Download and Install Lineage OS 17.1 for Samsung Galaxy J3 2016 based on Android 10 Q

Android 10 and the AOSP 10 source are now official, and the Samsung Galaxy J3 2016 (j3ltekx) has an unofficial LineageOS 17.1 build from Hiru, a recognized developer on the XDA forum. The phone launched in early 2016 on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and was officially updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, so LineageOS 17.1 is the way to run Android 10 on it. The build is stable enough for daily use.

Android 10 is Google’s tenth version of Android, with a long list of new features and system UI changes. With the Android 10 source released, the LineageOS team built LineageOS 17.1 for its supported devices.

To install LineageOS 17.1 on your Galaxy J3 2016, you need an unlocked bootloader and the latest TWRP recovery. On an older recovery you will see an Error 7 message while flashing the ROM.

What is in Android 10?

Android 10 brings a system-wide dark mode, new gesture navigation, improved privacy and location controls, enhanced app permissions, and foldable display support. It also adds built-in call screening, a multi-camera API, smart replies in the notification panel, 5G support, the bubbles feature, live caption, and better battery life, along with 65 new emojis and direct audio streaming to hearing aids.

LineageOS 17.1: the Android 10 build

LineageOS is a free, open-source operating system based on Android. It is the community successor to CyanogenMod, which shut down at the end of 2016. CyanogenMod’s developers continued the project under the LineageOS name, and it is now one of the most widely used custom ROMs.

LineageOS 17.1 is based on Android 10 and comes with the Android 10 features plus the LineageOS customization options.

Steps to install LineageOS 17.1 on the Galaxy J3 2016

First, unlock the Galaxy J3 2016 bootloader and flash the latest TWRP recovery. Below are the requirements and download links to flash LineageOS 17.1.

Pre-requisites

• This LineageOS 17.1 build is only for the Galaxy J3 2016.
• Unlock the device bootloader first.
• You need TWRP recovery on the Galaxy J3 2016.
• Download the required TWRP file, LineageOS 17.1 zip file, and the supported GApps file from below.
• Charge your phone to at least 60 percent for a smoother process.
• Take a complete backup of your device data without root so you can restore it if anything goes wrong.

Instructions to install

• Make sure you have downloaded all the required files.
• Copy the TWRP image file, GApps file, and ROM zip file to your device’s internal storage.
• Reboot your Galaxy J3 2016 into recovery mode.
• In the recovery menu, tap Install > Install Image > select the TWRP image file you moved earlier.
• Swipe to confirm the flash.
• Reboot to recovery mode again.
• In the TWRP menu, go to the Wipe section.
• Select Advanced Wipe, choose data, system, vendor, and cache, then swipe to wipe.
• Flash the ROM zip file from the Install option.
• If the system partition is already mounted, uncheck and remount system and vendor manually, then flash the GApps zip file.
• Reboot your phone into the new system. The first boot takes a few minutes.

FAQ

Is this an official LineageOS build?

No. It is an unofficial build, so official OTA updates do not apply. Updates come from the developer.

Will this erase my data?

Yes. Flashing a custom ROM wipes the phone, so back up everything first.

Why do I get Error 7 while flashing?

That usually means your TWRP recovery is out of date. Flash the latest TWRP build and try again.

That is the full guide to install LineageOS 17.1 on the Galaxy J3 2016. If you run into trouble, leave a comment below.