How to Install AOSP Android 9.0 Pie on Lenovo Z5 [GSI Phh-Treble]

Here we will guide you on how to download and install AOSP Android 9.0 Pie on Lenovo Z5 (L78011). This ROM is based on Android 9.0 Pie GSI with Treble Enabled....

Mohammed Huwais

Last updated on May 2, 2019

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.

What’s on Android 9.0 Pie?

Android 9.0 Pie is the 9th iteration and a major update of Google’s Android OS. The new Android Pie brings a couple of design changes to the successor Android Oreo but the most notable one is the gesture-based navigation system. Other features of Android 9 Pie are New Quick Settings UI design, Redesigned volume slider, Advanced Battery with AI Support, Notch Support, Improved Adaptive Brightness, Manual theme selection, Android Dashboard which Google calls Digital Wellbeing, and more other features.

[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HSqeuLK4G0″ controls=”alt” rel=”no”]

Features of Android 9.0 Pie:

Indoor navigation with Wi-Fi RTT
Gesture Navigation
Dashboard
App Timer
Wind Down
Notch support
App Actions and Slices
Lockdown mode
Zoom in text
Smarter Notification Channels
Improvement in messaging apps
An easier way to take screenshots and edit them
Auto-Rotate Button
Dark theme
Increased security
Default HTTPS for apps
Pair up to 5 Bluetooth devices
Alert tone to notify call recordings
Media Panel UI change
Support for HEIF image and HDR VP9 video format
Autofill in browsers
157 new emojis
Ambient Display for Battery Percentage
Adaptive Battery
Adaptive Brightness
ART improvements

Guide to Install AOSP Android 9.0 Pie on Lenovo Z5 (L78011)

If you are looking to install the latest version of Android OS on your device, then please follow this guide below to enjoy Android 9.0 Pie update for Lenovo Z5.

GetDroidTips will not be responsible for any internal/external damages to the device that may happen while/after following this guide. This ROM may or may not be completely stable and we don’t recommend you to try this ROM as a daily driver. So far this ROM worked smoothly on many devices.

Pre-Requisites:

Supported on Lenovo Z5 [L78011]
Charge your phone up to 50% or more.
Take a complete backup of your phone data [Follow any method]
Do a full data wipe in the stock recovery (this is mandatory, the twrp wipe will not work)
Download Lenovo USB Drivers and Install on your PC
You need to unlock the bootloader on Lenovo Z5.
Install the latest TWRP recovery on Lenovo Z5. [via TWRP Method]
Download ADB and Fastboot tool [via ADB Sideload Method]

Required ROM and Gapps Package:

Download and Flash Latest TWRP Recovery 3.2.1-1 or higher
Download GSI Treble Firmware Files Here: Download – Download ARM64
Download Android 9.0 Pie Gapps Package or you can download OpenGapps 9.0.

You need only the GAPPS version to download and install AOSP Android Pie. Vanilla is basically plain w/o GAPPS, and FLOSS is with Open Source alternatives to the GAPPS.

Instructions to Flash:

To flash the AOSP Android 9.0 Pie on Lenovo Z5 (L78011), you can either use the TWRP Recovery method or you can flash via ADB Sideload method. If you already have, then make sure to download the above-given links.

Method 1: Install via TWRP Recovery

First of all, make sure to download and move all the above required ROM packages on your Lenovo Z5 Internal storage.
You can now extract the GSI and vendor+boot zips [Complete Guide on How to extract any Zip file on Android devices.]
Now reboot your phone into TWRP Recovery and Swipe Allow Modifications (Appears for the first time only)
Once you are in TWRP Recovery, first of all. Take a complete backup of stock or custom ROM using TWRP.
Now wipe the cache, data, and system before flashing the Android Pie 9.0 on Lenovo Z5.
To Wipe data: Go to Wipe —> Advanced Wipe and select Dalvik/ART cache, cache, System, Vendor, and Data and then swipe to wipe. [su_note note_color=”#fef0ef” text_color=”#000000″]Warning: Make sure not to select Internal storage[/su_note]
Now you can install the System image file in TWRP: Install -> Install Image -> select system.img
That’s it! Reboot and enjoy!

Method 2: Install via ADB Sideload

—> How to Install Generic System Image on Project Treble Devices

I hope this guide was helpful to install the Android 9.0 Pie on Lenovo Z5 based on Project Treble GSI images.

If this method doesn’t work, then go to the AOSP 9.0 Phh-Treble thread in XDA and report your issue.

Source: XDA || Credits to phhusson

Lenovo Z5 specification:

Lenovo Z5 features a 6.2 inches IPS LCD display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2246 pixels. The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor under Adreno 509 GPU. The smartphone packs 64/128 variant with 6GB of RAM. Lenovo Z5 sports a dual rear camera with a 16MP + 5MP camera and Selfie camera with an 8MP camera. The smartphone is running on Android 8.1 Oreo under ZUI 3.9 software package and backed by 3300 mAh battery.