Last Updated on December 11, 2022 by Mathew Diekhake
Those looking for reasons to install a custom ROM on the Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone will want to know about updates. As you probably know, software updates go a long way to making a decision on what device you might buy. When you buy a flagship Samsung smartphone, you expect the latest operating system and you also expect future updates to continue coming. Samsung will certainly continue updating the device, but those updates won’t last forever. Furthermore, the updates won’t be anywhere near as timely as one would like when spending so much money. Thankfully, there is an alternative to that problem which is installing a custom ROM. There are custom ROMs out there like the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow ROM that will update your device to something newer than your manufacturer is ready to give.
Updating the version of Android to something newer on the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone is definitely one of the main reasons for wanting to install a custom ROM, but it’s not the only reason. You might also want to remove the manufacturers skin that it on top of the stock Android — Samsung are always giving users this and many hate the TouchWiz UI filled with Samsung bloatware apps. A custom ROM can remove those Samsung apps and TouchWiz completely.
Many of the premier custom ROM makers like the CyanogenMod team will tell you to install one of their ROMs because it delivers better performance and stability than what your manufacturer and Android offer. So, by installing some custom ROMs, you can also improve your device’s performance.
Files You Need
- You might need to root the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone if you want to install a custom ROM on the device.
- You will need to install a custom recovery on the Sprint Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone if you want to be able to flash a custom ROM.
– once you have the recovery installed, boot your device into the recovery and tap the Install option to upload your ROM file. - Install the Google Gapps on your Samsung Galaxy S5 if you want to have the stock apps running with your new ROM.
CyanogenMod 12 Android 5.0.2 Lollipop
Many people swear by the CyanogenMod custom ROM and its got the most loyal fan base out of any ROM. There are many CyanogenMod versions. The number usually lets you know what version it’s based on. The features shown below are what you will typically find coming with CyanogenMod 12 and are not necessarily the features you will find on this ROM.
Features: filtered notifications, privacy guard, customize navigation buttons, new notification sounds, individual sounds for alarm, media and ring volumes, blacklist phone numbers, system profiles, new CyanogenMod theme engine, weather conditions available above Quick Settings, quick pull-down for status bar.
Download: CyanogenMod 12
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
Here is a brand new release as we bring in the new year of 2016. You can now install Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow if you have the Galaxy S5 with model number SM-G900P only. That’s the Sprint variant of the smartphone.
Features: mobile data for calling, text messages and MMS messages, WiFi, Mobile tethering, Mobile hotspot, Google Now, themes, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth, Audio, Gestures, mounting of both internal and external SD cards is possible, camera and video recording.
Download: Android 6.01 Marshmallow
CarbonROM Android 5.1.1
When you have the best smartphones in the business, you can expect to find the best third-party developers not far behind. The CarbonROM team is one of the biggest names in the business and this is their custom ROM based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.
Features: CyanogenMod theme engine, WiFi notifications, AOSP and CM audio, automatic safe headset volume, CM notification manager, CyanogenMod shortcuts on the lockscreen, Slim shortcuts, Google search bar can be hidden from recents, clear all button tweaks, additional battery options from the status bar, many more status bar tweaks, Slim Pie notification with additional Slim Pie features, many power menu tweaks, CyanogenMod customization for the hardware keys.
Download: CarbonROM
AllianceROM
The AllianceROM is a name you might remember but sometimes forget since they aren’t around for as many devices as they probably should be. These custom ROMs are some of the best available for any device and the AllianceROM team continue the trend here with the Samsung Galaxy S5.
Features: amazing themes which you can see from the picture above, Tron theme, anonymous theme, Android L theme, Iran Man, The Hulk and Captain America themes, new boot animation, private mode, clock font style choice, Headsup Blacklist, Custom Carrier in status bar, many fixes, many added features, Android 4.4.2 KitKat base, Build.prop tweaks, 10 shortcuts from the toobox, new boot animation, Knox is removed, AOSP lockscreen if you want it and much more.
Download: AllianceROM v1
Mother Of All ROMs (MOAR)
The Mother of All ROMs team is calling this one the ‘Lollipop Killer’ and it is definitely a custom ROM to check out if you want to be running Lollipop on your device. The updated version from this page comes with over 50 new features and fixes. |
Features: Lollipop OA6, Knox is removed, its own ‘Mod control’, theming, Build.prop, battery, CSC tweaks, fully Deodexed, Hacked Hotspot, TouchWiz launcher theme manager, new modified toolbox, 500 fonts to choose, built-in screen recording, Music Control and much more.
Download: MOAR v7.0 ROM
Stock Deodexed Android 4.4.4 ROM
Yes, this is going to give you the stock ROM based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat software, but it is still a custom ROM thanks to the fact that it is rooted and comes with SuperSU to keep you safe from malware. It also doesn’t have any Knox security. If you want to run stock Android 4.4.4, have no Knox and have the device rooted, just install this custom ROM.
Features: comes rooted already, SuperSU is available from your app drawer, BusyBox is installed, Stock NK4 Kernel with init.d support and SQLite.
Download: stock Android 4.4.4 KitKat ROM
Odin ROM
Here is an interesting new custom ROM! This Odin one-click executable file will flash the stock bootloader, ROM, kernel and modem on your Sprint Samsung Galaxy S5 device. It even comes with the full Knox package so you can flash this ROM and have Knox back on the device without it being tripped.
Features: Knox, NI3 bootloader, modem, kernel, stock ROM just like out of the box.
Download: Odin ROM