How to Install Pixel Extended ROM on OnePlus 8T [Android 13]

Sadique Hassan•Updated Apr 15, 2024

In this guide, we will show you the steps to install the latest Pixel Extended ROM on OnePlus 8T. There’s no denying the fact that software skin has been on a downward spiral ever since the OEM decided to ditch its in-house OxygenOS in favor of ColorOS. While till Android 12, we could still witness a few glimpses of Android 12, with Android 13 it has been completely encapsulated by the bloated Oppo’s color skin.

Fortunately, OnePlus has always been at the forefront of custom development [well, at least till the 9th series] and the 8T is no different either. It has already been blessed with a plethora of custom ROMs, among which Pixel Extended has carved out a rich fanbase for itself. After all, when you are getting a snappy, fast ROM bunded with tons of Pixel goodies, then what else could one have asked for? So without any further ado, let’s show you the steps to install the latest Pixel Extended ROM on OnePlus 8T.

Table of Contents

How to Install Pixel Extended ROM on OnePlus 8T [Android 13]

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. Make sure you are on the latest OxygenOS 13 Android 13 firmware [which at the time of writing is 13.1.0.580] before flashing this ROM.

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 Build Number 7 times > Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking.

STEP 3: Unlock Bootloader on OnePlus 8/Pro/8T

Next up, you will also have to unlock the device’s bootloader. Do keep in mind that doing so will wipe off all the data from your device and could nullify its warranty as well. So if that’s all well and good, then please refer to our detailed guide on How To Unlock Bootloader on OnePlus 8/8 Pro/8T

STEP 4: Download Pixel Extended ROM & Recovery for OnePlus 8T

Now, get hold of the Pixel Extended ROM, Recovery, dtbo, and vbmeta files from below:
```
OnePlus 8T [kebab]: ROM | Recovery | vbmeta | dtbo
```
Once all the files have been downloaded, transfer them to the platform-tools folder on your PC.
Likewise, rename the ROM file to rom.zip, recovery to recovery.img, vbmeta to vbmeta.img and dtbo to dtbo.img.
We have just done the rename so that it becomes easier to type in the Command Prompt window.

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
```

STEP 6: Flash vbmeta and dtbo

First off, execute the below command to flash dtbo:
```
fastboot flash dtbo dtbo.img
```
Then type in the below command to flash the vbmeta:
```
fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img
```

STEP 7: Flash Pixel Extended Recovery

You will now have to flash the Pixel Extended recovery onto the recovery partition of your device. So execute the below command for the same:
```
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
```
Once the flashing is complete, use the below command to boot to Pixel Extended Recovery:
```
fastboot reboot recovery
```

STEP 8: Copy Content of Slot A to Slot B

In order to maintain consistency of the firmware versions between the two partitions on your device, we will now be copying all the contents of Slot A to Slot B.

Download the copy-partitions ZIP file and transfer it to the platform-tools folder on your PC. Also, rename it to cp.zip.
Then on the Pixel Extended recovery, select Apply Update > Apply from ADB.
After that, open CMD inside the platform-tools folder and execute the below command
```
adb sideload cp.zip
```
Once flashed, go to Reboot and select Recovery. Your device will reboot to Pixel Extended Recovery.

STEP 9: Install Pixel Extended ROM

From the Pixel Extended 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].

STEP 10: Factory Reset Device

From the Pixel Extended 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.
Now go to Reboot and select Recovery. Your device will reboot to Pixel Extended Recovery.
Finally, go to Reboot and select System. Your device will now reboot to Pixel Extended ROM.

That’s it. These were the steps to install the Pixel Extended ROM based on Android 13 onto your OnePlus 8T. 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.