LineageOS 24 ships Android 17 and browser-based flashing

LineageOS 24.0, the newest version of the free Android distribution that replaces the software phone makers ship, was announced on October 11, 2026. It moves the project to Android 17 and adds support for new phones such as the Google Pixel 10 and OnePlus 15. It also launches tools that install LineageOS from a web browser, which could make a fiddly first install easier.

What LineageOS 24 is built on

LineageOS 24.0 is based on Android 17, which Google released in June. The project's announcement, written by Nolen Johnson, says the team is "early this year." LWN reports that heavy refactoring by Google in recent Android versions made the move to the new code faster than expected.

"The last year has been crazy, but we have remained dedicated to bringing an updated LineageOS based on Android 17 to the masses!" the announcement says. It also notes a milestone ahead: "On December 24, 2026, LineageOS will celebrate 10 years."

Phones and tablets at launch

The launch device table has 174 entries, and some entries cover several models. Of those, 155 moved up from LineageOS 23.2. Seventeen entries are new to LineageOS.

Maker	New in LineageOS 24.0
Google	Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, 10 Pro Fold, 10a
OnePlus	OnePlus 15, 15T, Pad 3 Pro / Pad 4
Realme	GT7 Pro, GT7 Pro Racing Edition, 9 5G, Q5
Samsung	Galaxy Tab S7+ (LTE/5G and Wi-Fi)
Others	AYN Thor, Amazon Fire Max 11, SDMC DV9135

Older devices carry over too. They include the Pixel 4 through Pixel 9a, the Fairphone 4 and 5, the Nothing Phone (1), the OnePlus 7 through 13, and Samsung's Galaxy S20, S22 and S23. The project says more devices will be added as their maintainers get them ready.

Installing from a browser

The biggest change for new users is a set of web-based flash tools at flash.lineageos.org. Flashing means writing a new operating system onto a device. The tools use WebUSB, a browser feature that lets a web page talk to a USB device.

They cover four common methods: ADB, Fastboot, Amlogic's Burn protocol and Samsung's Odin protocol. ADB and Fastboot are Google's standard tools for controlling an Android device over USB. "We're launching new browser-based flash tools for several common device-installation methods," the announcement says.

The tools are an extra option. The written guides on the LineageOS wiki stay the default, supported way to install. The project warns that support varies by device, browser, operating system and USB connection.

New and updated apps

Many of the built-in apps now use Material 3 Expressive, Google's newest design style. The main changes:

• Updater: fully redesigned. "Updates are streamed by default! This will greatly decrease installation time on A/B devices!" the post says. A/B devices keep two copies of the system, so an update installs in the background.
• Canvas: a new image editor for cropping, white balance and filters. It works with the Glimpse gallery and the Aperture camera.
• SetupWizard: the first-boot setup was rebuilt, and maintainers can add setup pages for their device.
• Jelly: the browser can now open web apps through home-screen shortcuts.
• Twelve: the music app loads large libraries faster and works better with Jellyfin, a self-hosted media server.

Security patches and older versions

According to the announcement, security patches from August 2025 to October 2026 are merged into every branch from LineageOS 18.1 to 24.0. The patch date shown in Settings changes only on LineageOS 21 and newer. Those versions are based on Android 14 or later, which Google still publishes security bulletins for.

Devices on old Linux kernels, versions 4.4 or 4.9, are now accepted only for LineageOS 22.2. That branch keeps getting builds and monthly patches until Google stops its Android 15 bulletins.

The release also adds an experimental "bare-metal" target. The project says it has booted on ordinary x86_64 PCs, Apple Silicon Macs, NVIDIA DGX Spark and Snapdragon X laptops.

What this means for developers

• Upgrade without wiping, usually. People on an official build "DO NOT need to wipe" their device unless its wiki page says otherwise. Anyone on an unofficial build needs a fresh install.
• Turn an old phone into an Android 17 test device. A supported older phone, such as a Pixel 4 or OnePlus 7, can now run Android 17 for app testing.
• Read the device page before using the web flasher. Support varies, so confirm that your phone, browser and cable are covered first.
• Do not judge security by the label alone. On LineageOS 18.1 to 20.0, patches are merged but the patch date in Settings does not change.
• Check your Google apps package. The announcement does not mention Google apps at all. Confirm that the package you use supports Android 17 before you upgrade.