Install LineageOS on
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

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. Make sure your computer has adb and fastboot. Setup instructions can be found here.
3. Enable USB debugging on your device.
4. Make sure that your model is actually listed in the “Supported models” section here (exact match required!)
5. Boot your device with the stock OS at least once and check every functionality.
   warning

   Warning: Make sure that you can send and receive SMS and place and receive calls (also via WiFi and LTE, if available), otherwise it won’t work on LineageOS either! Additionally, some devices require that VoLTE/VoWiFi be utilized once on stock to provision IMS.
6. LineageOS is provided as-is with no warranty. While we attempt to verify everything works you are installing this at your own risk!

Unlocking the bootloader

1. On the device, dial *#*#7378423#*#* (*#*#SERVICE#*#*) to launch the service menu.
2. Go to service info > configuration and check rooting status - you can only continue if it says Bootloader unlock allowed: Yes.
3. Go to System Settings > About Phone and record the first IMEI number, which is necessary to get an unlock code from Sony in a later step.
4. Connect the device to your PC via USB.
5. 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 Up and connect the USB cable. The notification light should turn blue.
6. Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:

   fastboot devices
   

   check

   Tip: If you see no permissions fastboot while on Linux or macOS, try running fastboot as root.
7. Follow the instructions on Sony’s official unlocking website to generate an unlock code for your bootloader.
8. Use your code to unlock the bootloader of your device:

   fastboot oem unlock <your_unlock_code>
   

9. Since the device resets completely, you will need to re-enable USB debugging to continue.

Special Requirements

1. Download and install Flashtool on your machine
   • If you’re are a Windows user of any version, open a file explorer and navigate to C:\Flashtool\drivers folder, then install the drivers found within
   • Additionally, if you are a Windows 8.1 (x64) user you will need a patch found here
2. Reboot your machine
3. On the device, navigate to the Settings app, in the System menu, under the About this device listing, and take note of your model number & carrier
4. Open Flashtool
5. Click the symbol to download and open XperiFirm (round button on the right) to download the latest firmware for your device
6. In XPeriFirm, select your device and an appropriate firmware on the middle column with the version 23.5.A.1.291. Then click on the firmware on the right side below Available Firmware and download it
7. After the download finished, close XperiFirm. Flashtool now automatically recognizes the downloaded files and prepares the image to be flashed
8. Now click on the lightning symbol (flash device), select Flashmode and click on OK
9. Select the firmware file you just downloaded above
10. Check all the boxes under the “Wipe” menu
11. Click “Flash”
    check

    Tip: It may take a few minutes for the flashing progress indicator to pop up.
12. Turn off your phone
13. Hold the volume-down button and keep holding while connecting the device to your PC
14. Once the flashing process has started, release the volume rocker as soon as possible
    warning

    Warning: Ensure the USB cable doesn’t come unplugged during the flashing process!
15. When the flash finishes, boot up the device and once booted, please proceed with the instructions

Installing Lineage Recovery using fastboot

1. Build a LineageOS installation package. The recovery will be built as part of it!
   warning

   Important: Other recoveries may not work for installation or updates. We strongly recommend to use the one linked above!
2. Connect your device to your PC via USB if it isn’t already.
3. 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 Up and connect the USB cable. The notification light should turn blue.
4. 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.
5. Flash recovery onto your device:

   fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
   

6. Now reboot into recovery to verify the installation. Do not reboot into the existing OS, since it will overwrite the recovery you just installed!

   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the device vibrates, then release.

     info_outline

     Note: If you can’t power down the device, try long-pressing the key-combination (if any was used in the instructions above) until the device reboots and follow the instructions above
   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!

Installing LineageOS from recovery

1. Build a LineageOS installation package.
2. If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Keep holding both buttons until the device vibrates, then release.
3. Now tap Factory Reset, then Format data / factory reset and continue with the formatting process. This will remove encryption and delete all files stored in the internal storage, as well as format your cache partition (if you have one).
4. Return to the main menu.
5. Sideload the LineageOS .zip package but do not reboot before you read/followed the rest of the instructions!
   • On the device, select “Apply Update”, then “Apply from ADB” to begin sideload.
   • On the host machine, sideload the package using: adb -d sideload filename.zip.
     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.

Installing Add-Ons

1. Click Apply Update, then Apply from ADB, then adb -d sideload filename.zip for all desired packages in sequence.
   When presented with a screen that says Signature verification failed, click Yes. It is expected as add-ons aren’t signed with LineageOS’s official key!

All set!

Once you have installed everything successfully, you can now reboot your device into the OS for the first time!

• Click the back arrow in the top left of the screen, then “Reboot system now”.