How I revived my old Android phone with an open-source OS

How I revived my old Android phone with an open-source OS

Got an old Android phone sitting unused in a drawer? By installing an open-source ROM, you can bring it bang up to date and give it a whole new lease of life. That's what I did with my old Motorola phone. Here's how it went.

Why I chose an open-source OS

Like many, I keep an old phone on hand as an emergency backup. Mine is the Moto G7 Plus. It was a pretty solid mid-ranger back in the day, but it quickly fell foul of Motorola's patchy update policy.

As a result, this seven-year-old phone is stuck on Android 10 and hasn't been updated for years. Even as a backup, it's not ideal. But fortunately, there was a way to give it a new lease of life.

Android's custom ROM scene is not what it was—and with good reason—but it's still going strong in some areas.LineageOSis by far the most well-established and widely available open-source custom ROM. There should be anofficial buildfor you as long as your device isn't too obscure and you can unlock its bootloader. Sadly, many modern Samsung flagships and some recent Pixels are unsupported, but most other brands are well catered for.

It's up to date, too. LineageOS 23 is based on Android 16. For my Motorola, the Android 15-based LineageOS 22 is the latest version, but it's still developed and gets regular updates, so it's a perfectly serviceable option.

It comes without the Google apps and services by default, although you have the option to install them if you want. I chose to go without at first.

I won't run through the installation process here, as it might differ from one device to the next, especially when it comes to unlocking the bootloader. Fortunately, the LineageOS website has comprehensive guides for all its devices. My experience says that it's a hands-on process but fairly straightforward as long as you follow the instructions closely.

What it's like to use...

If you've never used Android without the Google apps installed, you might be surprised at just how much of a bare-bones experience it is. Even the initial setup wizard is so much shorter. It's ideal if you want tocreate your own minimalist phone, but it takes some work to get into shape if you don't.

My installation came with 16 apps. They are a combination of Lineage and stock Android apps—mostly the essentials, but also things like an equalizer and an FM radio. And it wouldn't be Android without a couple of duplicates: I had two camera apps, from LineageOS and the stock Motorola one.

The OS defaults to local and non-synced. It's easy to take for granted the cloud backups and Google syncing that normally happen in the background. Here, apps like the calendar and contacts are empty.

The browser is based on Chromium, so while it lacks the bells and whistles of Chrome or Brave, it's very familiar and works well. There's no Play Store, of course, but sideloading is a breeze.

I installed the open-source F-Droid store to help flesh out the phone with some of my favorite apps like Ente Photos and Brave, and was able to sideload a few more, including WhatsApp and the excellent podcast app Pocket Casts. In all, it was surprisingly easy to get it set up almost exactly how I wanted it.

And the limitations actually helped. The G7 Plus is a pretty old mid-range phone, yet the performance under LineageOS is smooth and stable, and the phone doesn't feel its age. Not being tempted—or able—to add too many extras was also quite appealing. And the OS gets regular updates as well, giving me reassurance that the phone is both safer and more usable than it would be stuck on years-old software.

...and what I lost

It's not all perfect. I had a banking app that didn't like LineageOS, even though it isn't rooted. This might be app-specific rather than a broader issue, and there may be fixes or workarounds.

And I did miss the Google apps. I could make do without the Play Store better than I'd expected, but just setting up my email account or accessing my contacts was a pain. It's easy to overlook just how well the full Android setup removes so many inconveniences.

I used to use custom ROMs a lot, so I knew it was possible to install the Google apps. What I didn't realize, or had forgotten, was that you have to install them straight after flashing the LineageOS ROM. I didn't have to re-flash it, but I did need to do a factory reset.

If you decide to go this route, make sure you choose whether to go with or without Google before you get too far into the process.

LineageOS is ideal for old phones

Despite a few hiccups, my LineageOS experience has been a success. The OS is polished and stable. It's a great choice for a privacy-conscious user, and is certainly ideal for a second phone that has long since stopped receiving updates. My Moto will continue in its position as an emergency backup device, but with fully refreshed software, it should last a few more years yet.