Custom ROMs are a great way of keeping old devices like the Google Pixel 2 XL “alive” and experiencing the newest OS updates. Even though its use isn’t as popular as it was a few years ago, there’s still an active community of custom ROM users on Android.
One of the biggest names in this segment is LineageOS. It is the renowned successor to Cyanogen Mod. Through the newest LineageOS 21 ROM, you will be able to enjoy Android 14 features on devices as old as Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
If you own one of these devices, then this guide will be helpful. In this guide, you will get to know how to install Android 14-based LineageOS 21 on Google Pixel 2 XL.
How to install Android 14-based LineageOS 21 on Google Pixel 2/2 XL
If you didn’t know, a custom ROM is essentially a ROM modified via the base one. As for LineageOS, they develop an AOSP and offer support for mobile devices. As it is an open-source project, there are unofficial versions that others can compile on their own with modifications or adaptations. Now, LineageOS 21 based on the new Android 14 firmware has become available for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
Installing a custom ROM will require certain steps that could void your smartphone’s warranty. As devices like the Pixel 2 XL are quite old, they no longer have official warranty coverage. With that said, here are the prerequisites to follow before you can install Android 14-based LineageOS 21 on Google Pixel 2 XL –
- Install the Fastboot and ADB drivers on your PC. You can install the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC or computer
- Unlock the bootloader
- Flash the custom recovery (Twrp)
Once everything is ready, you will need to download Android 14-based LineageOS for your Google Pixel 2 or Google Pixel 2 XL and then flash it using the custom recovery you installed previously. You can follow our detailed guide here: Pixel 2 / 2 XL Lineage OS 18 (Download and Install) (Similar steps, but make sure you have the right files)
