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The 6 Best Android ROMs of 2022
A custom ROM for Android can give you a lot of flexibility
By Nicholas Congleton Nicholas Congleton Writer William Patterson University Nick Congleton has been a tech writer and blogger since 2015. His work has appeared in PCMech, Make Tech Easier, Infosec Institute, and others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 3, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apps Best Apps Payment Services One of Android’s biggest advantages over Apple devices is the ability to run customized and modified versions of the operating system to get both cosmetic changes and access to features and lower level workings of your device. Custom ROMs give you more choice and control with your device, plus they can give you access to the latest Android releases on phones that are no longer supported. What Is an Android ROM
Have you ever noticed that Android on a Samsung phone is different than an LG or Motorola one? That's because anyone can take the base Android system, modify, customize, and make it their own. Phone manufacturers do it all the time, but so do independent developers. Android ROMs are just custom versions of Android made by independent developers. Sometimes, these indie developers are just a single person, repackaging the Android code from Google. More often, though, they're entire development projects or even non-profit foundations. They create ROMs to add features and customization options to Android. Custom ROMs also support devices that may not be supported by their manufacturers anymore. Usually, ROMs give you more control over your phone. These ROMs represent the best you can find to increase the functionality of your Android device. 01 of 06 LineageOS
What We Like Very stable. Wide device support. Long running reputation. Easy updates. What We Don't Like Somewhat slow release cycle. More minimal customization. A list like this wouldn’t be complete without mentioning LineageOS. It’s easily the largest custom ROM project in the world today, and it has a massive following. In fact, it’s also the ROM most other developers use as the basis of their own creations. LineageOS started out in the early days of Android as CyanogenMod, and it exploded in popularity to the point that it eventually became a full-fledged company. Unfortunately, that all but killed the independent CyaogenMod ROM, leaving a team of developers to branch off and create a new spin on the old favorite. LineageOS is known to be stable, and it runs across a wide range of devices. The developers are constantly working to improve their ROM, and new releases are constantly rolling out in a timely manner. When it comes to ROMs, LineageOS is as professional a project as you’re going to find, and the quality shows. Download LineageOS 02 of 06 Bliss ROM
What We Like Excellent interface. Fast updates to new Android versions. Performance and security improvements built in. What We Don't Like Doesn’t have a long history. More limited device support. Bliss is a non-profit project that follows in the footsteps of LineageOS. Like Lineage, Bliss creates an entirely new Android based operating system for your device, similarly to a Linux distribution. Bliss tries to support as many devices as they can, and they’re working to provide tools for individuals to extend support. The Bliss developers are constantly working to provide the latest releases of Android, quickly updating as soon as a new version or new enhancements are available. Because Bliss is its own spin on Android, it has a distinct look and feel to set it apart. Bliss has a unique icon theme, and a focus on clean design. In addition to design, Bliss also aims to improve both performance and security over standard Android releases. Download Bliss ROM 03 of 06 Pixel Experience
What We Like Super clean interface. Feels like a Pixel device. New features from Google. What We Don't Like Limited support. Not much room for customization. Ever wish you could get all the latest features from the Google Pixel phones without having to pay up for this year’s new Pixel? Well, the Pixel Experience ROM has you covered. Pixel Experience aims to replicate the exact version of Android that you’d get with a brand new Pixel from Google. Pixel Experience is essentially stock Android, at its core. They try to keep it as vanilla as possible to replicate the unmodified Android Open Source Project release from Google. Then, they add in all the extras that come exclusive to Pixel devices on top of that. The result is something that looks and feels a lot like a Google Pixel phone, on your device. The main downside of the Pixel Experience ROM is its limited support. There aren’t many phones that they cover officially. Unofficially, you’ll find Pixel Experience builds all over the XDA forums, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to turn whichever phone you have into a Pixel. Download Pixel Experience 04 of 06 ASOP Extended
What We Like Close to stock Android. Fast releases with new features. Clean and modern design. What We Don't Like Somewhat limited custom features. Might not seem “worth it” because it’s close to stock. Not everyone wants a ROM that’s customized to the point where it doesn’t even seem like Android anymore. In fact, plenty of people would prefer a more stock Android experience, but with the added freedom that custom ROMs provide. ASOP Extended is just that ROM. ASOP Extended is exactly what it sounds like, the Android Open Source Project extended slightly to provided a few more features. With ASOP Extended you get the same stable Android experience that you’d expect from Google with a bit more freedom to customize your device. Because ASOP Extended is so close to stock, they support a decent range of devices and put out new releases relatively quickly after Google launches them. Download ASOP Extended 05 of 06 Resurrection Remix
What We Like Excellent customization. Great design. Long running ROM with a great reputation. What We Don't Like Might be overwhelming for some. Very customization heavy. When you’re looking for customization, there’s nothing better than Resurrection Remix. This ROM is build from the ground up with customization in mind. Nearly every aspect of your device’s interface can be tweaked and modified to your style. With that kind of focus, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Resurrection Remix was started by a UX designer. This popular project has actually been around for quite a while, and earned its place among the top ROMs, both in terms of quality and popular opinion. Resurrection Remix supports a wide range of devices and focuses on stability. They don’t over extend themselves or leave supported devices without updates for long. You can always expect a complete and polished experience. Download Resurrection Remix 06 of 06 OmniROM
What We Like Simple and stable. Clean design. What We Don't Like Very limited support. Seems a little plain. OmniROM takes an interesting middle ground approach that’s made it more and more popular over the years. Instead of going with stock Android or customizing everything through the roof, OmniROM created its own clean and minimal styling, similar to stock Android but uniquely its own. OmniROM is built for stability, functionality, and simplicity. The interface is clean and free from a lot of the clutter you find on manufacturer Android builds. At the same time, OmniROM provides the customization options common from custom ROMs. OmniROM does support a decent range of devices, but their support really could be better. With no official support for the vast majority of Samsung and LG devices, you’d practically need to purchase a phone specifically to run it. Download OmniROM Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Flash Custom ROMs on Android With TWRP The Official Android Versions Guide: Everything You Need to Know The 8 Best Android Emulators for Windows 10 and Windows 11 The 6 Best DS Emulators for Android of 2022 How to Root Your Android Phone The Best Google Pixel Apps of 2022 The 6 Best Opera Plugins of 2022 9 Ways to Customize Your Android Device The 8 Best Android Launchers of 2022 All About Stock Android and If Your Phone Needs It The 8 Best NES Emulators for Android in 2022 Google Pixel 3 Review: Android Like It’s Meant to Be The 9 Best Android Phones, Tested by Experts The 6 Best Free Online Virus Scanners of 2022 The 9 Best Smartphones of 2022 The 6 Best Security Camera Apps for iPhone (2022) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies