Download and Install Lineage OS 18.1 on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 (Android 11)
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 (codename: merlin) launched in April 2020. The smartphone came out of the box with Android 10 Q. In this tutorial, we will show you how to...
Mohammed Huwais
Last updated on August 14, 2025
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.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 (codename: merlin) launched in April 2020. The smartphone came out of the box with Android 10 Q. In this tutorial, we will show you how to download and install Lineage OS 18.1 on Redmi Note 9 (merlin) device. The Google-owned OS is open source in nature. This allows the userbase to try out tons of customizations and modifications onto your devices. For the starters, they could install themes, icon packs, and launchers from the Play Store. But this is just the beginning. There are a plethora of other tweaks that you could try out on your device.
All that is required is an unlocked bootloader, and then you could easily set your feet in the custom development. From installing a custom recovery like TWRP to gaining root access via Magisk, the possibilities are endless. Along the same lines, you could also try out a customized Android OS in the form of custom ROMs. And in this guide, we will be discussing just that. Today, we will show you the steps to install Lineage OS 18.1 onto your Redmi Note 9 (merlin) device.
Lineage OS 18.1 with Android 11 Features
Among all the custom ROMs available for our device, Lineage has been among the oldest player. In its early days, it was known as CyanogenMod and now this ‘lineage’ seems to have been rightly carried forward. Based on the Android Open Source Project, you will be able to welcome a few handy customization options to your device. The ROM isn’t known to offer a plethora of features, rather it maintains an equilibrium with the stability front.
As far as the latest LineageOS 18.1 is concerned, it is based on the latest Android 11 that has just been released. This in turn translates to the user getting blessed with some noteworthy features. These include a separate Conversation section, OneTime Permissions, and the new Notification History. Likewise, there has been the introduction of Chat Bubbles and a native Screen Recorder. The Media Player has now also been moved to the Quick Settings with some handy Media Controls options.
Refer to our detailed instructions on how to install lineage OS 18.1 onto Redmi Note 9.
Warning
Before we begin with this procedure, I would strongly recommend you to create a backup of your device storage and all your files stored on your device. Moreover, it is advised to follow the steps mentioned in this post very carefully to avoid permanent damage or to brick your device. If anything goes wrong the author or GetDroidTips is not responsible for it.
How to Install LineageOS 18.1 on Redmi Note 9
Before we list the instructions, there are a few points worth discussing. We would like to state that the ROM is an unofficial build and in the alpha stage. So you could face a few stability issues as well as bugs. On that note, here are all the working features and the bugs present in this ROM:
What’s Working
Not Known – We haven’t tested yet
Screenshots
So if you are ready to install LineageOS 18.1 onto your Redmi Note 9 (merlin) device, then here is all the required information. Let’s start with the requirements set.
Prerequisites
First and foremost, create a complete device backup. This is because we will be wiping the data partition which will format your device.
Also, enable USB Debugging on your device so that it gets recognized by your PC in the ADB Mode. For that, head over to Settings > About Phone > Tap on Build Number 7 times > Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging.
Next, up, download and install the Android SDK Platform Tool on your PC. This will provide you with the necessary binary files.
Finally, download the Lineage OS 18.1 on Redmi Note 9: Download Link
If you want Google Apps as well, then download the Android 11 GApps file
That’s it. You may now proceed with the installation steps.
Instructions to Install Lineage OS 18.1 on Redmi Note 9
Transfer the downloaded ROM and the GApps file to the Internal Storage of your device.
Now connect it to the PC via USB Cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
Head over to the platform-tools folder on your PC, type in CMD in the address, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt window.
Execute the below command in the CMD window to boot your device to TWRP Recovery
adb reboot recovery
TWRP Home
Now that your device is booted to TWRP, head over to the Wipe section and tap on Advanced Wipe.
Then, select the System, Vendor, Data, and the Cache partition and perform a right swipe to format the selected partitions.
After this, go to the Install section of TWRP. Navigate to the downloaded LineageOS 18.1 ZIP file, select it and perform a right swipe to install it.
The process might take a few minutes. When the flashing is complete, go back to the Install section and this time select the GApps package. Perform a right swipe to install this file as well.
Likewise, you should also wipe the cache partition. You could either use the Wipe Cache button that would be available after flashing GApps. If not, then head over to Wipe, select the Cache partition and perform a right swipe to wipe it.
You may now reboot your device to the newly installed OS. For that, head over to Reboot and select System.
With this, we conclude the guide on how to install Lineage OS 18.1 on Redmi Note 9 (merlin) device. Do let us know your views about this ROM in the comments section below. Furthermore, you could also drop in your queries in the comments. Rounding off, here are some iPhone Tips and Tricks, PC tips and tricks, and Android Tips and Trick that deserve your attention as well.
The download link from Lineages OS 18.1 isn’t working, can you please send me a working one?
Thank you,
Victor
XX
Xenial Xerus
Advice:
First make sure the unlock tool works for you before proceeding. Also note that there is a newer unofficial version of the tool from the same guy, look for xiaomi tool v2(which for me kind of worked on Ubuntu, whereas unofficial unlock tool for ubuntu did not work at all).
Also make sure to have the os image file downloaded beforehand. The provided link in this article does not work. Also I did not find official release for Redmi note 9 on the lineage os downloads.
Leave a Comment
Share your thoughts, questions, or extra tips with other readers.
The download link from Lineages OS 18.1 isn’t working, can you please send me a working one?
Thank you,
Victor