Upgrade LineageOS on
Google Pixel XL

Basic requirements

1. Read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems due to any missed steps!
2. You actually want to upgrade your device to the newest version - if you wish to downgrade to an earlier version of LineageOS, follow your device’s instructions for installing LineageOS the first time.

Manually upgrading LineageOS

The updater app does not support upgrades from one version of LineageOS to another, and will block installation to any update for a different version. Upgrading manually requires similar steps to installing LineageOS for the first time.

1. Download the LineageOS install package that you’d like to install or build the package yourself.
2. If you are currently using (or now want to use) an application package add-on such as Google Apps, you have the following options:
   • keep using them: Download the appropriate version now (use the arm64 architecture)
   • remove them: You can only do so by performing a factory reset, which will also remove all your data.
   • start using them: You can only do so by performing a factory reset, which will also remove all your data. Download the appropriate version now (use the arm64 architecture)
3. Make sure your computer has working adb. Setup instructions can be found here.
4. Enable USB debugging on your device.
5. Additionally if you are on LineageOS 16.0 or below, open Settings, then “System”, then “Developer Options”, then select “Root Access Options”, and finally “ADB Only”. Now, run adb -d root
6. Reboot into recovery by running adb -d reboot recovery, or by performing the following:
   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Then use the menu to select Recovery Mode.
7. If your device has not yet been repartitioned, select “Advanced”, then “Reboot to Bootloader”.
   info_outline

   Note: If you are uncertain if your device has been repartitioned, it likely has not!
8. Download Lineage Recovery. Simply download the latest recovery file, named boot.img.
   warning

   Important: Other recoveries may not work for installation or updates. We strongly recommend to use the one linked above!
9. Now, use the volume buttons to select “Advanced”, and then “Enable ADB”.
10. If your device isn’t already in fastboot mode, on the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:

    adb -d reboot bootloader
    

    You can also boot into fastboot mode via a key combination:

    • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power.
11. Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:

    fastboot devices
    

    If you don’t get any output or an error:

    • on Windows: make sure the device appears in the device manager without a triangle. Try other drivers until the command above works!
    • on Linux or macOS: If you see no permissions fastboot try running fastboot as root. When the output is empty, check your USB cable (preferably use a USB Type-A 2.0 one or a USB hub) and port!
    check

    Tip: Some devices have buggy USB support while in bootloader mode, if you see fastboot hanging with no output when using commands such as fastboot getvar ..., fastboot boot ..., fastboot flash ... you may want to try a different USB port (preferably a USB Type-A 2.0 one) or a USB hub.
12. Flash a recovery on your device by typing:

    fastboot flash boot boot.img
    

    info_outline

    Note: Outdated fastboot releases dropped legacy A/B support, so it might attempt to flash to boot__a / boot__b rather than boot_a / boot_b if you try to flash boot. In this case, you must update fastboot to a release newer than or equal to 31.0.2. Alternatively, you can manually specify which slot to flash to based on what slot fastboot failed to flash to. For example, if fastboot fails to flash to boot__a, you must flash to boot_a.
13. Now reboot into recovery to verify the installation.
    • Use the menu to navigate to and to select the Recovery option.
    info_outline

    Note: If your recovery does not show the LineageOS logo , you accidentally booted into the wrong recovery. Please start at the top of this section!

EFS/Persist Backup

1. If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Then use the menu to select Recovery Mode.
2. Now, use the volume buttons to select “Advanced”, and then “Enable ADB”.
3. Now open Terminal (Linux/macOS), or PowerShell (Windows), run adb -d shell, and then run the following commands within it:
   • dd if=/dev/block/sdd9 of=/tmp/modemst1.img
   • dd if=/dev/block/sdd10 of=/tmp/modemst2.img
   • dd if=/dev/block/sdd3 of=/tmp/persist.img
   • exit
4. Now from that same Terminal/PowerShell, run:
   • adb -d pull /tmp/modemst1.img
   • adb -d pull /tmp/modemst2.img
   • adb -d pull /tmp/persist.img

Repartition

1. Download the flashable repartition script from here for 32 GB models, and here for 128 GB models.
2. Rename the downloaded zip file to repartition.zip.
3. On your device’s screen, choose “Apply Update”, then “From ADB”.
4. From your Terminal/PowerShell, run adb -d sideload /path/to/repartition.zip, filling /path/to/ in with the path you downloaded the repartition zip to.
   info_outline

   Note: The repartition script package in question isn’t signed with LineageOS’s official key, and therefore when it is sideloaded, Lineage Recovery will present a screen that says Signature verification failed, this is expected, please click Yes.
   warning

   Warning: This step may take up to 5 minutes, please ensure your USB connection/power source isn’t interrupted during this time.

5. The device will complete the repartition process, and will display Done! on-screen, at this point please select “Advanced” then “Reboot to Recovery”, then proceed with the installation process.

6. Wipe your data partition (this is usually named “Wipe”, “Format”, or “Factory reset”)
   warning

   Warning: Without this step your device will not boot on the new version!
   warning

   Warning: This step will wipe your personal data and remove any user-installed apps. If these are important to you, then you should back them up before performing the upgrade.
7. Click Advanced, then Enable ADB.
8. Run adb -d reboot sideload.
   warning

   Important: The device may reboot to a blank black screen, fear not, this is a known bug on some recoveries, proceed with the instructions.
9. Run adb -d sideload /path/to/zip (inserting the path to your LineageOS package).
   check

   Tip: Normally, adb will report Total xfer: 1.00x, but in some cases, even if the process succeeds the output will stop at 47% and report adb: failed to read command: Success. In some cases it will report adb: failed to read command: No error or adb: failed to read command: Undefined error: 0 which is also fine.
10. (Optionally): If you want to install any add-ons, click Advanced, then Reboot to Recovery, then when your device reboots, click Apply Update, then Apply from ADB, then adb -d sideload /path/to/zip those packages in sequence.
    info_outline

    Note: If you previously had any Google Apps add-on package installed on your device, you must install an updated package before the first boot of Android! If you did not have Google Apps installed, you must wipe the Data partition (or perform a factory reset) to install them.
    info_outline

    Note: Add-ons aren’t signed with LineageOS’s official key, and therefore when they are sideloaded, Lineage Recovery will present a screen that says Signature verification failed, this is expected, please click Continue.
11. Once you have installed everything successfully, click the back arrow in the top left of the screen, then “Reboot system now”.

Get assistance

After you’ve double checked that you followed the steps precisely, didn’t skip any and still have questions or got stuck, feel free to ask on our subreddit or in #LineageOS on Libera.Chat.