LineageOS 23, the newest version of the popular custom ROM based on Android 16, has been officially released. The stable version is now available for more than 100 Android devices from a variety of manufacturers.
The current release is named LineageOS 23.0, not 23.1, because it is based on Android 16's initial stable release, also known as "QPR0". The LineageOS team made this decision because Google has not yet publicly released the source code for the first Quarterly Platform Release (QPR1). While QPR1 has been shipped to Google's Pixel devices, its source code is currently only available to OEM partners.
This change in Google's release strategy for the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) prompted the LineageOS developers to release version 23.0 now, rather than wait for the QPR1 source code to become public. Features dependent on QPR1, such as Material 3 Expressive, are expected to be integrated in a future update once the code is available.
New Features and Applications
LineageOS 23 introduces several new applications and improvements:
Camelot A new, dedicated PDF viewer app, filling a previous gap in the operating system's default functionality.
Twelve A modern music player designed to replace the long-standing "Eleven" app. It features a Material You design, better Android Auto integration, and support for more music library protocols.
Updated Aperture The camera app has been updated with new features.
New TV Launcher The release includes a new launcher specifically for Android TV devices.
Expanded Device Support This version adds official support for a wide range of devices, including tablets and Android TV boxes, from manufacturers like Google, Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Motorola.
Installation
Official builds of LineageOS 23 are available from the LineageOS downloads page. While unofficial builds have been available on platforms like the XDA forums for some time, the official release is now considered stable.
The general installation process for a custom ROM like LineageOS 23 involves these steps:
Unlock the device's bootloader.
Install a custom recovery, such as the official Lineage Recovery or TWRP.
Boot into recovery mode and wipe the system, data, and cache partitions.
Flash the LineageOS 23 ROM zip file from the recovery interface.
Optionally, flash a Google Apps (GApps) package if you need Google services, and flash Magisk for root access