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GApps cannot be pre-installed with LineageOS because of licensing restrictions. Since there are 10 versions of GApps available for flashing, choosing the right one for your device can be tricky. We have put together an elaborate and accurately detailed guide to help you understand which version of GApps is right for you now that you are planning to flash Lineage onto your device.

Which version of GApps to install for Lineage?

You will have to choose a version of GApps depending on three main aspects:

• Device’s processor
• Android OS
• Variant

Platform is typically the category that prompts you to choose a processor type for which you need to download GApps. This, in our opinion, is the most important category, and you must select the platform very carefully, having a full understanding of the processor your phone runs on.

The options available under ‘Platform’ for GApp are:

• ARM.
• ARM64.
• X86.
• x86_64.
• Android.

Next comes choosing the android OS your system is operating on. It is the easiest to choose from under this section because who does not know what version of Android OS they have been using? There are different versions of GAPPS for installation and download, including the ones for the following: 11.0, 10.0, 8.3, 8.1, 8.0, 7.1, 7.0, 6.0, 5.1, and 5.0.

GApp versions nano and Pico are the only ones that are compatible with Android 11 so far. Most of the time, the GApps require a patched view ROM for proper webview support.

Finally, there come the variants. Depending on the version of the phone’s OS and the processor, different versions of GAPPS are bundled differently, containing a variety of GApps. Aroma, super, stock, full, mini, micro, nano, pico, tvstock, and tvmini are the 10 versions of GApps available for flashing on LineageOS or any other custom ROM.

We have explained the differences between the different versions of GAPPS and what they contain to help you choose a variant that best suits your needs.

Aroma

A graphic installer for the super package, Aroma allows you to choose which applications you want to install. If you’re thinking of going with the super variant of GApps, we suggest you download aroma to be able to make your decisions (of what GApps you want to keep from the super package) when it’s convenient for you.

Note: Aroma has a number of bugs and issues for different models and brands of Android devices, so be watchful before installing it.

Nano

The package was designed for users who prefer the smallest footprint possible and still enjoy native “Okay” and ” Search” support from Google. The Google applications included in this package are Device Health Services, Google App (Search), Google Package Installer (replaces stock/AOSP Package Installer), Google App (Search), Google Play services, Google Digital Wellbeing, Google Sounds, Android Auto stub (GearheadStub), Google Markup.

Micro

Micro has a limited collection of applications but has extra functions that are not available on the Play Store. Here is a list of applications available in this package: Device Health Services, Google App (Search), Pixel Icons, Pixel Launcher (replaces stock/AOSP Launcher), Google Calendar (replaces stock/AOSP Calendar), Google Package Installer (replaces stock/AOSP Package Installer), Android Auto stub (GearheadSub), Google Sounds, Gmail, Google Play services, Google Text-to-Speech, Google Wallpapers, Google Digital Wellbeing.

Pico

Google Package Installer (replaces stock/AOSP Package Installer), Google Text-to-Speech, Android Auto stub (GearheadStub), Google Play services are the google applications included in pico.

TVStock

This package can be used to power TV devices powered by the Android OS; this lists most of all Android smart televisions. It contains all of the applications included in the Play Store. The package includes the core of the system base and non-Play Store applications. Here is a list of applications included in this version of GApps: Android TV Customization, Gamepad Pairing Service, Overscan Calibrator, Pairing Tutorial, Second Screen Setup, Google Webview, Live Channels, TalkBack, TV Recommendations, TV Voice Input, Leanback Keyboard, Remote Control Service, and more.

TVMini

TVMini is a smaller version of TVStock that can be used for smaller GApps to power your Android television.

Mini

It is designed for people who want to install their own apps or only use a limited number of Google applications on their devices. The Face Detection for Media, Dialer Framework and Exchange Services are in this package, along with the core of the system base. Mini includes the following Google applications in the package: Device Health Services,

Gmail, Google Calculator (replaces stock/AOSP Calculator), Google Calendar (replaces stock/AOSP Calendar), Google Maps, Google App (Search), and more.

Super

The only variant that provides you with everything is Super, and it is the only one with the inclusion of all the GApps that was shipped on a Google device or created by Google. In order to avoid the version from being bloatware, it is ideal for downloading the aroma package and then choosing the applications you wish to keep from the super package, given that you do not require all the applications provided by the super package of GApps.

Below is a list of stock/AOSP Google applications that are replaced by the custom GApps by flashing this package on a device running on LineageOS:

• Android System WebView
• Google Text-to-Speech
• Pixel Launcher
• Gmail
• Google Calculator
• Google Calendar
• Google Camera
• Google Keyboard
• Google Phone
• Google Photos
• Google Print Service Recommendation Service
• Google Storage Manager
• Google Chrome
• Google Clock
• Google Contacts
• Google Messages (not installed on tablet devices)
• Google Pixel Launcher
• Google Package Installer
• Google Tags

Stock

The package is recommended for most current generation devices, though legacy device owners could use Mini or Micro Modular GAPPS due to the size of the package. All of the features that are standard on the Nexus are included in the latest version of stock. The core system base, Play Store applications, Dialer Framework, and Exchange Services are contained in this package.

Below is a list of stock/AOSP Google applications that are replaced by the custom GApps by flashing this package on a device running on LineageOS:

• Android System WebView
• Gmail
• Google Tags
• Google Text-to-Speech
• Google Keyboard
• Google Messages
• Google Calculator
• Google Clock
• Google Contacts
• Google Storage Manager
• Google Photos
• Google Calendar
• Google Package Installer
• Google Camera
• Google Print Service Recommendation Service
• Google Chrome
• Pixel Launcher

Full

The package does not have the company’s camera or keyboard, but it still has your stock/AOSP Browser, email, Gallery, keyboard, SMS App, Pico TTS or Web View. People who prefer stock/AOSP apps are the target of this package.

Below is a list of stock/AOSP Google applications that are replaced by the custom GApps by flashing this package on a device running on LineageOS:

• Pixel Launcher
• Google Package Installer
• Gmail
• Google Calculator
• Google Messages (not installed on tablet devices)
• Google Chrome
• Google Photos
• Google Tags
• Google Clock
• Google Calendar

 

What happens if you don’t install GApps after flashing Lineage?

A large section of users install GApps on their devices for accessibility of the Play Store and other applications that depend on the Play Services, as it is not mandatory to install GApps on your device after flashing custom ROM onto it.

Since calls, text messages, the internet, and other basic operations can be carried out without the installation of GApps; you need to be worried about not being able to do so if you don’t flash GApps on LineageOS.

If you don’t install GApps after flashing LineageOS on your device, you won’t be able to get access to the framework and applications that are part of the GApps program. This means that you won’t be able to download applications from the Play Store or log into your Google account to access your data.

If you’re worried about the security of app downloaders, sideload them on your device running on Lineage without GApps using trusted and reliable application downloading websites such as APKMirror.

Learn more about APKMirror in detail here.

We understand if you do not want most of the junk Google can provide you with when you are running on stock ROM. It is okay if you do not want a lot of extra junk Google provides in the form of GApps in some versions.

However, it is important to note that making full use of Custom ROM is possible with the flashing of GApps. If you don’t want to use GApps as bloatware, hogging on resources on your device, then it’s a good idea to install one of the basic versions of GApps.

 

How to Install LineageOS on Android?

If you’ve been considering giving your phone new life with a custom ROM, LineageOS is one of the most popular ones available today. Here’s everything you need to know about flashing this ROM onto your phone.

Step One: Gather your Downloads and Enable Developer Mode

Here’s a complete list of tools and other essential stuff like the GApps package, which you need to collect and keep ready before moving forward with the process of flashing a custom ROM, Lineage OS on your device.

• TWRP:

Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP) is a custom recovery tool that works on almost every phone and is one of the most important tools for flashing an actual operating system like Lineage OS.

Download Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP)

To download TWRP custom recovery tools, you need to just go to TWRP’s official homepage and download the suitable version on TWRP according to your device.

On the homepage, you need to scroll down, select your device for the “Devices” link, then enter your model number, and then download from the available links.

It is important to make sure that you are downloading the correct version of TWRP for your device because there are a number of devices with similar names. So, make sure that you download the right version of TWRP according to the phone’s model number.

Before clicking on the download links, make sure that you choose the appropriate region.

• GApps (optional):

There are a number of users who want to have the GApps in their Lineage OS Android device. Therefore, in order to have access to Google Play Store and other apps by Google, you need to download the Google Apps package.

Head to the GApps download page, download the GApps package according to Lineage version 15.1 or 14.1, whichever you will be flashing on your device.

After that, you need to choose the Platform, Android, and Variant. Among these options, Platform is the most important thing to get the right version of GApps that matches your device. If you have any kind of confusion regarding the specs of your device, just get to GSMArena, to get all the details of your device.

Later you will see that the version is pre-selected, so just confirm it, and for the variant which is by default selected nano, you can select Micro or Larger variant if you want to have a complete stock experience.

Finally, click on the download button once everything is selected.

• SU File (optional):

In case if you want root access, you will have to flash SU File on your Android device.

You can download the SU File from its official page, just go there and download the version that matches your device specs and the Lineage version. Additionally, there is no SU File currently available for Lineage 15.1.

It is recommended to keep all the tools, packages and files in a specific folder for easy access when you need them.

Enable Developer Mode and USB Debugging

USB Debugging allows a device to communicate with a desktop that has SDK or Android Studio and perform various operations like receiving commands, files, and access to log files.

Once you have finished downloading all required files, it’s time to enable USB Debugging on your android device.

Look for Developer Options in Phone Settings; if it’s not there, then you need to enable the Developer Mode first. To enable Developer Mode, go to Settings > About phone> tap seven times on the Build Number option.

Now you can enable the Developer Mode, just go to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > USB Debugging.

 

Step Two: Unlock the Bootloader

By now, you must be having everything downloaded and enabled on your device. Hence you can move to the next step, which is to unlock the Bootloader.

It is recommended to create a backup of all the necessary files and data available on your phone before moving forward.

Connect your device to your computer via USB cable, go to the folder where you have stored the ADB and Fastboot files. Now open a Command Prompt or PowerShell window. To do so, Shift-right-click the folder and choose the “Open PowerShell Window here” command.

Make sure that your device is connected properly to the computer, then type ADB devices in the command prompt and press Enter. You will get to see your device name in the list of attached devices.

If you are using ADB for the first time, you need to grant ADB access from the dialogue box on your phone. Just check the “Always Allow From This Computer” box, and tap on the “OK” button.

Type the following command and hit Enter:

adb reboot bootloader

Your device will reboot into the Bootloader; once the reboot is complete, type the following command and press Enter:

fastboot oem unlock

Confirm on your phone by using the Volume and power buttons. Select the “Yes” option by using the Volume up button and then press the power button to confirm.

With this, the Bootloader is unlocked, you are all set to flash a custom recovery.

 

Step Three: Flash TWRP

Once the formatting is complete on your device, you are all set to flash TWRP. Go to the folder where you saved the TWRP earlier by using a command prompt or PowerShell window and enter the following command:

fastboot flash recovery <nameofrecovery.img>

Note: In place of ‘nameofrecovery’, enter the recovery name for ex- twrp-3.2.1-1-hammerhead.img.

 

Step Four: Reset/Wipe partitions

Launch the Recovery that you just flashed in the previous step, then navigate to the Recovery Mode option using the Volume buttons and Select the Recovery Mode by using the Power button.

As soon as the Recovery is launched, slide to enter the recovery screen, and tap on the “Wipe” button, then tap on the “Advanced Wipe” button.

Next, you need to tick the System, Data, and Cache options and then wipe data using the slider.

Once wiping is completed successfully, using the button at the bottom to reboot the system.

 

Step Five: Flash Lineage, GApps, and SU

Just after the reboot is complete and your device is back in the recovery, head to the Command Prompt or PowerShell window and type the following command, and press Enter:

adb push <nameoflineagebuild.zip> /sdcard

Here sdcard is the local storage or the internal storage, and you don’t need an external sd card for this.

By the above command, the Lineage download is copied to the internal storage for flashing; move the GApps and SU using the same command but don’t forget to substitute those files.

adb push <gapps.zip> /sdcard

adb push <su.zip> /sdcard

By now, you have moved the files to the local storage, grab your android device, tap on the “Install” button and choose the Lineage download.

Tap on the “Add more zips” button, choose GApps and do the same for SU. Once you are done selecting, the top would be reading “3 of max 10 File queued.” Swipe to flash these three files.

 

Step Six: Boot and Set-Up

Once the flash is completed, which you started in the previous step, reboot your android device.

The first boot might take a while, but when it’s up, you need to set things just the way you do in any other Android phone.

By now, your device is running on Lineage OS with GApps.