How to Install CatalystOS Android 13 on Poco F4 [Video]

Sadique Hassan•Updated Jun 16, 2023

In this guide, we will show you the steps to install the CatalystOS ROM based on Android 13 onto your Poco F4. Poco devices have always been one of the most active players in custom development. And the fourth iteration in this lineup is not different either. It has already been blessed with a plethora of AOSP ROMs, all based on the latest OS build. Well, this problem of plenty is something that any user would love to have.

But on the flip side, it becomes quite a challenging task for the developers to make their offerings stand out from the crowds. In spite of that, this ROM has made quite a name for itself among tech enthusiasts. Beholding a slew of intriguing features without compromising on the overall stability, it seems to have checkmarked all the important prerequisites. So on that note, let’s make you aware of the steps to install the CatalystOS ROM on your Poco F4.

Table of Contents

How to Install CatalystOS Android 13 on Poco F4

Before starting with the process, make sure to take a complete device backup beforehand. Droidwin and its members wouldn’t be held responsible in case of a thermonuclear war, your alarm doesn’t wake you up, or if anything happens to your device and data by performing the below steps.

STEP 1: Install Android SDK

First and foremost, you will have to install the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC. This is the official ADB and Fastboot binary provided by Google and is the only recommended one. So download it and then extract it to any convenient location on your PC. Doing so will give you the platform-tools folder, which will be used throughout this guide.

STEP 2: Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking

Next up, you will have to enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking on your device. The former will make your device recognizable by the PC in ADB mode. This will then allow you to boot your device to Fastboot Mode. On the other hand, OEM Unlocking is required to carry out the bootloader unlocking process.

So head over to Settings > About Phone > Tap on MIUI Number 7 times > Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking.

STEP 3: Unlock Bootloader

Next up, you will have to unlock the bootloader on your device. Do keep in mind that this process will wipe off all the data and might nullify the device’s warranty as well. So if that’s all well and good, then refer to our comprehensive guide on How to Unlock the Bootloader on any Xiaomi Device.

STEP 4: Download CatalystOS ROM, Boot, and vendor_boot

Now, get hold of the CatalystOS ROM, Recovery, and vendor_boot files from below:
```
ROM | BOOT | vendor_boot
```
The ROM file will be present as a ZIP whereas the boot and vendor_boot will be IMG files.
Once these files have been downloaded, transfer them to the platform-tools folder on your PC.
Likewise, rename the ROM to rom.zip, boot file to boot.img, and vendor_boot to vendor_boot.img.

STEP 5: Boot to Fastboot Mode

Connect your device to the PC via a USB cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
After that, type in the following command in the CMD window to boot your device to Fastboot Mode
```
adb reboot bootloader
```
To verify the Fastboot connection, type in the below command and you should get back the device ID.
```
fastboot devices
```
If you are not getting any device ID, then install the Fastboot Drivers on your PC.

STEP 6: Flash boot and vendor_boot on Poco F4

First off, type in the below command to flash the boot.img
```
fastboot flash boot boot.img
```
Then execute the below command to flash the vendor_boot:
```
fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot.img
```
Now type in the below command to boot your device to recovery:
```
fastboot reboot recovery
```

STEP 8: Factory Reset Device

From the Recovery, go to Factory Reset.
Then select Format Data/Factory Reset > Format Data.
Your device will now undergo a reset.
Once done, you shall get the “Data wipe complete” message.

STEP 9: Install CatalystOS ROM on Poco F4

From the Recovery, go to Apply Update > Apply from ADB.
Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter.
This will launch the Command Prompt. So type in the below command to flash the ROM file via Sideload:
```
adb sideload rom.zip
```
The process will now begin and once done, you shall get the Total xfer: 1.00x message [Got an error? See FAQ below].
Now go back to the home screen of the recovery and select Reboot System Now. Your device will now boot to the newly installed OS.

That’s it. These were the steps to install the CatalystOS ROM based on Android 13 onto your Poco F4/Redmi K40s. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know your doubt and the device that you are using in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.