So, you own an Android device, and lately, the same old UI has started boring you. Well, it’s time to enter the world of custom ROMs. Installing Custom ROMs is one of the best ways to tackle delayed OEM updates and add an enormous amount of new features to get the most out of your Android device. In this article, let’s look at the best Android Custom ROMs for 2021 that you must try.

Thanks to the open-source nature of Android OS, the overly passionate community-at-large is always working on their own versions of the OS, which is why Android is loved so much. However, flashing a custom ROM requires you to unlock the bootloader and install a custom recovery so, make sure to read our article about the same .

Best Custom Roms For Android 2021

1. LineageOS (LOS ROM)

You’ll not find a custom ROM list on the internet that doesn’t include LineagOS. LineageOS is the new age successor of the CyanogenMod ROM. Following CyanogenMod discontinuation in 2016, LineageOS took center stage and has not looked back since. This most popular custom ROM for Android cements its reputation purely on the sheer number of users and downloads that it has gotten over the years.

Above all, LineageOS is the base of most of the other custom ROMs in the community (Example: Resurrection Remix). Stability is a stronghold, with the UI presenting itself as akin to Google’s very own Stock Android.

It doesn’t provide a lot of customization options but, in the Android community, personalization isn’t everything. Nevertheless, it does play a huge role when it comes to the Android Custom ROM world and still remains one of the best Android custom ROMs for 2021.

2. Paranoid Android (PA ROM)

Paranoid Android ROM is one of everyone’s personal favorites when it comes to Custom Firmware. Being one of the oldest ROMs available, AOSPA has come a long way. While being one of the few ROMs based on CAF, PA packs a punch in terms of stability, security, and performance.

Additionally, Ambient Display first made an appearance as part of PA Custom ROM with a feature name called Peek and was later ported into an APK. Certainly, the fact that even tech giants have looked up to this project to inspire innovation speaks for itself.

3. crDroid

Based on LineageOs, crDroid is one of the very few feature-rich yet stable custom ROMs that you’ll find today. The ROM gains new features with every update and the security patches and main updates are also rolled out pretty quick

The latest crDroid release (7) is supported on more than 63 devices from 12 manufacturers. Out of all the OEMs, Xiaomi/Redmi and OnePlus devices are the most loved devices in the crDroid community. The last time I installed crDroid was on my OG OnePlus 3T and I quite liked the stability and customizations that it bought to the table.

4. Havoc OS

Havoc OS has been pretty popular since the release of Android Oreo. This custom ROM is known for its all-around performance but, one area where it stands out is in the battery performance. Havoc OS is no slouch when it comes to customization options. Unlike other OSes that compromise one thing for the other, Havoc OS is a no-compromise ROM best suited for everyday usage.

Initially, the Havoc team concentrated on providing the best of all worlds, tailoring a pleasant experience for the user. Now, things are very much different as the Havoc OS project is bringing new features that are attracting other developers in the Custom ROM realm.

5. Pixel Extended

As the name suggests, Pixel Extended ROM is a derivative of Pixel Experience ROM which you’ll read about later in the article. It aims at solving the lack of customizations in the Pixel Experience ROM and, it does that very well with fewer caveats/compromises in areas like stability.

While it doesn’t offer a lot of customizations compared to other contenders on this list like MSM-Xtended, it does strike a great balance of providing Pixel-exclusive features and significant customizations than the stock Pixel Experience ROM.

6. Corvus OS

Corvus is yet another AOSP-based custom ROM that takes heavy inspiration from the OG Dirty Unicorns ROM. It comes with a lot of customization options and is best suited for people who value customizations more than anything else. As of writing this article, more than 42 devices are officially supported. The ROM has been downloaded over 300000 times.

Also Read: Open Source Android Alternative Operating Systems For Mobiles

It is also one of the best ROMs when it comes to performance. Hence, if you’re looking for a Custom ROM for gaming, flash CorvusOS without any second thoughts.

7. ArrowOS

In contrast to all the Custom ROMs mentioned in the list, Arrow OS provides less customization. As a result, this AOSP-based ROM is heavily oriented towards stability and battery life while offering a buttery smooth experience as a whole. Still, less doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad. This ROM targets users that prefer better battery life and stability than overwhelming customization options.

Apart from that, this ROM also gets timely security updates and OS updates. The device support is also pretty broad.

8. Pixel Experience

Say hello to one of the most simple and cleanest ROMs in the community, the Pixel Experience ROM. Derived from Google’s stock ROM on its Pixel devices, it delivers Pixel features right out of the box. Unlike the other ROMs in the list and precisely as the name suggests, the main purpose of the inception of this fantastic ROM is to provide a stable and secure Pixel-like experience rather than focusing on the area of customizability.

Although the Pixel Experience ROM holds some of the basic tweaks you would expect, tailoring every aspect of your device is not its goal. Another unique feature of the ROM is that it is CAF-based. For starters, a CAF-based ROM is an AOSP-based ROM that the chipset manufacturer Qualcomm uses to test their particular chipsets. CAF ROMs are tailored to offer incredible stability.

9. POSP (Potato Open Sauce Project)

Yup. You read that right. Certainly, Custom ROM developers can’t go wrong with crunchy names, right? Well, that holds true, at least in the case of POSP as many of the users might agree. Serving up a delicious-looking website with a cheerful undertone, this brilliant Custom Rom serves its purpose quite well.

This Popular Custom ROM provides ample choices for tweaking your device in the manner of your choice. Furthermore, the POSP Custom ROM now supports a wide variety of devices. Recently, the developers launched v4 adding several new features to the custom ROM. Finally, like it or hate it, these potatoes rock!

10. EvolutionX

EvolutionX is yet another custom ROM based on vanilla AOSP, similar to Pixel Experience. It is one of the most customizable custom ROMs in the Android community.

Developers rolled out EvolutionX ROM based on Android 11 as soon as the official Android 11 came out. The custom ROM is especially popular due to its performance and stability and is preferred by users who don’t often hop custom ROMs. Be it CPU-intensive tasks or GPU-intensive, EvolutionX nails it in every aspect.

Sure the customizations are less than other custom ROMs like HavocOS but, it strikes a perfect balance between performance and simplicity via stock Android experience.

Download EvolutionX Custom ROM

11. AOSIP/Derpfest

AOSIP (Android Open-Source Illusion Project) is hands down one of my favorite custom ROMs when it comes to delivering a Pixel-like experience and a lot of miscellaneous features. Based on AOSP with Pixel Experience as a base, it delivers a lot of features and, at the same time, keeps the experience simple.

Derpfest is an unofficial, community ROM based on AOSIP. Apart from a few added features here and there, there’s not much of a difference between the two. Everything from the monthly security patches to receiving new version updates is also quick on AOSIP.

12. Syberia Project

Syberia ROM is yet another AOSP and CAF-based custom ROM known for its stability, customization features, and timely updates. A week that I spent with this ROM (Android 10.0) on my OnePlus 6, felt pretty great for daily usage.

Apart from the Pixel experience and customization, what blew me away was how stable the ROM was. The Syberia OS community loves Xiaomi devices so, there’s a high chance that your Xiaomi device is/will be supported.

13. MSM-Xtended

Are you searching for a custom ROM that helps tweak every last bit of your Android experience? Meet MSM-Xtended – A highly customizable, yet another AOSP-based custom ROM whose tweaking abilities are off the charts.

I tried it on my older Xiaomi Mi A1 and honestly, I think the customizations are a serious overkill here. Nonetheless, I know there are a lot of people who want just that. Apart from that, it was pretty stable and always stayed up-to-date. Hence, it is one of the best android custom ROMs for 2021 for customizations.

Which One’s The Best Android Custom ROMs For 2021?

Now, before you start complaining to me about not including your favorite custom ROM on this list, let me tell you that this list is very subjective. These custom ROMs are just the mere tip of the proverbial iceberg

Finally, it is highly recommended to browse through the XDA Forums to keep an eye on what works and the user feedback. Certainly, the maintainers and the developers of ROMs for your specific devices play quite a major role. Have fun flashing. Cheers!

FAQs

The post 13 Best Android Custom ROMs For 2021 That You Must Try appeared first on Fossbytes .

The first developer preview of the next big Android update is finally here — Android 12 Developer Preview 1 (DP1). As always, it is only available for Google Pixel devices for now.

The Android 12 supported device list includes Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5.

Unfortunately, the Android update is not available for Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, and the original Pixel. While the outcome was obvious for the original Pixel, we were hoping that Google might deliver one final update to the Pixel 2, despite the device losing guaranteed support .

Nevertheless, if you have a Pixel 3 or higher device, here’s how to install the Android 12 first developer preview on your device right now —

How to install Android 12 Developer Preview (DP) on your Pixel phone —

You will need ADB and Fastboot tools on your PC to install Android 12 on your smartphone. For those who don’t know, read this guide to download ADB and Fastboot for your PC.

1. Download the Android 12 OTA file for your specific Pixel model and move it to the ADB tools folder. You can download the zip file from here .
2. Turn on USB Debugging in the Android Developer Settings.
3. Power off the device. Now, hold the Power button and volume down button to get to the Bootloader page.
4. Here, use the volume buttons to choose Recovery mode in the menu and hit the power button.
   
5. On the next screen, hold down the Power button and Volume simultaneously for about a second to enter the recovery menu.
   
6. Next, search “Apply update from ADB sideload” and hit the power button to enter.
   
7. Connect the Google Pixel device to the PC via a USB cable.
8. Open Command Prompt on your PC, and type in the command — adb devices.
   
9. Now, enter the command — adb sideload “filename”.zip
10. Select Reboot from the Android recovery menu once the installation is complete.

While this method won’t wipe your data, we recommend that you backup your device in case any issue occurs while updating the device.

Once you have installed the Android 12 Developer preview, all the following updates will arrive over-the-air (OTA).

Did you find our how to install Android 12 guide helpful? Let us know in the comments below.

The post How To Get Android 12 Developer Preview On Your Pixel Device? appeared first on Fossbytes .

The first developer preview of the next big Android update is finally here — Android 12 Developer Preview 1 (DP1). As always, it is only available for Google Pixel devices for now.

The Android 12 supported device list includes Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5.

Unfortunately, the Android update is not available for Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, and the original Pixel. While the outcome was obvious for the original Pixel, we were hoping that Google might deliver one final update to the Pixel 2, despite the device losing guaranteed support .

Nevertheless, if you have a Pixel 3 or higher device, here’s how to install the Android 12 first developer preview on your device right now —

How to install Android 12 Developer Preview (DP) on your Pixel phone —

You will need ADB and Fastboot tools on your PC to install Android 12 on your smartphone. For those who don’t know, read this guide to download ADB and Fastboot for your PC.

1. Download the Android 12 OTA file for your specific Pixel model and move it to the ADB tools folder. You can download the zip file from here .
2. Turn on USB Debugging in the Android Developer Settings.
3. Power off the device. Now, hold the Power button and volume down button to get to the Bootloader page.
4. Here, use the volume buttons to choose Recovery mode in the menu and hit the power button.
   
5. On the next screen, hold down the Power button and Volume simultaneously for about a second to enter the recovery menu.
   
6. Next, search “Apply update from ADB sideload” and hit the power button to enter.
   
7. Connect the Google Pixel device to the PC via a USB cable.
8. Open Command Prompt on your PC, and type in the command — adb devices.
   
9. Now, enter the command — adb sideload “filename”.zip
10. Select Reboot from the Android recovery menu once the installation is complete.

While this method won’t wipe your data, we recommend that you backup your device in case any issue occurs while updating the device.

Once you have installed the Android 12 Developer preview, all the following updates will arrive over-the-air (OTA).

Did you find our how to install Android 12 guide helpful? Let us know in the comments below.

The post How To Get Android 12 Developer Preview On Your Pixel Device? appeared first on Fossbytes .

Google introduced us to the Android split screen as a productivity feature first in Android 7.0 Nougat. It enables you to use two apps at the same time. For example, you can run a YouTube video on one side of the screen and reply to a text on the other.

Over the years, the feature has seen few enhancements, therefore not many people know that you can split the screen on any Android device and use two apps at the same time. In this article, we will tell you how to use Android’s Split screen mode.

How to use Split screen on Android?

While most Android devices feature multi-window support, the steps to toggle the feature might be slightly different on smartphones running their own custom Android skin. That being said, the Split screen toggle is usually located in the Recent apps menu.

For the purpose of this article, we will show you how to enable Split screen mode on MIUI/Xiaomi device:

• Open the Android app that you want to run on one side of the screen
• Tap on the Recent app button on the bottom left of the screen
  
• Long press on the app in the Recent app tray
  
• Tap on the Android split screen button
  
• Choose the app that you want to run on the other side of the screen. You can also tap on the home button at the bottom and choose the from the home screen or app drawer.
  

You will observe a black bar separating the two apps while in Split screen mode. You can drag it up or down to increase the size of an app. To remove the split screen mode on Android, drag the black bar entirely towards the edge of the screen.

In Xiaomi devices, you can also toggle the Android split-screen in an app by long-pressing a navigation button while. Head over to the Additional Settings > Button Shortcuts > Functional Shortcuts to enable it. Non-Xiaomi device owners can download the Split Screen shortcut app from the Google Play Store to get this functionality.

Please note that some apps may not run smoothly in split-screen mode, and very few might not support Android’s Multi-window feature. However, you can force an app to run in split-screen mode by enabling “Force activities to be resizable” in Android’s developer settings . Make sure your restart after toggling this option.

How to play two videos at once?

Presently, the split screen mode on Android does not allow users to play two videos simultaneously. If you have opened YouTube on one side and try to open it again on the other side, the app will simply reopen on the first screen.

You can do two videos side by side if the other video is not from the same platform, however Android will still not allow you to play the videos together. Similarly, you can also view photos side by side as long as they are opened on two different platforms.

Top: YouTube video
Bottom: Gallery Video

So, this was how you could use the Split screen in Android. Were you able to enable the Android split-screen on your device? Let us know in the comments down below.

The post How To Use Split Screen On Android And Run Two Apps Side By Side? appeared first on Fossbytes .