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Nexus 7

Tired of the Stock ROM on Your Nexus 7? Install CyanogenMod Instead

Mar 7, 2013 06:01 AM
Mar 19, 2013 11:42 PM
CyanogenMod logo featuring a friendly robot character.

You've gotten used to your brand spankin' new Nexus 7 and finally have a feel for Android, but now you want more features. Well, user Juan Mercator was in that predicament, and asked how to install the ever popular CyanogenMod ROM on his Nexus 7 over on our Nexus 7 SoftModder forum.

Why install CyanogenMod you ask? Custom ROMs can offer you new UI features, better speed and performance, and not to mention the support of developers with weekly updates. So, in this article, I'll be showing you exactly how to install CyanogenMod on your Nexus 7 tablet using a Mac computer.

The following files are the ones you'll need for this. Don't worry about downloading them just yet. We'll get to that in the guide. Some you'll download onto your Mac and some onto your Nexus 7.

Unlock the Bootloader

Connect your Nexus 7 to your Mac with the micro USB cable and leave it connected. Power off your tablet by holding the power button. Once it's off, press and hold the volume up, volume down, and power button all at the same time. You'll now be in fastboot mode.

3D model of a motor displayed on a tablet.

Download and unzip the "Unlock Bootloader Nexus 7" file onto your computer, then open the unzipped folder and double-click on the program. A terminal window will pop up. Now, follow the prompts to unlock your bootloader. NOTE: This will erase everything on your device—make a backup!

Nexus 7 Bootloader Unlock Script Instructions
Text displayed on a command line interface for rebooting a device and promoting a YouTube channel and website.
Nexus 7 Bootloader Unlock Script Instructions
Text displayed on a command line interface for rebooting a device and promoting a YouTube channel and website.

Make sure to press Yes when prompted on your Nexus 7.

Tired of the Stock ROM on Your Nexus 7? Install CyanogenMod Instead

Afterwards, reboot your Nexus 7. Then go through the normal set-up process. Once you're at the home screen, open up the web browser.

Download CyanogenMod and GApps

Now, download the latest version of CyanogenMod and GApps using the web browser on your Nexus 7 (not your computer).

Tired of the Stock ROM on Your Nexus 7? Install CyanogenMod Instead
Website interface showing package details and options.
Tired of the Stock ROM on Your Nexus 7? Install CyanogenMod Instead
Website interface showing package details and options.

Once the downloads finish, power off your Nexus 7.

Installing ClockworkMod Recovery

Boot into fastboot mode again by pressing volume up, volume down, and the power button all at the same time. Now, download and unzip the Nexus 7 ClockworkMod Recovery Toolkit file onto your computer. Exactly as before, open the folder, double-click on the program to launch the terminal window, and follow the prompts.

Unlocked bootloader installation in command line interface.
Terminal window displaying installation instructions for ClockworkMod Recovery on Android.
Unlocked bootloader installation in command line interface.
Terminal window displaying installation instructions for ClockworkMod Recovery on Android.

Almost there.

ClockworkMod Recovery

Now you'll have to boot into ClockworkMod Recovery by using the volume buttons to select "Recovery mode" , then press the power button.

"Recovery mode screen with navigation arrows"

Using the volume up and down buttons, choose "Wipe Data" followed by "Wipe Cache". This will prepare your Nexus 7 for installing CyanogenMod.

Choose the "Install zip from sdcard" option.

ClockworkMod Recovery menu options on a device screen.

Go to the "Download" directory where you saved CyanogenMod and select the correct .zip file.

Update installation screen displaying options for applying a .zip file from an SD card.
File directory screen showcasing folders on an SD card.
File selection screen for applying a zip file on Android device.
File selection screen showing zip files for installation.
Update installation screen displaying options for applying a .zip file from an SD card.
File directory screen showcasing folders on an SD card.
File selection screen for applying a zip file on Android device.
File selection screen showing zip files for installation.

Your device will begin flashing CyanogenMod.

CyanogenMod logo on a digital background

After that's done, choose "Install zip from sdcard" once again and choose the GApps .zip you downloaded earlier, and flash that as well.

Finally, reboot your Nexus 7 and enjoy CyanogenMod!

Tired of the Stock ROM on Your Nexus 7? Install CyanogenMod Instead
Device information and system settings displayed on a screen.
Tired of the Stock ROM on Your Nexus 7? Install CyanogenMod Instead
Device information and system settings displayed on a screen.

See, it wasn't that hard, was it?

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

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