Google Pixel 5a 5G

The very first custom ROM for Pixel 5a is now available

Damien Wilde | Sep 8 2021 - 2:37 am PT

The Google Pixel 5a now has its first custom ROM based upon LineageOS.

Already running the cleanest version of Android 11 and with Android 12 on the horizon, the first custom ROM is now available for the Pixel 5a if you like to tinker with your device.

Custom ROMs based upon Android 11 have already been available for quite a while, but with the Pixel 5a with 5G launching just a few weeks ago, more options for customization are now available – at least unofficially.

LineageOS has been unofficially ported to the Pixel 5a and shared over on the XDA Forums. The upside is that maintainer aleasto already works on official builds of LineageOS for the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. This bodes well for stability and update consistency, but it’s still worth noting that this is unofficial and has not been reviewed by the LineageOS team.

There is also a LineageOS recovery image to help speed up or streamline the installation process of this custom ROM on Pixel 5a handsets. It also bundles the latest firmware, meaning that you won’t need to update firmware prior to installation. The guide remains the same as for previous Pixel hardware with the LineageOS Wiki for the Pixel 5 (redfin) being practically identical.

Only one bug of note has been found thus far. The Google Camera app can be prone to crashes when in Night Mode or the long exposure Astrophotography mode. The solution is to install a magisk module that prevents the bug from reoccurring. That’s not bad when you consider how quickly this custom ROM has been put together for the Pixel 5a.

Given that the Pixel 5a with 5G is only available in a limited capacity in the US and Japan, if you do like to run custom Android builds, then this will undoubtedly be great news. It’s also worth noting that installing will mean that you won’t be able to grab the Android 12 update while running a custom ROM on your Pixel 5a device. To get started you can find a guide and download links in the original announcement thread over on XDA.