List of Best Custom ROM for Lenovo Vibe K5/K5 Plus [Updated]

Looking for a custom ROM for the Lenovo Vibe K5/K5 Plus (codename A6020)? This is a list of the best ones. The phone launched in February 2016 on Android 5.1 Lollipop, and since Android is open source, the community has built ROMs that take it well past its last official version.

The Lenovo Vibe K5/K5 Plus has a 5.0-inch 1080 x 1920 display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 (MSM8939v2) with 2GB or 3GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage. It has a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera, and a removable 2,750mAh battery. Most of the ROMs below are community builds, and several are no longer maintained, so open each thread to check the latest build and its known bugs before you flash.

For background, here is the difference between a stock ROM and a custom ROM.

What is a stock ROM?

A stock ROM is the operating system your phone ships with, preinstalled by the manufacturer. Its features are limited to what the maker chose to include. If you want more, you switch to a custom ROM.

What is a custom ROM?

Android is open source, so developers can take Google’s code and build their own OS image for a phone. That community-built OS is a custom ROM, and it replaces the stock software, usually stripped of carrier and OEM apps for a cleaner, closer-to-stock experience. Custom ROMs are updated by the community, which fixes bugs and often brings a newer version of Android than the manufacturer ever shipped.

Best custom ROMs for the Lenovo Vibe K5/K5 Plus

To flash any ROM below, you need an unlocked bootloader and TWRP recovery installed. Read each ROM’s thread first, since not every build is stable enough to use as a daily driver.

Android 11:

Android 11 looks similar to Android 10 but adds notification history, chat bubbles, conversation notifications, a built-in screen recorder, new media controls, one-time permissions, and a scheduled dark theme. For more, see our Android 11 supported list, Android 11 custom ROM list, and best Android 11 features.

Download ROM Here

Android 10:

Android 10 adds built-in call screening, a multi-camera API, smart replies in the notification panel, a system-wide dark theme, live caption, and a Focus mode similar to Do Not Disturb. It also improves battery handling and includes gesture navigation.

Download ROM Here

Android 9.0 Pie:

Android 9 Pie’s most notable change over Oreo is gesture-based navigation. It also brings a redesigned Quick Settings panel and volume slider, adaptive battery, improved adaptive brightness, and the Digital Wellbeing dashboard.

Download ROM Here

LineageOS:

LineageOS is the community successor to CyanogenMod and one of the most widely used custom ROMs. On the Vibe K5/K5 Plus it brings a customizable status bar, themes, navigation bar tweaks, quick toggles, and more.

Download ROM Here – LineageOS 17.1

AOSPExtended:

AOSPExtended is based on the AOSP source with cherry-picked commits from several projects. It runs smoothly out of the box while adding features like status bar and lock screen customization, theming, and a configurable navigation bar.

Download ROM Here

BlissROMs:

BlissROMs pulls together customization options from across the Android community and adds a few of its own. The build here is based on Android 10.

Download ROM Here

ArrowOS:

ArrowOS is an AOSP-based project that keeps things simple and clean, aiming for smooth performance and good battery life with a useful set of customizations.

Download ROM Here

PixysOS:

PixysOS is an AOSP-based ROM with a mix of original features and the customizations the community is used to.

Download ROM Here

Paranoid Android:

Paranoid Android is a popular custom ROM known for its clean interface, extra features, and focus on performance.

Download ROM Here

DotOS:

DotOS (Droid On Time Operating System) is a community-built ROM that adds its own tweaks and features alongside ones borrowed from other popular ROMs.

Download ROM Here

ViperOS:

ViperOS is based on AOSP with its own mods borrowed from CM, Lineage, Slim, Omni, and AOSPA. It aims for a good balance between battery life and performance.

Download ROM Here

crDroid:

crDroid is built mainly on LineageOS and aims to improve performance and reliability over stock Android while adding many popular custom features. Because it is based on LineageOS, it works with LineageOS-compatible kernels.

Download ROM Here

Resurrection Remix:

Resurrection Remix combines the stability of CM with features from Slim, Omni, and the original Remix builds. It is a full-featured, heavily customizable ROM with a wide range of its own add-ons for performance, theming, and system tweaks.

Download ROM Here

MIUI:

If you prefer Xiaomi’s skin, there is a ported build of MIUI 9 (Android 5.1) for the Vibe K5. It brings MIUI’s theme support, status bar customization, and the app-drawer-free Mi launcher.

Download ROM Here – MIUI 9

Pixel Experience:

Pixel Experience brings the Google Pixel look and apps to the Vibe K5/K5 Plus, giving you a clean, stock-style Android experience.

Download ROM Here

FAQ

What do I need before flashing any of these ROMs?

An unlocked bootloader and TWRP recovery. Back up your data first, since flashing wipes the phone.

Are these ROMs still updated?

Many are not. They are community builds for an old device, so open the linked thread to check the latest post and whether the developer is still active before flashing.

Do I need GApps?

Yes, for the Play Store and Google apps, unless the ROM already includes them (Pixel Experience does). Flash a GApps package that matches the ROM’s Android version right after the ROM.

Which one should I pick?

For everyday use, a LineageOS build is usually the safest choice. The higher Android versions look nicer but can feel heavier on this hardware.

That is the list of the best custom ROMs for the Lenovo Vibe K5/K5 Plus. If you have a favourite that is not here, leave it in the comments.