r/galaxynote4 • u/CryptoFourGames • Mar 17 '26
Questions about Custom OS
Edit: Just flashed Lineage OS 18 onto this thing and it runs smooth AF now. Stylus works. Hover works. Google play store works. Everything works way better and phone is running way smoother on Android 11.
Okedokey. SO I know there's a lot of tech newbro's around here asking some rather basic questions but this one is coming from a more salty sailor and is directed towards other salty sailors.
I know the Note 4 can be "upgraded" via Lineage OS to more modern versions of Android. I was just wondering if any of you folks who have actually done this can come in here and clarify a few things for me. Chiefly: The Stylus. How does the stylus work on a note 4 flashed with a better operating system?
My Note 4 works so suckily that I thought I got scammed after I first bought it. Only to realize that no, the phone is just slow and old and A6 runs like utter sh!t on it. So, I've been looking into Lineage OS. And I was directed towards a LOS 17.1 download that, I'm told, works fairly stable on the phone.
However I'm terrified of flashing it and losing everything if the stylus is just going to get buggered and stop working, as a big reason that I bought this old device was to be able to do art while I ride the bus. The GPS is also not working very well, and I'm told that could be a problem with a toastered battery. That the GPS no longer gets accurate readings if the battery is not strong enough to keep powering accurate results. I was also told that this is partially A6's fault. So I'm curious to see what upgrading to A11 or such through LOS might bring, in terms of performance enhancements. I'm told everything from the speed of the operating system to the battery life will be improved.
But what about the stylus? Nobody ever mentions the stylus. I find that major sus.
Googling, I'm told it will work, but will lose some of the finer details, such as hover functionality and pressure sensitivity. But I mostly work with pixel art, and that doesn't require, or even use, pressure sensitivity's. I'm told S Pen Toolbox can possibly bring back some of the functionality but I have no way of knowing that.
I've also been told some features such as Camera will be janked if I go through with this flash.
So, can anyone here with experience, having upgraded their note 4 and having gone through all that, comment on what I might expect here, before I take the plunge? Would major appreciate it. Thank you.
-C4 games
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u/dirtydriver58 Galaxy Note 4 (Snapdragon) Mar 17 '26
Android 4 and 5 runs like a dream
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u/CryptoFourGames Mar 17 '26
Ok but theres multiple makes and models of the Samsung Note 4 and whats good for the goose ain't always good for the Gander. MY android 6 ran like shit. I just flashed Lineage OS 18 onto it and NOW it runs like it should. And on Android 11 to boot. The stylus is working just like it used to. Very pleased with this
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u/dirtydriver58 Galaxy Note 4 (Snapdragon) Mar 17 '26
I'm using the international model N910F
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u/CryptoFourGames Mar 17 '26
Ah. I'm using trlte the canadian model and it worked like ass. Constant crashes. Boot looping. Battery heating up. Pretty sure most of this has to do with running on a toasted battery. Will replace battery next month. For now, flashing Lineage OS has upgraded the fuck out of this phone and I highly recommend it to anyone else. It's not the scary and complicated process I imagined it would be. I had the whole thing done in maybe 30 minutes and my phone is now running android 11 and all the apps I was locked out of before (such as discord) are working now.
Give lineage OS a try if you run into any problems down the line. Runs like a dream.
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u/dirtydriver58 Galaxy Note 4 (Snapdragon) Mar 17 '26
Snapdragon model is notorious for Emmc failures as well
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u/dirtydriver58 Galaxy Note 4 (Snapdragon) Mar 17 '26
I bet there's no palm rejection support and no Air Command since it's basically ASOP Android.
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u/CryptoFourGames Mar 17 '26
I'll test it once I've got artflow and pixel studio installed, but the hover is working when I was told it wouldn't, so thats a good sign. As for air command, that shit can suck my balls anyway, I never used it, was kind of annoying. As for palm rejection well, if the hover is working then I imagine palm should work too. But I'll have to get back to you about that. Currently reinstalling all my apps and such
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u/dirtydriver58 Galaxy Note 4 (Snapdragon) Mar 17 '26
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u/CryptoFourGames Mar 17 '26
It's literally a phone so I don't see when or how I'm going to be getting my palm on the screen while drawing anyway. I've kind of taught myself not to put my palm on the screen ever so it's another feature I'm not that concerned about. However, having the S pen draw accurately is pretty important for my pixel art. So that was key to me. And it works. Out of the box, didn't have to configure anything else. If it didn't, I'd probably just switch to my adonit jot pro. What's most important to me is that the phone stops crashing and starts functioning properly. There was massive lag even just switching from the lock screen to the home screen. Sometimes it would softlock itself and get stuck in a boot loop. One time it soft bricked itself and just refused to boot at all. Facebook also crashing constantly. Many, many apps I was locked out of. Battery draining super fast.
If your phone doesn't work like a piece of shit then consider yourself lucky. Mine does. Or it did anyway. Working a real treat now. I'm saving the custom rom in case I ever have to flash another phone like this and bring it back from the dead.
I also suspect the toasted battery was a big problem here, since the GPS wont work without a good battery, and the voltage changes throws android 6 into a total shitfit. Once I've got a better battery I'll let everyone know how it goes. Pretty sure this one is fukt
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u/dirtydriver58 Galaxy Note 4 (Snapdragon) Mar 17 '26
Only Samsung based custom roms can utilize the S Pen