# LineageOS 186 Hacker News commenters recommended LineageOS and 66 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 13 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 10 years (8 owners). It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** A free Android distribution that gives old or unsupported phones new life with more control and less Google, though critics cite lagging security patches, unlocked bootloaders and banking-app breakage. ## Why people recommend it - Extends life of old phones (7 comments): "Software developers who support open source initiative such as LineageOS, ChromeOS or lightweight Linux distributions allow to keep devices for longer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48949796)) "I've been recycling all my old OnePlus by putting linageOS or AxionOS, and they feel like new again." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48925583)) "I've been recycling all my old OnePlus by putting linageOS or AxionOS, and they feel like new again" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48939701)) - Less Google, more privacy (6 comments): "a better option for a dev would be to use something like lineage or some other aosp distro without the google services" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47940639)) "if my goal is to limit communication of my device with Google as much as possible, then they (/LineageOS) still win" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48344301)) "A good OS that allows you to remove permissions from apps and further isolate things does a lot for privacy." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48763112)) - More user control than stock (3 comments): "LOS sadly doesn't ship anything but adb root by default (although... they do that, so yes they do ship "user accessible root"), but they're still less hostile about it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50047559)) "At the moment, a 6t with Lineage is better than the latest Android on a newer device IMO, because of the control it provides." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46941283)) "moving the clock back to the right ( where persistent notifications belong ) and power button for flashlight" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50047992)) - Broad device support (3 comments): "There are other Android distributions that run on practically any Android phone you have, look for LineageOS." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49812333)) "LineageOS official device support (lineageos.org/devices) is broader than most people realize" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47142650)) "I've had very little issue installing LineageOS and GrapheneOS on the various phones I've owned" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47106448)) ## What people warn about - Delayed firmware and kernel security patches (5 comments): "The latest releases of LineageOS for Pixels do not provide the June 2026 and later updates to the firmware, kernel, drivers and HALs" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49588066)) "It's very misleading since the vast majority of serious Linux kernel vulnerabilities aren't patched for these end-of-life devices." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50047380)) "An end-of-life Xiaomi device with no privacy or security patches for the firmware, Linux kernel, drivers and HALs for years" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48761616)) - Weakens verified boot, unlocked bootloader (2 comments): "when I run LineageOS, at least on the phones I tried, it is signed with the Google test keys and the bootloader is not relocked" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47948402)) "LineageOS disables major parts of verified boot, doesn't preserve the security model it depends on" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49036617)) - Banking and payment apps may break (2 comments): "it would kill basically anything (making e.g. paying with a credit card a pain when you have to switch to the bank app to confirm a transaction)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47175873)) "it's always potentially only a matter of time until some banking and payment apps stop working due to failing attestation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47216272)) - Supported devices often old or limited (3 comments): "Not a lot of them unfortunately.. but with current bootloader unlocking situation, only newer motorolas seem to be missing" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50046249)) "Lineage clearly supports a lot of devices and device types, but most are ancient or specific models" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50046002)) "The alibi open source version of android that only runs on hardware in the +1000 USD range." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50046297)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Android](https://hackerapproved.com/p/android.md): 372 recommend - [Apple iOS](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ios.md): 308 recommend - [/e/OS](https://hackerapproved.com/p/e-os.md): 89 recommend - [Sailfish OS](https://hackerapproved.com/p/sailfish-os.md): 80 recommend - [Ubuntu Touch](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ubuntu-touch.md): 35 recommend ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "LineageOS", https://hackerapproved.com/p/lineageos/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).