There might not be any one thing associated with customizing a mobile device that is more intriguing than installing a new ROM on the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone. Fact: nothing you can do will ever customize your smartphone more than changing the ROM in its entirety. Also fact: you never run more of a risk bricking your device than when you change ROMs. That’s not to say something bad is ever going to happen — we can assure you that it normally doesn’t. Just make sure you take your time and follow all the necessary steps before changing your ROMs. Some important things to remember is that you must wipe your data and apply a factory reset between ROMs. Some also like to clear the caching before installing a new ROM on a device. Certainly, if your ROM doesn’t seem like it’s playing right, you should try installing it again with the caching cleared this time.
Once you have the custom ROM of your choice installed on the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone using your custom recovery, you can start to enjoy everything you have been waiting for — from new features to removing the bloatware; the new ROM can potentially have everything you ever dreamed.
Official Android 6.0 Marshmallow Firmware:
Are you planning on flashing the official stock firmware on your Xperia Z2? If so, then why not the latest version? Download this stock firmware for your Xperia Z2 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow software updates. You have to flash this firmware using the flash tool, which you can find here. This firmware is already rooted, deodexed and debloated so have fun installing the latest firmware on your phone.
Features: based on Android 6.0 marshmallow stock firmware, pre-rooted, deodexed, debloated, trimmed down for performance, removed lots of customization options, zip aligned for best performance.
Download: Official Android 6.0 Marshmallow Firmware
Slim 5.0 ROM:
The Slim 5.0 ROM is a slimmed down version of the stock firmware of Sony Xperia Z2. The slim version is slimmed down to increase the performance of the device. The slim ROM has been trimmed with lots of stock apps so you can have more free space and free RAM. The Slim 5.0 ROM is installed with XDual Recovery 2.8 and stock kernel for more stability.
Features: based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, pre-rooted, deodexed, debloated, removed customization, SuperSU 2.52, XDual Recovery 2.8, Xposed support, Xperia X goodies, Z5 Compact goodies, MiUI 7 animation engine, increased sound volume, and material AOSP browser. Furthermore, you get the Sony notes and audio recorder, FM radio without headset, 160 character support for stock messages, navigation bar swipe to unlock, auto start manager, and ext-SD write support. Plus there is still the Google Play services battery drain fix, tweaked screen recording app, updated assertive display calibration, enable 3G mode only, enables the call recording option.
Download: Slim 5.0 ROM
eXistenZ Premium 7.0.0 ROM:
The eXistenZ Premium custom ROM is the best ROM for your Xperia Z2. The eXistenz ROM is like a brand in custom ROMs. You’ll get lots of goodies in this custom ROM branded with eXistenz like the eXistenz theme, bootloader, and customization. The aforesaid custom ROM is based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, so you can have that sweetest Android treat on your Sony Xperia Z2 with a little Sony UI taste.
Features: based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, fully deodexed, stage-fright libs updated, battery charging status added to the lock screen, and the Sony clock style added to the lock screen. In addition to those, you get the new eXistenZ boot message, no OpenGL (Play Store issues), call reject by message while receiving, data on/off warning removed, and cost saving. Moreover, you get a real-time time stamp activated in conversion app; E-Mail attachments entirely work in E-Mail app, national data roaming added to network settings, use only 2g added to network settings, stereo output to speakers, sound effects, eXistenZ theme, eXistenZ boot animation, Verizon live wallpaper.
Download: eXistenZ Premium 7.0.0 ROM
MoonWalker Epidemic v10.0:
The MoonWalker Epidemic custom ROM is based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and themed as Sony Xperia Z5 premium. Not only themed like, but this custom ROM also contains Sony Xperia Z5 stock apps so you can have the same Sony Xperia Z5 feel on your Sony Xperia Z2. With some build.prop tweaks this custom ROM became the super ROM and gave you an almost lag free experience even in with the high graphics games.
Features: based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, build prop tweaks, Xperia X theme included, black Xperia X boot animation included, Xperia X theme chooser, display network with 38 dpi, white small app launcher, Z5 camera, and Z5p camera lib. Additionally, you get the CPU control, blurred systemUI, Xposed framework installed, card views like on Xperia X, superuser mod, Z5 premium sound files/libs, also personal sound files, Z5 stock apps like the conversation, calendar and alarm apps.
Download: MoonWaler Epidemic v10.0 ROM
Google Style v3 ROM:
The Google Style v3 ROM is based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop stock ROM, so you’ll get more stability, performance, and bug-free experience. A little Xperia Z5 tweaks and lots and lots of CyanogenMod tweaks makes this custom ROM is as fast as Bullet train. CM tweaks contain all the stock apps like calculator, calendar, launcher, file manager and settings.
Features: based on the latest Z2 stock firmware, fully deodexed, fully rooted with SuperSU, NUT dual recovery pre-installed, fully init.d support, Xperia Z5 assertive display, SELinux modification is set to permissive, tunable interactive & VM optimized, X Battery+ control, and CM style clock. Moreover, you get the CM styled calculator, CM styled, CM styled home, CM styled dialer, CM styled gallery, CM styled camera, CM styled settings; CM styled incall UI; CM styled file manger, and CM styled music player. Plus there’s still the CM styled audio FX; CM styled message app; CM styled wallpaper picker, CM styled status bar battery.
Download: Google Style v3 ROM
Official AICP v10.0 Nightly:
If I were you, I would prefer this AICP custom ROM more from all these custom ROMs listed above. Because this custom ROM is smooth, with custom kernel and heads-up notifications. AICP custom ROM has customization options that no other custom ROM ever have in it like over scroll effects and adds power menu and task manager on the notification panel.
Features: based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, SlimPIE, Slim recents, floating windows, breathing notifications, dynamic notifications, dynamic tiles, music tile, silent mode, force expanded notifications, call recording format and app sidebar. Furthermore, you get the notification ticker and count added, over scroll effects, snooze option to heads up, task manager, heads up and power menu on the notification panel.
Download: Official AICP v10.0 Nightly ROM