Update T-Mobile LG G3 with CM12 Nightlies Android 5.0 Lollipop OS

T-Mobile LG G3 is already running on stock Lollipop OS. However, the default Android 5.0 firmware is pre installed with various bloatware, not to mention that pure Android system is out of question. So, if you want to try something new and also something better, then you should know that CyanogenMod released its official Nightlies built of CM 12 for the T-Mobile variant of LG G3.

The Nightlies release of CM12 represents an official built of CyanogenMod, which also means stable Android 5.0 Lollipop OS for your T-Mobile LG G3. The update comes with no bloatware pre installed and with an unlocked Android system that can be anytime customized, optimized and personalized. Of course, since we are talking about a custom ROM you will still not receive the pure Lollipop OS for your T-Mobile LG G3. However, as you might know, CM 12 is far way better than the stock Android 5.0 experience as the firmware brings different features and capabilities that cannot be found on the default version of Android software.

Thus, after completing this step by step guide you can use the CM 12 platform for tweaking your LG G3. What does this mean? Shortly, with CM12 Nightlies installed, you can receive more power from your smartphone, you can upgrade the battery life and you can improve other general performances. Of course, everything can be done while you are using a stable and smooth Lollipop experience.

A custom ROM is an unofficial port of stock Android OS. Third party devs are behind this project so the update isn’t provided by LG or by Google. Because of that, this tutorial is showing an unofficial operation. Therefore, if you choose to apply the guidelines from below you need to know that you will also lose the warranty of your T-Mobile LG G3. Bottom line, I recommend this step by step guide only for advanced Android users who are used with custom ROMs such as CyanogenMod, AOKP or Paranoid Android.

Also, in order to be able to install CM 12 Nightlies, first you need to root your T-Mobile LG G3 – the Lollipop firmware must access and also modify in built settings so root access is a must. Then, as you will notice below, the CM12 update package is offered in form of a .zip file. Now, these types of updates can be flashed only if you use a custom recovery image, like CWM or TWRP recovery. Therefore, don’t go any further without installing a custom recovery image on your device.

Moreover, a backup should be applied on your phone because during the installation process, a wipe will have to be performed. So, if you skip the update, then you will end up in losing your data along with everything else that’s saved on the internal storage memory of your T-Mobile LG G3. Also, since CM 12 Nightlies is a custom ROM and since you might not be into the same, now you should save the current ROM that runs on your phone. In that matter, you can use the custom recovery image that you have already installed on your handset – thus, make a Nandroid backup.

These are the essential pre requisites that must be completed before heading towards the steps from below. Other pre requisites that must be applied before anything else are being detailed during this step by step guide. So check the tutorial mentioned and only after that resume the guidelines from here.

Update T-Mobile LG G3 with CM12 Nightlies Android 5.0 Lollipop OS

1. From this page download the proper CM 12 Nightlies update file for your T-Mobile LG G3.
2. Save the Android 5.0 Lollipop package on your computer, but don’t unzip the file.
3. Connect your smartphone with your PC and copy-paste the downloaded file on your phone.
4. Then, unplug the USB cable and disconnect your devices.
5. Good; now enter your LG G3 in recovery mode.
6. The first thing to do from recovery is a wipe: select “wipe data factory reset”.
7. Then, also clear cache: pick “wipe cache partition” and “wipe dalvik cache”.
8. Now, from main menu of recovery flash the Android 5.0 Lollipop update: select “install zip from SD card” and “choose zip from SD card”.
9. Pick and install CM 12 custom ROM and then from main menu of recovery select “reboot system now”.

You are done; now on your T-Mobile LG G3 a custom version of Android 5.0 Lollipop OS should be running as CM 12 Nightlies has been successfully installed.