warning
Warning: The provided instructions are for LineageOS 18.1. These will only work if you follow every section and step precisely.
Do not continue after something fails!
Basic requirements
- Read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems due to any missed steps!
- Make sure your computer has
adb
. Setup instructions can be found here.
- Enable USB debugging on your device.
- Boot your device with the stock OS at least once and check every functionality.
- LineageOS is provided as-is with no warranty. While we attempt to verify everything works you are installing this at your own risk!
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Warning: Before following these instructions please ensure that the device is on the latest firmware available, that is Android Lollipop (5.0.2)
Rooting your device
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Important: The device must be rooted before proceeding any further.
- Root your device by following this guide.
Downgrading bootloader
In order to be able to boot a custom recovery and LineageOS you need to downgrade your bootloader.
- Download the relevant files for your device variant from here.
- Place
aboot.bin
and laf.bin
on the root of /sdcard
:
- Using adb:
adb -d push aboot.bin /sdcard/aboot.bin
adb -d push laf.bin /sdcard/laf.bin
- Now, open an
adb -d shell
from a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window. In that shell, type the following commands:
su
dd if=/sdcard/aboot.bin of=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/aboot
dd if=/sdcard/laf.bin of=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/laf
exit
exit
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Important: Do NOT shut down or reboot your device now, because you will not be able to boot again until you finish these instructions!
Installing a custom recovery using dd
- Build a LineageOS installation package. The recovery will be built as part of it!
- Place the recovery image file on the root of
/sdcard
:
- Using adb:
adb -d push <recovery_filename>.img /sdcard/<recovery_filename>.img
check
Tip: The file may not be named identically to what stands in this command, so adjust accordingly.
- You can use any method you are comfortable with.
adb
is universal across all devices, and works both in Android and recovery mode, providing USB debugging is enabled.
- Now, open an
adb -d shell
from a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window. In that shell, type the following commands:
su
dd if=/sdcard/<recovery_filename>.img of=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/recovery
- Reboot into recovery.
- From the same shell, type the following command:
Installing LineageOS from recovery
- Build a LineageOS installation package.
- If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
- Now tap Factory Reset, then Format data / factory reset and continue with the formatting process. This will remove encryption and delete all files stored in the internal storage, as well as format your cache partition (if you have one).
- Return to the main menu.
- Sideload the LineageOS
.zip
package but do not reboot before you read/followed the rest of the instructions!
- On the device, select “Apply Update”, then “Apply from ADB” to begin sideload.
- On the host machine, sideload the package using:
adb -d sideload filename.zip
.
check
Tip: Normally, adb will report Total xfer: 1.00x
, but in some cases, even if the process succeeds the output will stop at 47% and report adb: failed to read command: Success
.
In some cases it will report adb: failed to read command: No error
or adb: failed to read command: Undefined error: 0
which is also fine.
Installing Add-Ons
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Note: If you don’t want to install any add-on (such as Google Apps), you can skip this whole section!
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Warning:
If you want to install Google Apps add-on package (use the
arm
architecture), you can download it from
here.
This add-on needs to be installed
before booting into LineageOS for the first time!
- Click
Apply Update
, then Apply from ADB
, then adb -d sideload filename.zip
for all desired packages in sequence.
When presented with a screen that says Signature verification failed
, click Yes
. It is expected as add-ons aren’t signed with LineageOS’s official key!
All set!
Once you have installed everything successfully, you can now reboot your device into the OS for the first time!
- Click the back arrow in the top left of the screen, then “Reboot system now”.
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Note:
The first boot usually takes no longer than 15 minutes, depending on the device.
If it takes longer, you may have missed a step, otherwise feel free to
get assistance.
After you’ve double checked that you followed the steps precisely, didn’t skip any and still have questions or got stuck, feel free to ask on our subreddit or in
#LineageOS on Libera.Chat.