Custom ROMs are probably familiar to those who have been following the Android aftermarket development scene for some time. Simply put, a custom ROM is a third-party operating system that takes the place of your phone’s stock ROM or skin. Even though Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi have done a great job of improving their Android skins, Android enthusiasts are still interested in creating and fine-tuning custom ROMs, especially if you want the latest and greatest.
In addition to the Android base, a typical custom ROM includes a kernel, a few low-level firmware bits extracted from the stock OS, additional software, and (occasionally) a standalone recovery environment. Although any third-party Android OS package can be referred to as a “custom ROM,” the term is almost exclusively used to refer to Android distributions that are built from the ground up. The modder community begins working toward making the most recent version of Android available to an increasing number of devices via custom ROMs as soon as Google uploads the source code for a new version to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). As a result, you can select from a variety of Android custom ROM distributions.
This guide is for you if you want to try a supercharged Android experience on any of the best Android phones or if you just want to give new life to an old device in your closet but can’t decide which one is best. The most popular custom ROMs for Android modding are listed below.
LineageOS
To tell you the truth, the LineageOS project doesn’t need to be introduced right now. LineageOS is the true successor to the storied CyanogenMod project. It is a light ROM with very few extra features, making it the most versatile and high-performance Android variant you can imagine.
The authority LineageOS fabricates are normalized against a Gadget Backing Prerequisites sanction, which guarantees that all the essential equipment functionalities (like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, Camera, NFC, and so forth.) keep on working after supplanting the industrial facility introduced programming with LineageOS. LineageOS has established itself as the highest standard in the field of custom ROMs, so it should come as no surprise that the XDA community adores it to the moon and back.
Pixel Experience
The Pixel Experience project is something you should look into if you are a fan of stock Android and want to experience vanilla Android in a way that is identical to what is found on Google’s own Pixel devices. Out of the box, the launcher, wallpapers, icons, font, and boot animation of the custom ROM are all Google apps and Pixel goodies.
A “Plus” version of the ROM is also available from the developers, and it comes with a few more customization options than the base version.
Paranoid Android
The Paranoid Android project, also known as AOSPA, has a long history, just like LineageOS. It was once a strong contender in the Android ROM market for a variety of reasons, including revolutionary camera apps, user-friendly interfaces, and innovative features. I highly recommend giving this custom ROM a try if you like the stock Android look but prefer aesthetics to random customization options.
Evolution X
Are you a fan of standard Android and looking for a ROM that looks like Pixel but also has some useful UI/UX customizations? Examine the Evolution X endeavor. The ROM includes Pixel goodies and preinstalled Google apps, as well as several customization options like a toggle for the Status Bar’s visibility and a Gaming Mode Quick Settings Tile.
ArrowOS
At first, the ArrowOS project’s sole objective was to keep things straightforward, neat, and simple. The developers only made a few changes to AOSP to improve battery life and smooth performance. The end product is a lightweight ROM that outperforms the stock Android in terms of reliability and performance.
OmniROM
The OmniROM project, which debuted almost a decade ago as a response to CyanogenMod’s commercialization, is still going strong. Despite not having a large device list, the ROM is well-known for its stability and innovative features. The custom ROM is compatible with single-board computers like the Khadas VIM3 and the Raspberry Pi 4 in addition to smartphones.
Honorable mentions
Additionally, distributions such as BlissRoms and dotOS have introduced a plethora of novel ideas to the custom ROM community that has since been adopted by numerous other ROM maintainers. On our forums, enthusiastic users will also discover several additional custom ROM projects, including crDroid, VoltageOS, PixysOS, DerpFest, SparkOS, PixelPlusUI, Project Elixir, and Nameless AOSP, among others. These projects are constantly being developed by the developers.
You can opt for Xiaomi if you only want to get rid of the bloatware and advertisements of the MIUI skin on your Redmi, Poco, or Xiaomi device. EU ROM. Although the extensive modifications make it quite comparable to a custom ROM in the MIUI ecosystem, this particular distribution is not a true custom ROM.
The everyday forms of the ROM depend on Chinese MIUI beta firmware bundles and have additionally been restricted for the worldwide business sectors. As a consequence of this, users will be able to utilize all of the cutting-edge features that were made available in the Chinese version of MIUI before the time that Xiaomi officially transfers them to the global ROM.
Choose one of the most widely used custom ROMs for your device now that you know about them. Don’t forget to check out our excellent guide to installing a custom ROM on your Android phone if you need any assistance before or during installation. You might also need to install the appropriate GApps package, depending on the distribution. Check to see if a GCam port can further enhance your Android camera experience once the ROM has been installed.