– ROM is nothing but the operating system of the mobile device. Stock ROM is the official firmware of the device manufacturer that goes through rigorous testing and scheduled release cycles. Custom ROM is a uniquely modified firmware developed and built by a third party vendor. However, before you jailbreak your phone, remember that installing a custom ROM might void the warranty of your mobile device.

• We have explained rooting and its benefits in an article called Rooting Explained + Top 5 Benefits Of Rooting Your Android Phone.
• Given that users flashing a custom ROM generally use a rooted device, there is a very high probability that the bootloader will already be unlocked download the stock firmware.
• Also, on some ROMs, you may have to flash a GApps package such as OpenGapps (website) or NikGApps (website).
• Moreover, many people prefer apps like Titanium backup for taking regular backups but it should be noted that no app can save every tiny detail of your phone as backup does.

With the entry of a new generation of mobile telephony, the previous models are often forgotten, even though they really have some useful life. When people say they’re flashing a new ROM, it means they are flashing a new version of the firmware onto their phone – the two terms are interchangeable.

So if you want to be able to sign in with your Google account and use Google’s services like Sync, Play Store, Gmail, Drive, etc., you’ll need to install a separate GApps package. You can refer to our guide on finding the right Gapps package and download one that’s appropriate for you. Download and transfer it to your phone’s internal storage. You can also install them right from your PC/Mac if you opt for the adb sideload method.

If done properly, your Nokia 5.1 Plus shall be running on the Android 10 April 2020 security patch update. Instructions and software for flashing any firmware downloaded from here are included in the firmware download page. Some custom ROMs (like Pixel Experience and Evolution X) come with GApps pre-installed. In such cases, you don’t have to flash the GApps file separately.

If you have a popular phone with an active community on the XDA Developers forums, then this won’t be a problem. If you own a lesser-known device, a stock ROM may be harder to find. To go the whole way, you need to unroot your phone as well.