Install PixelExperience on r5x

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Basic requirements

  1. Read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems due to any missed steps!
  2. Make sure your computer has adb and fastboot. Setup instructions can be found here.
  3. Enable USB debugging on your device.
  4. Make sure that your model is actually listed in the “Supported models” section here (exact match required!)
  5. Boot your device with the stock OS at least once and check every functionality. Make sure that you can send and receive SMS and place and receive calls (also via WiFi and LTE, if available), otherwise it won’t work on PixelExperience either! Additionally, some devices require that VoLTE/VoWiFi be utilized once on stock to provision IMS.
  6. PixelExperience is provided as-is with no warranty. While we attempt to verify everything works you are installing this at your own risk!

Unlocking the bootloader

  1. Download the bootloader unlock app for your device:
    • Navigate to Realme’s forum.
    • Go to your device’s page by clicking Product option, followed by the device’s name.
    • Click Unlock Bootloader Tutorial for Name_of_the_device.
    • Download and install the unlock tool apk on your phone.
    • Open the unlock tool app and click Start Applying.
    • Please read the disclaimer in detail, select the checkbox, and submit your application.
    • The application will be processed in Realme servers and within an hour, the unlock tool app will show the status of the unlock request. Once it shows the unlocking is successful, please proceed to the next step.
    • Click Start the in-depth test in the unlock tool app. The device will reboot.
    • fast boot_unlock_verify ok string will be displayed.
  2. On the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window and change to the location where the unzipped fastboot and adb binaries reside.
  3. Connect the device to your PC via USB cable.
  4. Reboot to bootloader by typing:
    adb reboot bootloader
    
  5. Unlock the device by typing:
    fastboot flashing unlock
    
    • On your phone, press the Volume Up key to select Unlock.
  6. If the device doesn’t automatically reboot, reboot it. It should now be unlocked.
  7. Since the device resets completely, you will need to re-enable USB debugging to continue.

Installing a custom recovery using fastboot

  1. Download the custom recovery.

  2. Connect your device to your PC via USB if it isn’t already.
  3. If your device isn’t already in fastboot mode, on the computer, open a command prompt (on Windows) or terminal (on Linux or macOS) window, and type:
    adb reboot bootloader
    

    You can also boot into fastboot mode via a key combination:

    • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Use volume rockers to navigate and power button to choose between the modes.
  4. Once the device is in fastboot mode, verify your PC finds it by typing:
    fastboot devices
    

    If you don’t get any output or an error:

    • on Windows: make sure the device appears in the device manager without a triangle. Try other drivers until the command above works!
    • on Linux or macOS: If you see no permissions fastboot try running fastboot as root. When the output is empty, check your USB cable and port!
  5. Flash recovery onto your device (replace <recovery_filename> with the actual filename!):
    fastboot flash recovery <recovery_filename>.img
    
  6. Now reboot into recovery to verify the installation. Do not reboot into the existing OS, since it will overwrite the recovery you just installed!
    • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Use volume rockers to navigate and power button to choose between the modes.

Installing PixelExperience from recovery

  1. Download the PixelExperience installation package that you would like to install or build the package yourself.
  2. If you are not in recovery, reboot into recovery:
    • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down + Power. Use volume rockers to navigate and power button to choose between the modes.
  3. Now tap Wipe.
  4. Now tap Format Data and continue with the formatting process. This will remove encryption and delete all files stored in the internal storage.
  5. Sideload the PixelExperience .zip package:
    • On the device, select “Advanced”, “ADB Sideload”, then swipe to begin sideload.
    • On the host machine, sideload the package using: adb sideload filename.zip.
  6. Once you have installed everything successfully, run ‘adb reboot’.

Get assistance

After you’ve double checked that you followed the steps precisely, didn’t skip any and still have questions or got stuck, feel free to ask on our Telegram group.