✏ FP3/FP3+: Complete guide for installing LineageOS

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How to: Installing LineageOS on your FP3/FP3+

Since there is no easy, complete, all-in-one guide available, I thought about writing one. Feel free to join this wiki post and optimize it;)

1. ATTENTION

:warning: WARNING: You’ll loose all your data. So back up everything you want to keep!

:warning: WARNING: the wiki hasnt been updated since some time and things might have been changed, so def. read the official installation instructions as well ( e.g. LOS recovery to be flashed not bootet…)

2. Requirements

  • Minimal ADB and Fastboot
    Command line tool that can handle adb and fastboot commands. (Mac users can install them using brew install android-platform-tools)
  • Recovery
    • LineageOS recovery
      LineageOS recovery, recommended for installing LineageOS.
    • LineageOS for microG recovery
      LineageOS recovery, recommended for installing LineageOS for microG.
    • TWRP
      More advanced recovery with e.g. backup options. Can’t be installed permanently, though booting with adb commands is possible.
  • LineageOS
    • LineageOS
      Official version of LineageOS
    • LineageOS for microG
      LineageOS with additional microG services which replaces Google Play Services. F-Droid is preinstalled.
  • Optional:
    • Open GApps
      If you’re using the original LineageOS and NOT the microG version and want to use Google Services, you can install the Open GApps right after installing LineageOS.
    • Magisk
      With Magisk you can root your FP3/FP3+ and install additional modules which require root access.

3. OEM Unlock

To change the OS, you’ll have to activate OEM Unlock.

  1. First of all, you have to enable Developer options:

    1. Navigate to Settings → About phone → Build number
    2. Press Build number seven times until you get the message “You have enabled development settings!
      (You might have to enter your PIN/password initially)
  2. Next, we have to generate and enter the OEM unlock code:

    1. Open the website Bootloader Unlocking Code for Fairphone 3
    2. Navigate to Settings → About phone → IMEI (sim slot 1) and enter the IMEI on the website mentioned above.
    3. Navigate to Settings → About phone → Model & hardware and enter the serial number on the website mentioned above.
    4. On the website, press the button Get your unlock code to generate the required code
    5. Now, you have to activate USB debugging/Android debugging settings:
      Navigate to Settings → System → Advanced → Developer options → USB debugging/Android debugging
    6. Then, navigate to Settings → System → Advanced → Developer options → OEM unlocking and enter the previously generated code (You might have to enter your PIN/password initially)

4. Bootloader Unlock

Congrats :grinning:
You did the first step towards installing LineageOS!
Now we have to use some ADB commands to boot into the bootloader…

  1. Connect your FP3/FP3+ to your computer and start the terminal app Minimal ADB and Fastboot
    (Your Fairphone might ask you first if it should allow USB debugging)
  2. Enter adb devices
    This should list your FP3/FP3+ similar like this:
    List of devices attached
    A208F7120204 device
  3. Now, enter adb reboot bootloader
    This should boot your Fairphone into the bootloader.
    Alternatively, you can turn off your FP3/FP3+, then press the Power button and Volume - button at the same time until the device vibrates. That will also boot your FP3 in to the bootloader.
    There you can see on the last line DEVICE STATE - LOCKED
    This indicates that the bootloader is still locked.
  4. Now, enter fastboot oem unlock
  5. Next, you have to accept the unlocking on your phone.
    Navigate with Volume + / Volume - buttons and press the Power button to proceed with the unlocking.
    This step will unlock the bootloader and wipe all your data!

5. Installing LineageOS

To install LineageOS, we first have to boot into a custom recovery. You can use TWRP or the LineageOS-Recovery

  1. Download your recovery
    *download the .img file!
    1. LineageOS recovery
    2. LineageOS for microG recovery
    3. TWRP
  2. Copy the *.img file into your Minimal ADB and Fastboot install folder (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot)
  3. Boot your FP3 into the bootloader
  4. Connect your FP3 to your computer
  5. Open Minimal ADB and Fastboot and enter the command fastboot boot RECOVERY-FILENAME.img
    Replace RECOVERY-FILENAME.img with the filename of the recovery you want to use.
    Now, your Fairphone should boot into the recovery.
6a. Using LineageOS recovery
  1. Navigate to Factory reset → Format data/factory reset and select it by pressing the power button.
  2. Now, navigate back to the main menu and choose Apply update → Apply from ADB
  3. Next, you have to download the LineageOS version you want to use:
    download the specific .zip file!
    1. LineageOS
    2. LineageOS for microG
  4. Copy the *.zip file into your Minimal ADB and Fastboot install folder (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot)
  5. Open Minimal ADB and Fastboot and enter the command adb sideload lineage-17.1-YYYYMMDD.zip
    replace lineage-17.1-YYYYMMDD.zip with the specific filename of the zip file you want to install!
    This step will install LineageOS :smiley:
  6. After the installation is successfully finished, Minimal ADB and Fastboot will report something like:
    adb: failed to read command: Success.
  7. Optional:
    If you’d installed the original LineageOS and NOT the microG version and want to use Google Services, you can install Open GApps right after installing the OS.
    (same procedure with adb sideload)
    (Since additional add-ons aren’t signed with LineageOS’s official key, the LineageOS recovery might report the warning Signature verification failed. That’s expected and normal, just continue.)
  8. Now, you can reboot your FP3:
    main menu → Reboot system now
6b. Using TWRP
  1. Navigate to Wipe → Format data and type yes
  2. Now, Wipe → Advanced wipe and select Dalvik /ART Cache and System
  3. Now, navigate back to the main menu and choose Advanced → ADB Sideload → Swipe to Start Sideload
  4. Next, you have to download the LineageOS version you want to use:
    download the specific .zip file!
    1. LineageOS
    2. LineageOS for microG
  5. Copy the *.zip file into your Minimal ADB and Fastboot install folder (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot)
  6. On your computer, enter the command adb sideload lineage-17.1-YYYYMMDD.zip
    replace lineage-17.1-YYYYMMDD.zip with the specific filename of the zip file you want to install!
    This step will install LineageOS :smiley:
  7. After the installation is successfully finished, Minimal ADB and Fastboot will report something like:
    adb: failed to read command: Success.
  8. Optional:
    If you’d installed the original LineageOS and NOT the microG version and want to use Google Services, you can install Open GApps right after installing the OS.
    (same procedure with adb sideload)
  9. Now, you can reboot your FP3:
    Reboot → System

6. Rooting your FP3/FP3+ (optional)

:warning: This may break some features on your phone, only root your phone if you are sure of what you are doing :warning:

After installing LineageOS, you might want to get some more features with rooting you FP3/FP3+. This is quite easy to achieve:

  1. Download Magisk Manager (MagiskManager-v0.0.0.apk) to your phone.
  2. Download Magisk (Magisk-v00.0.zip) and copy the file into your Minimal ADB and Fastboot install folder (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot)
  3. First, open and install the Magisk Manager apk file from your phone with the file manager.
  4. Then, boot into the recovery with the command adb reboot recovery
  5. Connect your FP3/FP3+ with your computer, open Minimal ADB and Fastboot and install the Magisk .zip file with the command adb sideload Magisk-v00.0.zip
    Replace Magisk-v00.0.zip with the filename of the specific file.
    (Since additional add-ons aren’t signed with LineageOS’s official key, the LineageOS recovery might report the warning Signature verification failed. That’s expected and normal, just continue.)
  6. Now, reboot

7. Relock Bootloader (optional)

After installing LineageOS, you can lock your bootloader again. Be aware that this will wipe all your data!
:warning: WARNING: If you have rooted your FP3/FP3+, you can’t lock the bootloader!

  1. Boot your FP3 into the bootloader with the command adb reboot bootloader
  2. Connect your FP3 with your computer and open Minimal ADB and Sideload.
  3. Type the command fastboot oem lock

Sources

Thanks to all humans that made this wiki possible!
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