LineageOS is one of the best options for devices to get new Android versions in an unofficial manner, serving as the spiritual successor to the CyanogenMod custom ROM. Now, with Android 15 having been here for months, it’s LineageOS’ turn to bring the update forward.
LineageOS, the popular open-source Android distribution, has unveiled its latest version: LineageOS 22.1. Based on the recent Android 15 QPR1 release, and a successor to LineageOS 21, this update brings a host of new features, performance improvements, and expanded device support. LineageOS is arguably the biggest custom ROM out there and it’s used as a base for some other custom ROM projects as well, so this official release is huge news for enthusiasts.
The LineageOS team says that the bring-up process of Android 15, and the development of LineageOS 22.1, went smoother and more quickly than with previous versions. The team attributes this to a surge in contributor participation and the addition of new project leads. While Android 15 introduced significant under-the-hood changes, LineageOS developers were well-prepared due to their prior experience adapting to Google’s UI-focused adjustments in Android 12 through 14. This allowed for a faster rebase onto Android 15’s codebase, enabling the team to focus on implementing new features and optimizations.
There are a bunch of changes from previous releases. For one, thanks to the smoother bring-up process, the team is able to support a wider-than-usual range of devices from day one—not all devices are officially supported yet, but it should be relatively easy to get the rest of them updated.
Alongside the fact that this is Android 15, there are some other LineageOS-specific improvements you should be aware of. LineageOS 22.1 introduces two brand-new apps: Twelve, a modern music player, and Camelot, a streamlined PDF reader. Twelve replaces the long-standing Eleven music app, bringing a fresh Material You design, improved landscape and tablet support, compatibility with various music library server protocols (including Subsonic, OpenSubsonic, and Jellyfin), support for streaming protocols, enhanced search functionality, better Android Auto integration, playback resumption, more visualizer presets, and a skip silence option.
Camelot, while less flashy, fills a massive gap that exists in barebones Android by providing a native PDF reader. Based on the same Jetpack PDF library used in Google Chrome and Files by Google, Camelot offers a straightforward, no-frills experience for viewing PDF documents, a functionality surprisingly absent from LineageOS’s built-in browser and WebViews. It was relatively straightforward to just install Google’s PDF reader, but this addition means that you don’t need to do so anymore. LineageOS is known for being as functional as possible out of the box (something that can’t be really said about stock Android), so this is a nice addition to have.
Upgrading to LineageOS 22.1 is straightforward for users on official builds. Detailed instructions are available on the LineageOS Wiki, with device-specific upgrade guides accessible by clicking on the device and selecting “Upgrade to a higher version of LineageOS.” Users on unofficial builds will need to follow the standard installation guide, just like first-time LineageOS installers. Users on official builds generally do not need to wipe their devices during the upgrade process unless explicitly stated on the device’s wiki page.
Android modding isn’t the same it was several years ago, so it’s good to see that projects like LineageOS still exist—if you do want to mod your phone and install a custom ROM, you’ll want a custom ROM that’s as reliable as possible, and that’s what LineageOS wants to be. Check if your phone is supported by LineageOS 22.1: if it currently has LineageOS 21 builds, you might want to wait a few weeks for an official 22.1 build to pop up.
Source: LineageOS Team
