LineageOS
A community Android distribution for a wide range of phones and tablets, shipped without Google apps.
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About LineageOS
LineageOS is a free, open-source Android operating system maintained by a community of developers. It continues the CyanogenMod project and provides current Android builds for many devices whose manufacturers stopped updating them. Google apps are not included by default; you can add them or use alternative stores such as F-Droid and Aurora Store.
Builds are published per device by community maintainers, so support depends on the device. It is not a security-hardened distribution like GrapheneOS, but it is the widest-supported way to keep an older phone on a recent Android version.
Strengths
- Official device list covers 739 devices from 48 vendors on the LineageOS wiki
- Monthly security updates to every supported device
- Built-in Trust feature to show the state of device security
- Extends the lifespan of devices from more than 20 manufacturers
Limitations
- Devices not on the official device list are not supported and device requests are not taken
- Google apps are not included; the wiki describes sideloading a Google Apps package before first boot
- Relocking the bootloader is unsupported on most devices
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source, donation supported
- License
- Open source, license not stated
- Developer
- The LineageOS Project
- Platforms
- Android
- How it runs
- Operating system
- Best suited for
- Running an up-to-date open source Android on a wide range of older or unsupported devices
- Categories
- Android ROMs
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Selected from the TechWalrus Resource Hub (Custom ROMs); facts checked against the developer's own pages, 13 sources on file.
Alternatives to LineageOS
Compare allSoftware that can replace LineageOS for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
CalyxOS
A privacy-focused Android operating system from the Calyx Institute with microG and a built-in firewall.
CalyxOS is a curated distribution with microG and a smaller device list; LineageOS is the broad community base many such projects build on.
GrapheneOS
A privacy- and security-hardened Android operating system for supported Google Pixel phones.
GrapheneOS adds substantial security hardening but only runs on supported Pixel phones.
crDroid
LineageOS-based ROM with extensive built-in customisation.
crDroid builds on LineageOS and adds extensive built-in customisation, with wide device support, though the extra features increase the surface for bugs.
iodéOS
LineageOS-based ROM with a system-wide ad and tracker blocker.
iodéOS is LineageOS-based with a system-wide ad and tracker blocker and preinstalled refurbished devices, but its device support list is narrower.
/e/OS
De-Googled Android built for people who do not want to flash it themselves.
/e/OS is de-Googled with microG, a guided installer and preinstalled phones, while its security patch timing trails upstream Android releases.
PixelOS
AOSP-based ROM delivering a clean Pixel experience with monthly patches.
PixelOS is AOSP-based with a clean Pixel experience and monthly patches, and it includes Google apps so no separate Google Apps package is needed.
Evolution X
Pixel-style Android ROM with extra customisation for other devices.
Evolution X gives a Pixel-style interface with extra theming and tweaks, but device support depends on individual maintainers rather than an official device list.
Paranoid Android
Custom Android ROM focused on a smooth, polished user experience.
Paranoid Android focuses on smooth performance and polish with hover notifications and Pocket Mode, but it is not open source and supports a limited set of devices.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
F-Droid
An app store and client for free and open-source Android apps that works without a Google account.
Aurora Store
An open-source client for the Google Play catalog that installs and updates apps without a Google account.
postmarketOS
A Linux distribution for phones and other devices, built to keep hardware useful for years.
Ubuntu Touch
A community-maintained Linux mobile operating system for phones and tablets that can act as a desktop.
Vector
Zygisk-based framework that runs Xposed-style modules on modern Android.
Shamiko
A module for rooted Android devices that hides root access from apps that check for it.
