LineageOS 24 is now official, with the latest builds rolling out based on Android 17, bringing a surprise early release alongside a fresh coat of Material Design 3 Expressive paint, new WebUSB flashing tools, and more.
Announced in a dedicated and detailed blog post, LineageOS 24 arrives just ahead of a major milestone for the custom ROM project, which celebrates its 10th anniversary on December 24, 2026.
Compared to previous release cycles, the team is well ahead of schedule this time around. Releasing earlier than anticipated following Android 17’s initial June launch, LineageOS 24 gives those running existing builds the opportunity to upgrade to Google’s latest OS version. The release lands as LineageOS 24.0 and incorporates security patches from August 2025 up through October 2026 across supported branches.
While moving to Android 17 is notable alone, there are some other changes that are key to LineageOS 24.
One of the biggest headline changes in this release is a heavy focus on app design refreshes. Almost all of the core Lineage apps have been updated to Material Design 3 Expressive, highlighted by a brand-new built-in image editor called Canvas, which handles all the image editing regular stuff like basic cropping, white balance, and filters to pair nicely with Glimpse and Aperture.
There’s also a major visual overhaul to the Updater, which now supports streamed updates by default to drastically cut down installation times on A/B devices.
LineageOS 24’s music player, Twelve, has even faster load times for large media libraries, improved Jellyfin support, and a dedicated tab for your most-played tracks. This player was introduced back with LineageOS 22.
Not to be left out, the default browser Jelly now supports PWA-like apps using a new shortcut. This could be huge for those not wanting to install apps from third-party stores.
Installing LineageOS 24 is also getting a bit simpler for those usually not confident in flashing custom ROMs. The team is launching new WebUSB-based flash tools directlyoot, Amlogic Burn, and Samsung Odin protocols. While standard device wiki guides remain the default and fully supported path, these optional web tools help streamline the process for users looking to avoid extra desktop software
On the maintenance side, LineageOS is formally restricting future builds for older devices running Linux Kernel versions 4.4 and 4.9. While these legacy kernels can no longer be submitted for LineageOS 23.2 or 24.0 builds, they will remain supported on LineageOS 22.2 with ongoing monthly security patches. Meanwhile, the team has expanded SoC-specific common kernels and commonized legacy device shims to simplify maintenance across popular chips from Qualcomm and Amlogic.
Rollouts will begin hitting a growing selection of supported devices in the coming weeks as maintainers bring them up to compliance. To check if your device is ready or to follow the upgrade path, you can head over to the official LineageOS Wiki.
More on LineageOS:
- LineageOS support finally comes to the Galaxy S22 series
- The Retroid Pocket 6 now officially supports LineageOS
- LineageOS 23 review: The de facto AI-free alternative Android experience [Video]
You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
