Android Custom ROM, Still Needed in 2025?

Android Custom ROM – The freedom that Android offers as a mobile device operating system is the ability for anyone to “opt” the ROM. At the beginning of Android’s release, the scheme of breaking the system had become a common everyday practice.

Unlocking the bootloader, especially on Xiaomi cellphones at this time, which is easy and difficult, still remains clearly in my memory. As we know, most branded OS or ROMs sometimes don’t have the performance you want. Starting from a boring appearance, to hampered performance because an OS like MIUI is too ‘bloated’ with lots of built-in applications and trash features.

Custom ROM and root were the answers at that time. By installing our own ROM, we can experience using a much lighter operating system, according to our wishes, with an appearance that is similar to other cellphones (like the Pixel for example).

Installing a custom ROM is also not for all Android users. It has become something of a niche hobby among a group of users who want to experience true open-source. The community itself is also quite large for a ‘strange’ hobby. It’s just that, slowly but surely, custom ROM perpetrators and developers are becoming increasingly rare to find.

There are only a few truly stable ROMs left. The choice is between LineageOS, GrapheneOS, PixelOS and maybe some other big names. The oprek-mengoprek scheme that used to be busy is now starting to see very few people interested. What is it?

Is Android Custom ROM Still Necessary?

The fading existence of this custom ROM scheme is of course based on various factors. Android itself has matured in terms of software. Gone are the days when manufactured OS seemed unstable and rarely received updates.

Now, OS such as OneUI (which replaces Samsung’s TouchWiz), ColorOS, OriginOS already have a solid design with minimal bloatware. It still uses one design layer on top of stock Android, but in terms of features, there are rarely any cuts. As a consequence, the features on Android phones feel similar to each other and have no distinctive characteristics.

Big brands like OnePlus itself have also lost their identity as cellphones that prioritize anti-mainstream OS designs. After leaving Cyanogen and slowly following Oppo’s ColorOS design. This brand, which previously had a strong identity, had to die and be aligned with its sister company.

Long Update Support Vs CusROM

In the past, brands only dared to provide 1-2 years of update support for their cellphones, even flagships. This also makes many Android users feel jealous of iPhone users who still get OS update support for up to 5-6 years.

That was before, now it feels like the situation is quite different, especially in 2025. Several big brands have dared to provide software update support for at least 4-5 years, even for their midrange models. For example, the Samsung brand recently provided support for up to 6 years of software updates for the A series and 7 years for the S and Z series.

A long support period also means the OS gets security patches released every month and that’s crucial for those who care deeply about data security and cyberattacks. This condition makes many users feel that they no longer need to install third party ROMs before the first party support period ends.

Official ROM is Full of Features

In the past, maybe you had to install another ROM because it needed features system–wide dark mode or other features that are not in the official ROM. However, with the current level of maturity of the default OS, this act of messing around is increasingly losing its function.

Just imagine, installing a third party ROM is not an easy thing. You have to research first what ROM you want to use, then back up your data, open the bootloader, install TWRP, flash the ROM, install Magisk if you want to root, then we can enjoy the features you want.

But what if the features we want are actually already in the stock ROM? It seems like a waste of time wasting a lot of time trying to fix it, but the results are not much different.

Limitations from Google

The increasingly changing Android ecosystem also affects the oprek scheme itself. How could it not be, many of those who use custom ROMs complain that Google feels like they are making them stepchildren.

Digital wallets that don’t function properly, cameras that often have errors, Google Play integrity that is not active also sometimes mean that some applications such as Netflix cannot be installed. The combination of all of this makes custom ROMs more difficult to recommend for those who care about these crucial features.

When do you need a custom ROM?

Based on the many factors above, when do we actually still need a special ROM like this? The answer turns out to be a lot. This third party ROM will be very useful if you want to use a cellphone that is too old and no longer supports OS updates from the brand.

Using this custom ROM will give new life to your old device which is still functional but has been considered obsolete by the brand. This can mean you no longer need to throw away your cellphone, buy a new one, and increase the amount of electronic waste in circulation.

In addition, some special conditions require you to install a third-party ROM. One of them is when the default ROM is still full of bloatware and needs to be cleaned (for example HyperOS made by Xiaomi). With a lighter ROM, device performance will also be greatly improved.

Another suitable condition is those of you who want to be free from Google’s monitoring. Yes, it sounds hyperbolic, but not many people are worried that Android devices are being used as a means of collecting personal data for advertising purposes by Google. Therefore, there is a special ROM that does not include Google Mobile Service (GMS) so there are no built-in applications such as Chrome, Play Store, and YouTube.

Conclusion

This once popular scheme is slowly but surely starting to be abandoned. However, it will not completely die because Android itself is an open-source project, which means anyone can make their own OS variant.

There are always users who want to look unique and customize their devices according to their wishes. It’s just that a phenomenon that was once a necessity has now turned into just a hobby to seek pleasure and experience.

What about you? Do you still often mess with your Android phone? Or have you given up and returned to the mainstream? Try giving your opinion about this, bro.

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