+
+ crDroid
+
+ N/A
+
+ Murena
+
+ Kali Linux
+
+ LineageOS
+
+ OmniROM
+
+ postmarketOS
+
+ Ubuntu Touch
+
+
+ Why should I install a custom OS on my Android device?
+
+
You could benefit from some of the following
+
+ Increase the lifespan of your device
+
+ Once your device's manufacturer stops providing OS updates, you may not be able to install apps that require a
+ newer OS version.
+
+ You phone may also not receive further security updates, which poses a risk.
+
+
+ Sustainability
+
+ Mining and manufacturing processes involved in making smartphones have a sizeable impact on the environment. Using
+ them as long as practically possible helps reduce that impact.
+
+
+
+ Increased privacy
+
+ With most of the custom OSes listed above, you can unGoogle your smartphone. This means not having to install
+ Google apps or services.
+
+
+
+ Repurpose your device
+
+ If your phone is not fitted to be used as such anymore, you can repurpose it as a small computer, a small gaming
+ device, a glorified remote control for connected devices, etc. You can also achieve some of these without a custom
+ OS if relevant apps are compatible with your Android OS version (i.e. it's not too old).
+
+
+
+
+
Is it easy to install a custom OS on my Android device?
+ Your mileage may vary. It will require learning about concepts such as rooting, bootloader, flashing, ROM, etc. Luckily,
+ many people have been through this before so there is extensive documentation on the internet and the list above is aimed at
+ providing (device, os) pairs with high compatibility rates.
+ Can you please add OS [XYZ] to the list?
+ Sounds like a plan. :) Please raise an issue
+ once you've
+ confirmed it's not a duplicate or, if you have coding
+ skills, raise a PR!
+
+ I have found a bug/inconsistency!
+ Well, thank you for spotting that! Please let us know by raising an
+ issue once you've
+ confirmed it's not a duplicate or better still, raise a PR if
+ that's possible.
+
+ I want to repurpose my phone as a headless single-board computer à la Raspberry Pi without installing a custom OS
+ There are several ways to achieve that. The easiest option is to install termux
+ if your smartphone OS version is not too old. And if you'd like to play with linux distros within termux, have a look at proot-distro.
+ Another option is to check in the list above if your phone is compatible with postmarketOS, which is a flavour of Alpine.
+ You can thus run many applications, including for self-hosting, as explored in this blog post.
+ If you'd like your phone to be always on, an important aspect to consider is how to run your phone without a battery.
+ Manufacturers most likely don't design their phones with that in mind. See the question below for a quick tip.
+ How do I run my phone without a battery?
+ The easiest is to keep the battery and simply use a plug timer so that the phone is not constantly being charged.
+ Alternatively, there are ways for some phones to remove the battery and simulate its presence so that the device still
+ boots up and runs normally. This is a case-by-case basis though. Doing some research online for your specific device may
+ give you pointers. For example, here is how to achieve a battery-less setup for OnePlus
+ 6T devices.
+
+