The best custom ROMs for Android at a glance

The best custom ROMs for Android at a glance

Who wants to use its Smartphone for more than two years, gets only with custom ROMs again reliable and up-to-date software. Here you will learn reasons for and against the modding and get to know the best custom ROMs. Update: Paranoid Android is again available in a current version.

Rooting Android: the ultimate guide
On the nexus install CyanogenMod 6 p for Dummies
Jumps to the section
The best custom ROMs at a glance
Paranoid Android
CyanogenMod
PAC ROME
Dirty unicorns
What about SlimRoms or Omnirom?
Basic knowledge about custom ROMs
Advantages
Compatible smartphones
Disadvantages
Conclusion
These are the best custom ROMs
Good custom ROMs is characterized above all by an active community. Because if you dare a so complicated endeavor, you must have a contact failure. So, we have listed only Rome with an active community and not more than one month old downloads.

Paranoid Android

For whom is this custom ROM? Owner of old nexus devices get a sleek, Fast ROM with unobtrusive additions here.

Believed dead Flash longer: paranoid Android is back
For nexus devices of over the past four years, we recommend you Sony devices, some oppo Smartphone, and the OnePlus one Android paranoid. The project lay fallow for a year after OnePlus had committed major developer for themselves. Since summer 2016, it is alive.

paranoid android update marshmallow 601
Paranoid Android lives again. / © ANDROIDPIT
The feature set is minimal, so that paranoid Android internal memory only 1.62 GB on the nexus 5 together with the Nano package of Google apps. This means the maximum useable storage space for you. One drawback: The Rome was not pre-rooted in our short test. Super user privileges were thus not available.

Google +-community
XDA Forum (English)
Homepage
Download
CyanogenMod

For whom is this custom ROM? CyanogenMod is for people who want to no longer care for your custom ROM after the initial installation.

CyanogenMod may have not as many features as other ROMs, is but the most widespread, and has the most supporters. Especially the large community makes it the best custom ROM for Android. Another reason is that there is CyanogenMod for a variety of devices.

cyanogenmod update recovery developer settings
In the developer settings, you can set that also the recovery partition will be included in updates. / © ANDROIDPIT
Another advantage is the low cost of maintenance. This is because, that's up from alone updated. Large updates keep no problem thanks to the optional since 12.1 CM recovery.

You can find more information on our CyanogenMod topic page
androidpit cyanogenmod hero
CyanogenMod receive regular security updates 12 and 13. / © ANDROIDPIT
CyanogenMod has a theme engine, permissions Manager, root access via developer setting, monthly security updates, and a very large community, which ensures stable patches and high security - and the number of supported devices of piece by piece.

CyanogenMod is suitable thanks to its lush community resources very well as an introduction. Here you learn step by step how you install a third-party firmware. If you don't like CyanogenMod, you can change then much easier on an other firmware

PAC ROME

For whom is this custom ROM? Want for tinkerers who have all imaginable features in a single ROM and an insight into the development of the software.

A smorgasbord of features represents PAC Rome. The acronym PAC is aligned on the Android projects paranoid Android, Android open Kang project and CyanogenMod, which serve as inventors. The project suffers from chronic understaffing. Nevertheless, succeeded by now to publish official Marshmallow builds.

If you you decide for PAC Rome and want to stay up to date, then you must not shun the English language and the code-review tool Gerrit.

IMGL1073
PAC Rome: Funny presentation, otherwise rather for geeks. / © ANDROIDPIT
PAC-ROM community (Google +)
Forum (English)
Rome download
Dirty unicorns

For whom is this custom ROM? The hottest competitor to CyanogenMod and the AndroidPIT town is very dirty unicorns for nexus owners.

Dirty unicorns is developed for nexus, oppo, OnePlus, Xiaomi and some HTC and Samsung devices. It's (as with CM) a greatly expanded stock Android. Also root access is granted via SuperSU and managed. Updates come in every month via the Updater app.

Tweaks can greatly influence the performance and appearance of your smartphones and improve it according to your taste. If you have a compatible Smartphone, you should definitely do a test with you.


What about SlimRoms or Omnirom?

Many once famous and popular custom ROMs be serviced only by individual fans scattered in various forums. Their communities are not more closely together as it was then, and this is reflected in the availability of new versions on the download servers.

Because they so hardly maintained except for fewer devices, we have to give here unfortunately on a recommendation from Rome such as SlimRoms or Omnirom. We had considered a balance of dried-up Rome landscape in an interview with SlimROM developers Josue Rivera:

Loses its greatest strength Android?
Custom ROMs: An introduction
One of the biggest advantages of very many Android smartphones is that they play up with third-party firmware let. This replaces the pre-installed Android variant, which played on Sony, Samsung, HTC and other manufacturer at the factory. As a substitute to use mostly an Android variant, which is serviced by many volunteers.

These volunteers are often more diligent than the Smartphone manufacturers themselves, when it comes to the supply of equipment with updates. However, updates are not the only reason for firmwares like CyanogenMod. We list you the most important alternative firmwares here:

Old smartphones are brought up to date

Many users are aware of the problem: the Smartphone is just a year old, but there are no updates from the manufacturer or they come far too late. New versions of Android are interesting not only because they bring new features, but they fill often security gaps.

Third-party firmwares are based on the official Android source code and use compatible drivers for your device. Thus are the ROMs to date. And it is not rare current than the original firmwares.

The Smartphone will be faster

Another advantage is that your Smartphone will also back quickly. Ballast as elaborate manufacturer designs or pre-installed apps are reduced to a minimum. This frees space for data that are really important to you.

A new toy for hobbyists

Custom ROMs install not only the latest version of Android on your Smartphone, but they offer many customization options. Themes, additional options or overclocking: the possibilities of custom ROMs are virtually unlimited.

androidpit oneplus one hero image 1
The OnePlus one is very modderfreundlich. / © ANDROIDPIT
Google is to the option

If you're playing on the custom ROM, first no Google app inside the ZIP file containing the system image. In the majority of cases Flash Modder the Google Apps immediately afterwards, so that after the first start of play store is available. But there are alternative sources of app, map services, and more. You are so not necessarily dependent on Google.

Tried play store alternatives
Android without Google: navigate without maps
You get root access

Root access gives you full access to all functions and files to your device. Be in normal Android devices individual functions and data areas hidden from you, you have unlimited access with modified firmwares. In addition, backups are easier. Here read these and other advantages to the root access to.

The best Android root apps
root access developer cyanogenmod settings
You can enable the root access in the developer settings with custom ROMs. / © ANDROIDPIT
There is a custom ROM for my device?
There are numerous points of contact if you are looking for third-party firmware for your device. Communities are well organized, reliable and often also very friendly like the AndroidPIT forum or the XDA-developers (English). You have a wealth of device specific Subforums, where experiences and instructions are collected, exchanged to modify your device and further developed.

Looking ideally for CyanogenMod

With a little luck, there's CyanogenMod for your Smartphone or tablet. Searches in this filter for your device to find out. CyanogenMod has a pretty good update structure and provides automatic updates for your Android device. Thus the maintenance effort to GDP in the long term for you.

cyanogenmod 12 teaser
The nexus 4 can update only via custom ROM on Marshmallow. / © ANDROIDPIT
Disadvantages of custom ROMs
Custom ROMs are great, but before you decide to replace the pre-installed firmware of its smartphones, with a custom ROM you should know about the downsides.

Loss of warranty

If your Smartphone is still in the warranty period, you will need to say goodbye you offer free service by the manufacturer. Most Smartphone manufacturers help you after a software

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