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How to Install a Custom ROM on Your Phone

Edited 1 week ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Installing a custom ROM on your phone can give it a new life with improved performance, new features, and better customization options. A custom ROM can replace or enhance the original firmware that comes pre-installed on your device. In this guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of installing a custom ROM on your phone.

Step 1: Back up your data

Before installing a custom ROM, it is important to backup all your data. This includes contacts, messages, photos, apps, and any other important files. Here are the different ways to backup your data:

Step 2: Unlock the bootloader

To install a custom ROM, you need to unlock your phone's bootloader. The process for unlocking the bootloader varies by device manufacturer. Follow these general steps:

  1. Enable Developer Options on your phone. Go to Settings > About phone > Build number and tap it 7 times.
  2. Open Developer options in Settings menu and enable OEM unlocking and USB debugging.
  3. Connect your phone to the computer using a USB cable.
  4. Open a command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux) and navigate to the platform-tools directory of the Android SDK. Enter this command to check the device connection:
    adb devices
  5. Enter the following command to boot into Fastboot Mode:
    adb reboot bootloader
  6. Once in fastboot mode, enter the following command to unlock the bootloader (replace [manufacturer] with your device manufacturer if necessary):
    fastboot oem unlock

    Note: This command may be different for some devices. For example, on some newer devices or certain manufacturers like Xiaomi, you may need to use:

    fastboot oem unlock-go

  7. Follow the on-screen instructions on your phone to confirm unlocking the bootloader.

Step 3: Install custom recovery

To flash a custom ROM you need a custom recovery. TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) is one of the most popular custom recoveries. Follow these steps to install TWRP:

  1. Download the TWRP recovery image for your device from the official TWRP website.
  2. Transfer the recovery image to the platform-tools directory of the Android SDK on your computer.
  3. Connect your phone to the computer and boot into Fastboot Mode (as described in Step 2).
  4. Flash the TWRP recovery image using this command (replace <recovery-image-name> with the actual file name):
    fastboot flash recovery <recovery-image-name>.img
  5. Reboot into recovery mode using this command:
    fastboot reboot recovery

Step 4: Download the custom ROM and GApps

Now, you need to download the custom ROM you want to install, as well as the Google Apps (GApps) package if your ROM doesn’t include it. Here are the steps:

  1. Choose a custom ROM compatible with your device. Popular ROMs include LineageOS, Paranoid Android, and Resurrection Remix.
  2. Download the ROM zip file to your computer or directly to your phone.
  3. If the ROM does not include Google Apps, download the appropriate GApps package from Open GApps.
  4. Transfer the ROM and GApps zip files to your phone's internal storage or external SD card.

Step 5: Install the custom ROM

Now it's time to install the custom ROM. Follow these steps carefully:

  1. Boot your phone into TWRP recovery mode. You can do this by pressing and holding the Volume Up + Power button simultaneously (this key combination may vary depending on your device).
  2. In TWRP, tap Wipe and then select Advanced Wipe. Tick Dalvik/ART Cache, System, Data, Cache and swipe to wipe.
  3. Go back to the TWRP main screen and tap Install. Navigate to the custom ROM zip file and select it.
  4. Swipe to confirm to flash the custom ROM. This process may take a few minutes.
  5. Once the ROM is installed, tap on Wipe Cache/Dalvik and swipe to wipe.

Step 6: Install GApps (optional)

If your custom ROM doesn’t include Google Apps, follow these steps to install GApps:

  1. In TWRP, tap Install and navigate to the GApps zip file you transferred earlier.
  2. Select the GApps zip file and swipe to confirm installation.
  3. Again, tap on Wipe Cache/Dalvik and swipe to wipe.

Step 7: Reboot and initial setup

Now that you have flashed the custom ROM and GApps, it’s time to reboot your phone:

  1. The process of flashing the new software is now complete. In TWRP, tap on Reboot System.
  2. Wait for your phone to reboot. The first boot may take a little longer than usual.
  3. Once your phone boots up, you'll see the initial setup screen. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your device, connect to Wi-Fi, log in to your Google account, and restore your data from a backup.

Troubleshooting: Common problems and solutions

Here are some common problems you may encounter while installing a custom ROM and their solutions:

Conclusion

By following this guide, you can successfully install custom ROM on your phone and explore new features and enhancements. Always make sure to choose a ROM that is compatible with your device and backup your data to avoid any loss. Happy customizing!

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