Download and Install Lineage OS 18.1 on Sony Xperia XZ (Android 11)

Sony Xperia XZ (codename: kagura) launched in September 2016. The handset came with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. In this tutorial, we will show you how to download and install Lineage OS 18.1 on Sony Xperia XZ (kagura) 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 Sony Xperia XZ (kagura) device.

Sony Xperia XZ (codenamed: Kagura) was launched in October 2016. Talking about the specifications, Sony Xperia XZ features a 5.2-inches display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. It is powered by a Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 processor coupled with 3GB of RAM. The phone packs 32/64GB or 1TB internal memory. The camera on the Sony Xperia XZ comes with 23MP and 13MP front shooting cameras. It is backed by a Non-removable Li-Po 2900 mAh battery.

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 Sony Xperia XZ.

How to Install LineageOS 18.1 on Sony Xperia XZ

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 Sony Xperia XZ (kagura) 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.
• Next up, you will need to unlock the bootloader on your device. If you haven’t done so, then refer to our guide on How to Unlock Bootloader on Sony Xperia XZ.
• Once that is done, you also need to have the TWRP Recovery installed. You could refer to our guide on How to Install TWRP Recovery on Sony Xperia XZ.
• 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.
• Also, download and install the Sony USB Drivers onto your PC.
• Finally, download the Lineage OS 18.1 on Sony Xperia XZ: Download Link | XDA Development
• 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 Sony Xperia XZ

1. Transfer the downloaded ROM and the GApps file to the Internal Storage of your device.
2. Now connect it to the PC via USB Cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
3. 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.
   
4. Execute the below command in the CMD window to boot your device to TWRP Recovery

   adb reboot recovery

   

5. Now that your device is booted to TWRP, head over to the Wipe section and tap on Advanced Wipe.
6. Then, select the System, Vendor, Data, and the Cache partition and perform a right swipe to format the selected partitions.
   
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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 Sony Xperia XZ (kagura) 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.