Android 5.1 Released for OnePlus One in form of CM12.1 ROM (Installation Guide Included)
OnePlus One will soon receive the CM12S OTA update, but until then Android Lollipop is out of question. But, if you want to skip the wait, you should know that a custom ROM firmware based on latest Android 5.1 Lollipop OS has been released for your smartphone. I am talking about CM 12.1, a ported Lollipop software and a customizable CyanogenMod platform.
Unfortunately, this CM12.1 built isn’t coming from CyanogenMod, so this is not an official update available for your OnePlus One. In fact, the Android 5.1 Lollipop firmware is still under development stage as those of xda-developers are trying to resolve the last aspects. However, the update is stable enough for a daily use, as all the bugs and software related problems are just minor ones. Bottom line, now you have to chance to experience Android 5.1 Lollipop on your own OnePlus One, through a custom port of CM12.1 system.
So, what do you say, are you interested in flashing the ROM? If you are, then you should know that you are about to complete an unofficial operation that shouldn’t be related to OnePlus or to CyanogenMod. Thus, the warranty of your OnePlus One will get void and if you will mess things up, you can even brick your phone – if something bad happens, you will have to learn how to manually troubleshoot your bricked Android device (the warranty is lost, so if you take your phone back to service you will have to pay for the technical assistance).
Also, since you will complete a custom and also risky operation, before learning how to update your OnePlus One with CM 12.1 custom ROM, first you need to learn how to prepare your phone for the flashing procedure. Thus, in that matter, I recommend you to check this dedicated step by step guide. There you will find the risks and the advantages related to this update process and also you will see how to properly prepare things up for the installation process that will shortly follow.
The most important aspects are referring to:
- You must root your OnePlus One if you want to install this custom Android 5.1 Lollipop update.
- A custom recovery image must be installed on your device – you will flash the ROM through the same environment. In that matter, you should use the latest version of CWM or TWRP recovery.
- You have to backup your data because a hard reset process will be completed during the lines from below.
- You should also make a Nandroid backup for storing the current ROM – CM12.1 comes with few errors, so you might want to be able to easily downgrade your OnePlus One back to stock if something bad happens.
- You shouldn’t use this guide unless you own the OnePlus One smartphone – the CM 12.1 Android 5.1 Lollipop firmware file provided below is compatible only with the mentioned Android based device.
Android 5.1 Released for OnePlus One in form of CM12.1 ROM (Installation Guide Included)
- Go to this page and on your computer download the update package.
- Then, from the same page download Google Apps package.
- You need to save these files on your PC first, though you shouldn’t unzip the packages.
- Then, you have to connect your device with your computer and you need to transfer the files on your OnePlus One.
- Next, enter recovery mode on your Android device.
- Once in recovery, go ahead and select “wipe data factory reset”, “wipe cache partition” and “wipe dalvik cache”.
- Also, after doing so, from recovery select “install zip from SD card” and “choose zip from SD card”.
- Next, pick up the CM12.1 file and install Android 5.1 Lollipop on your phone.
- Of course, when done, repeat the process and flash Google Apps package.
- Finally, choose “reboot system now” as you are done.
