LineageOS 23 with Android 16 arrives early, but Google’s new policies sideline Pixel support

LineageOS just pulled off something rare in custom ROM land — it’s early. The team has released LineageOS 23.0, the first build based on Android 16, beating many expectations. The developers say they were able to rebase their work faster than anticipated thanks to the lessons learned during Android’s UI-heavy eras in versions 12 through 14. But before Google Pixel fans start hunting for download links, there’s a twist: LineageOS 23 is the first major release where most Pixel phones aren’t part of the day-one party.

Yep, Google has quietly made changes that make Pixels harder to support, and the impact is already here.

Only 3 Pixels made the cut at launch

In previous years, Pixel devices were practically guaranteed a seat at the day-one LineageOS launch table. That tradition has quietly ended. Only the Google Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, and Pixel 5a are confirmed in the initial rollout of LineageOS 23. Every other Pixel model sits in a gray area described as “a work in progress,” but for the first time, there are no assurances that support will ever materialize. And it’s not for lack of developer interest. It’s because Google has fundamentally changed the rules.

So what changed? Google did

The LineageOS team broke it down pretty clearly in their announcement: Google has made it harder for custom ROM developers to work with Pixel devices.

Here’s how:

1. Pixel source code is now locked down

One of the biggest shifts is how Google now handles the Pixel kernel source. Instead of publishing full kernel repositories with history, HALs, configurations, and device trees, the company now provides stripped-down kernel tarballs on request. They contain only partial source and no accompanying device-specific material. That means devices that once served as the easiest starting point for ROM maintainers are now no simpler to support than phones from Xiaomi, OnePlus, or Samsung. This makes things “harder, not impossible,” but the implications are clear: without community-run projects like CalyxOS stepping in to fill some gaps, Pixels wouldn’t be on the cards at all.

2. QPR source isn’t landing in AOSP anymore

Google has also disrupted the quarterly and monthly update rhythm that custom ROM developers have relied on for years. LineageOS 23 is built on what the team calls “QPR0,” the initial Android 16 release, because even though QPR1 is already running on Pixel devices, its source hasn’t been pushed to AOSP. Google has said the code will be available “in the coming weeks,” but only contracted partners currently have access. No custom ROM, including LineageOS, is getting that privilege any time soon.

3. Security patches are slipping behind closed doors

Security patching has become another headache. The Android Security Bulletin (ASB) system has shifted away from the consistent monthly cadence developers were used to. For instance, July 2025 shipped with no public patches at all. August offered just one update. September acknowledged several vulnerabilities but didn’t publish complete fixes and instead, those were shared privately with OEM partners under embargo. As a result, LineageOS can no longer immediately merge or attest to new patch levels until the underlying code is publicly available. This is why LineageOS 22.2’s security patch level stayed stuck in August longer than usual, and, unfortunately, this is now the norm going forward.

Despite these challenges, the LineageOS team chose not to delay 23.0 indefinitely while waiting for Google to release the rest of the QPR1 code. They’ve merged available ASB patches up to August 2025 and will rebase later once the source is accessible. Some Android 16 features, like Material 3 Expressive, are absent for now but will arrive when AOSP finally catches up.

Google Pixels have become more complex to work with

All this turbulence has consequences for Pixel owners, especially those using newer models. The team openly states that Pixel devices are no longer guaranteed day-one support, or any support at all, for future versions like LineageOS 23 or Android 17. This isn’t because maintainers are giving up. It’s because Google has made Pixels significantly more complex to work with than they used to be. Device bring-ups now depend on access, reverse engineering, or external contributions rather than upstream sources.

Still, the LineageOS developers aren’t sounding defeatist. They highlight ongoing community tooling that will make future device onboarding easier, noting that maintaining Pixel phones isn’t impossible; it just takes more time, collaboration, and persistence than before.

For now, if you own a Google Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, or Pixel 5a, you’re among the lucky few with a clear LineageOS 23 path. If you’re using anything newer, hope hinges on how the community adapts to Google’s new approach to source, kernels, and patch distribution.

So yeah, LineageOS might have arrived early this year, but for Pixel fans, the waiting may have only just begun.