Your mobile comes with an operating system installed. In most cases, this is Android, but you may not have the latest version on your phone or tablet.
While you can blame your wireless service provider or phone manufacturer for this, you don’t have to wait for an update. Instead, you can update a custom ROM with the latest version of Android. It’s like installing a new operating system on your PC, but simpler.
There are several custom ROMs available for Android . Let’s take a look at some of the best and where you can find them.
New to custom ROMs? Do you think flashing is a crime that can be stopped? Keep reading.
Flashing, in software terms, is the act of updating a mobile’s firmware. For your phone or tablet, this means writing a new version of Android to the device. To do this, specialized software is required, a custom recovery utility that must also be installed on your phone. For this to work, the Android hardware must have an unlockable bootloader and be rooted.
Some mobiles cannot be unlocked easily, so it is worth investigating your smartphone before continuing.
Finding a suitable custom ROM for your phone also requires you to know the manufacturer’s codename, which you can find by Googling “manufacturer’s codename for …” followed by the phone’s name, or simply by searching for it on Wikipedia or GSM Arena.
If you have ever installed Windows (or Linux) from a USB stick, you can flash ROM on your phone. It really is pretty straightforward once you get used to the recovery software.
Ready to flash? Here are the 5 best custom Android ROMs that you can download to your mobile.
Contents
1. LineageOS
The early days of Android hacking were dominated by CyanogenMod ROMs, a project that ultimately failed. In its place came LineageOS, a fork built on the same principles of security, stability, and customization.
LineageOS ships with a tool called Privacy Guard to help control which applications they can access. Customization tools and open source applications help maximize productivity on LineageOS, with ROMs available for phones and tablets. Devices from more than 20 manufacturers are supported, including LG, Asus, Sony, and Samsung.
Please note that LineageOS versions are out of sync with Android and AOSP. So LineageOS 17 is equivalent to Android 10.
2. Resurrection Remix
Resurrection Remix , an Android ROM that drives customization, promises to be stable, fast, and secure. It offers updates over the air (OTA) and is optimized to be more friendly with your mobile battery.
Resurrection Remix supports 85 devices for Android 10 , with an archive of previous versions for legacy hardware. In short, you will almost certainly find a version of Resurrection Remix that runs on your Android phone or tablet.
3. crDROID
The unusually named crDROID is one of the most popular Android ROMs available. While others on this list are based on AOSP, crDROID is based on LineageOS. However, various customizations are added to the base operating system to differentiate crDROID sufficiently.
There are four versions available; crDROID 4, 5, 6 and 7 are equivalent to Android 8, 9, 10 and 11 . Previous versions are discontinued; You can install crDROID 6 on 88 devices from 16 manufacturers and crDROID 7 on 31 devices.
crDROID is an incredibly modifiable and customizable Android ROM, with configuration menus for modifying button actions, UI navigation elements, the status bar, and more.
4. OmniROM
OmniROM is a solid, fast, and stable ROM that comes with several pre-packaged tweak packages. Like LineageOS, OmniROM is a fork of CyanogenMod and is a ROM with a focus on privacy.
Choosing OmniROM results in a Google removed Android experience, although multiple Google Apps packages (gApps) can be installed. These allow you to opt for a minimal or full Google experience on your own terms.
The official list of devices for previous versions of OmniROM is long, with 11 devices in development. Among these are the ASUS ROG Phone 3, OnePlus 7 Pro, and Zenfone 6.
5. Pixel experience
The Pixel Experience, which supports phones from 10 manufacturers, aims to deliver a Pixel-like experience to non-Pixel phones.
Based on AOSP, the ROM includes all the Pixel features (launcher, wallpapers, icons, fonts and boot animation) along with maximum security. The code can be reviewed on GitHub and the development team accepts donations through PayPal.
Pixel Experience is available with the current and previous versions of Android. At the time of writing, there is also a “plus” edition limited to certain mobiles. This has additional features like a new default camera and a hidden screen recorder.
Flashing Pixel Experience will finally give you the feeling that you are using a Google Pixel phone without paying for one.
What is the best place to find the best custom Android ROMs?
While most ROMs are released in several different models, a lot of work is required to ensure compatibility.
Consequently, this requires a group of developers to contribute to each project. This is very little money other than the advertisements clicked on on the websites and donations made on the XDA-Developers forums.
This is the place to find ROMs dedicated to your mobile, which will normally have a dedicated page. Check the features and screenshots before downloading a ROM – and enjoy your new Android experience!
Make Android feel like new with a custom ROM
We have reviewed the top five custom Android ROMs, but there are plenty more available. You will probably have to try more than one to find the best one for you . Take the time to review videos, full feature lists, and screenshots to help you choose. You should also refer to the corresponding XDA-Developers thread for your phone and chosen ROM.
Custom ROMs are packed with features, configurable, and can breathe new life into an outdated Android phone. And if you want to update Android faster than your phone manufacturer’s update roadmap, a custom ROM is ideal. Need any more reasons why you should use a custom Android ROM?