineageOS 19 device compatibility list with four more popular devices.
Android 12-based LineageOS 19 builds arrive for Galaxy S10 series, Essential PH-1, Xiaomi Mi 10T, and more
LineageOS 18.1 builds have also been reinstated for the Nvidia Shield TV and Jetson
The LineageOS team released the Android 12-based builds of its ROM late last month with support for a limited set of devices. Since then, the developers have been working hard on adding support for new devices, with builds for the Poco X3, Motorola Edge S, original Razer Phone, and the Nubia Mini 5G dropping soon after. Continuing its work on this front, LineageOS has added support for many more devices, including the Galaxy S10 series, the Essential PH-1, and the Xiaomi Mi 10T series.
LineageOS 19 is already adding support for a bunch more phones
Get a taste of stock Android 12, even if you don't have a Pixel
LineageOS remains one of the best alternate ROMs available these days, and it's also one with a very long lineage (pun definitely intended). It got its start as CyanogenMod well over a decade ago, before all sorts of drama led to the fork we know today as Lineage. The big new 19 release officially debuted earlier this week, based on Android 12, and if you want to check it out, we have good news for you — the roster of supported LineageOS 19 devices is already expanding.
Android 12-based LineageOS 19 is here with all the features you love
It's possible that legacy devices will no longer be supported by LineageOS due to changes in AOSP, though
Custom ROMs are a dying breed, but there's no denying the popularity of LineageOS — it remains among the best third-party ROMs you can try on your device. After retiring Android 10-based LineageOS 17.1 builds in February and releasing the stable version of LineageOS 18.1 to almost 60 devices in April, the team has officially announced Android 12-based LineageOS 19.
Check out these cute new wallpapers and icons set to arrive with LineageOS 19.1
Feel free to download and apply at your pleasure
LineageOS may be a little late to the Android 12 party, but the team of talented developers behind it are working hard on getting the next major release ready for this open source project. If you happen to be living under a rock, Lineage is one of the most popular custom ROMs out there, and is committed to giving a new lease on life to aging devices. Ahead of the official release of 19.1, the OS is sharing a few goodies in the form of new wallpapers and icons.
LineageOS 18.1 offers a new custom ROM option for these Motorola phones
For the Moto G 5G, Moto G 5G Plus, and the Motorola Edge
Custom ROM projects like LineageOS can be a fantastic way to give another lease on life to an aging device, like we just saw with the positively ancient Nexus 7 and its ability to run the brand-new Android 12L, all thanks to an unofficial build of LineageOS 19.1. You don't have to wait for your manufacturer to drop support before you start playing with custom ROMs, though, and they're just as good for trying out a more modern phone with some different software. That's the boat we find ourselves in today, as we check out the new LineageOS 18.1 plans for a few relatively recent Motorola phones.
LineageOS arrives to trick out your Pixel 5a
For those who want to go a step further than Google's software
LineageOS not only helps older and lower-end phones get a taste of the latest Android, but it also provides even more capable devices with an alternative firmware option. In the case of phones that arrive with their own skins, like models from Samsung and Xiaomi, LineageOS offers an opportunity to enjoy some stock-looking Android. If you just bought an all-new Pixel 5a and want to install LineageOS on it, now you can do so, as builds are becoming available.
LineageOS 18.1 comes to a bunch of phones from Samsung, Xiaomi, and more
While support for the OnePlus 2 has been dropped
LineageOS 18.1 has been with us for some time now. I've always liked the LineageOS project a lot, starting back from the days when its predecessor, CyanogenMod, was still a thing. It allowed you to take almost any Android phone, new or old, and get it running a clean version of the latest flavor of Android. Now LineageOS 18.1 is landing for a handful of new Android smartphones, including devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, and BG.