If you’re using a Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro (Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro) and want to breathe new life into your device, installing an Android 16-based custom ROM is a solid...
Mohammed Huwais
Last updated on January 6, 2026
Mohammed Huwais
Author
I started my career as a blogger in 2014 and also worked on an Android niche platform to gain extra income. I cover the topic on How to guides, software updates, Custom ROM updates and also product review. I'm 24 years old, completed MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Sikkim Manipal University.
If you’re using a Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro (Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro) and want to breathe new life into your device, installing an Android 16-based custom ROM is a solid move. Google recently released Android 16 for Pixel devices, and developers have already ported unofficial AOSP builds to older phones like the Poco F2 Pro. In this guide, you’ll learn how to safely install Android 16 on Poco F2 Pro and enjoy its latest features.
The POCO F2 Pro looks identical to Redmi K30 Pro, and the is almost similar in terms of hardware as well. The POCO F2 Pro has the Qualcomm’s latest 5G processor Snapdragon 865 coupled with highspeed LPDDR5 RAM of 6 to 8 GB, and the top-end 256 GB variant comes with ultrafast UFS 3.1 storage option. It has a powerful Adreno 650 GPU alongside a new liquid cooling 2.0. On top of that, the phone also features a 3.5mm headphone jack as well.
The phone has an aluminum frame with a glass body at the back, which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. POCO F2 Pro has 6.67 inches of 1080p super AMOLED screen, which also happens to have HDR10+ certification. The screen has an aspect ratio of 20:9 and comes with a pixel density of 395 Pixels per inches (PPI). It has an in-display optical fingerprint scanner. The front camera is a pop-up mechanism so, there’s no distraction on the screen, and the screen-to-body ratio is around 87%. The screen is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
The POCO F2 Pro runs Android 10 on top of MIUI 11 out of the box. It has its own POCO launcher as well. The phone has a dual sim option as well. The battery is around 4700 mAh, which can be fully charged from 0-100% in about 63 minutes from the proprietary 30w charger that comes within the box. It weighs around 219 grams. The phone is IP53 splash-resistant, meaning you cannot dunk in the water in any way.
As far as the camera is concerned the POCO F2 Pro features a quad camera setup consisting of a 64 MP main camera, then 5 MP telephoto Macro lens, which is followed by a 13 MP ultrawide lens with a 123° field of view and at the end there’s a 2 MP depth sensor. It has a DUAL-LED dual-tone flash along with HDR support. The phone can record 8K video at 24 or 30 fps and 4K at 60 fps along with 1080 at 30/60/120/240fps. The phone also has a slo-mo video recording option, which records at 1080p@960fps. POCO F2 Pro features a gyro-based EIS for the stabilization of videos. On the front, POCO F2 Pro sports a massive 20MP pop-up camera. The front camera also sports 120fps slow-motion video recording capability.
The phone has WIFI 6 dual-band and Bluetooth 5.1. It also packs a dual-band A-GPS and NFC for payments using Google Pay. POCO F2 Pro has all the necessary required sensors like proximity, gyro, compass. The phone has been launched for 499€ and comes in Neon Blue, Phantom White, Electric Purple, and Cyber Gray color options.
Android 16 introduces Material 3 Expressive, a refined evolution of Google’s design language for smartphones and tablets. While it doesn’t completely reinvent the interface, it represents one of the most noticeable user-facing changes in the OS. Rather than a dramatic visual overhaul, Material 3 Expressive enhances the foundation laid by Material Design 3 by introducing smoother, more dynamic animations, larger touch targets, and bolder typography.
This update arrives at a perfect moment. Material Design 3, first introduced with Android 13, had begun to feel dated. Material 3 Expressive breathes new life into the interface while preserving the familiar look and feel users have grown comfortable with. Instead of overhyping the changes, Google’s own animations showcase the polish and fluidity of this next step in Android design.
Android 16 introduces a wealth of new features, system optimizations, and UI refinements. Some of the highlights include:
These updates aim to improve user experience across different types of devices, including foldables, tablets, and standard phones.
Although Android 16 is rolling out first to Pixel devices, many brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, Samsung, Realme, and others will follow soon. If you’re impatient, a custom ROM is the best way to get Android 16 today.
Everything seems to be working fine.
If you spot any bugs, report them along with proper logs to the developer.
Always back up your device before flashing any ROM. This prevents data loss if anything goes wrong. Backup guide here.
Charge your phone to at least 50% to avoid shutdowns during the flashing process.
You can skip this part if you have already installed TWRP Recovery on your Poco F2 Pro. For those who haven’t, ADB and Fastboot commands (platform-tools) are required to boot your device into bootloader mode, allowing you to perform the necessary flashing operations. ADB (Android Debug Bridge) establishes a connection between your device and computer, while Fastboot is a more advanced command-line utility for flashing and modifying Android devices.
You can download the ADB and Fastboot Binaries (Platform-Tools) here.
You’ll need the appropriate USB drivers to ensure a successful connection between your Poco F2 Pro and your computer. These drivers enable file transfers, flashing, and other operations between your devices.
You can download the latest Xiaomi USB drivers here.
Unlocking the bootloader of your Poco F2 Pro. is essential before you can install any custom ROM. Make sure to follow Xiaomi’s official instructions for unlocking the bootloader. Unlocking the bootloader will wipe your device, so back up your data beforehand.
You must install TWRP Recovery on your phone to install any custom ROM on your device. After unlocking the bootloader, follow our guide to install TWRP Recovery on your Poco F2 Pro.
You can download the Android 16 custom ROMs for the Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro from the links below:
| OS | Download Link |
| Evolution X | Download |
| CrDroid OS | Download |
Most AOSP ROMs don’t come with Google apps. You’ll need to flash Android 16 GApps separately.
Note: Flash GApps right after flashing the ROM. Don’t reboot in between.
Warning!
GetDroidTips is not responsible for any issues that may happen to your device if you flash it on another device and brick it. Do it at your own risk.
adb reboot recovery
The first boot after installing a custom ROM may take a bit longer than usual, so don’t panic if it seems slow. After the device boots, you will need to set it up as a new device, just like when you first got it.
By flashing Android 16 on your Poco F2 Pro, you’re extending its life and unlocking modern Android features that Xiaomi may never officially provide. While this is an unofficial AOSP build, early reports suggest solid stability. That said, bugs may still appear, so always report them with logs to help developers improve the experience.
If you have questions or run into issues during installation, feel free to drop a comment. Enjoy your fresh Android 16 experience!
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