Google Pixel 4a (sunfish) launched in August 2020. The handset came with Android 10 Q and was later upgraded to Android 11. This tutorial will guide you to install the latest Lineage OS 19.1 on the Pixel 4a (sunfish) smartphone. We have given complete instructions, downloads, and useful updates in the future.
As we all know, Lineage OS 19.1 is based on Android 12, the 12th major release by Google and brings many new features and improvements. One of the biggest changes that Android 12 brings to your device is the Material You design language. It is aimed to enhance personalization on the device by allowing users to pick a custom color palette and new widgets.
Google Pixel 4a has a 5.81-inch screen with a 1080 x 2340 pixel resolution with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, you get an octa-core Qualcomm SDM730 Snapdragon 730G with Adreno 618 as the GPU. The device comes in a single variant of 128GB 6GB RAM, with no support for the SD card. However, a 3.5mm jack is still something worth commendable. Coming to the camera department, you get a single 12.2 MP with f/1.7 aperture rear camera setup, which holds 4K@30fps and 1080p@30/60/120fps video recording capabilities. On the front is a single 8 MP lens with an f/2.0 aperture. This has 1080p@30fps video recording capabilities.
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Android 12 and Its Features
Android 12 is all about improved personalization and a revamped user interface that changes the way to bring more dynamic expression and a whole new design element. It’s a successor of the last-gen Android 11, which was focused on the privacy and security of the user data. While the Android 12 not only focused on privacy features but also on visual treatment.
Talking about the features, it has all new and colorful yet minimal widgets that are now more dynamic than ever before. At the same time, the dynamic theme with the wallpapers is more expressive as per your mood. The notification shade, lock screen, and its notifications, glance screen, volume controls, quick shortcut tiles, new power menu, transitions or animations, etc. everything look & feels great whatsoever with the ‘Material You’ design.
Meanwhile, the impressive Privacy Dashboard feature the privacy indicator on the top of the screen are also great. Whereas scrolling screenshot support, improved notifications, quick reply feature, on-device search feature, easy Wi-Fi sharing, one-handed mode, quick back tap feature, haptic-coupled audio effect, Android 12 updates via Google Play, App hibernation, all-new emojis, improved auto-rotate, and a lot more.
How to Install Lineage OS 19.1 on Pixel 4a
As the title suggests, we’ve shared the requirements and steps to flash the Lineage OS 19.1 on the Google Pixel 4a variant.
Before heading over to the guide, make sure to follow all the requirements below.
Pre-Requisites
Before we begin this procedure, I strongly recommend you create a backup of your device storage and all your files stored on your device. Moreover, following the steps mentioned in this post very carefully is advised to avoid permanent damage or bricking your device.
Charge Your Phone
It’s highly recommended to charge your handset before unlocking the bootloader to avoid your device from shutting down occasionally while going through the process. Keep at least 50% of the charge or higher for a smooth operation.
Download ADB and Fastboot Binaries
You can skip this adb and fastboot part if you have already installed TWRP Recovery on your Google Pixel 4a.
Using the ADB and Fastboot command (platform-tools), you’ll be able to boot your Android device into the bootloader mode (download mode) which will be easy for you to proceed with further steps. ADB (Android Debug Bridge) creates a connection or bridge between the device and computer to sideload files.
Whereas Fastboot is a more advanced command utility tool for Android devices that works with computers. You can download ADB and Fastboot Binaries (Platform-Tools).
Download Google USB Drivers
A USB Driver is a set of files that basically allows you to create a successful and strong connection between a mobile device and a computer properly using a USB data cable. It’ll be useful to transfer files between the connected devices, flash files on the handset, and more.
It’s also worth mentioning that not only mobile devices but also other external devices can use and run USB Drivers on a Windows computer, such as a mouse, keyboard, printer, external hard drives, speakers, USB flash drives, etc. You can grab Google USB Drivers here.
Unlock Bootloader Your Phone:
To enjoy any custom ROM, you must first unlock the bootloader on your Google Pixel 4a.
Install TWRP Recovery:
You have to install TWRP Recovery on your phone to install any custom ROM on your device. After unlocking the bootloader, follow our guide to install TWRP Recovery on your Google Pixel 4a.
Download Lineage OS 19.1 ROM:
Here, you will find the Lineage OS 19.1 for Pixel 4a.
| Lineage OS 19.1 | Download Link |
Download Android 12 Gapps:
It’s worth mentioning that most of the third-party AOSP (Android Open Source Project) ROMs (also known as aftermarket firmware) come without any preinstalled Google apps package. You can manually install the Android 12 GApps by following our guide.
Warning!
GetDroidTips won’t be responsible for any kind of issue that may happen to your device if you flash it on another device and brick it. Do it at your own risk.
Instructions to Install:
- Connect your device to the PC via USB cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
- Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
- Execute the below command in the CMD window or enter recovery mode by using the Volume and Power button combination. your device to TWRP Recovery:
adb reboot recovery
- Now head over to the Install section and navigate to the downloaded vendor and firmware. Perform a right swipe to flash it.
TWRP Home - If you want Google Apps as well, then you need to flash it at this instance itself. Go to Install, select the GApps ZIP file, and perform a right swipe to flash this file.
- When that is done, you may reboot your device. Head over to Reboot and select System.
Your device will now boot to the newly installed OS. With this, we conclude the guide on how to install the Lineage OS 19.1 on Pixel 4a. Do keep in mind that the first boot might take some time and you might have to set up your device from scratch.