[Redmi 7A Guides, News, & Discussion] Tupolef:
Please find here my notes on the full configuration of a Redmi 7a.

I feel that these informations are generally very scattered, someone like me who didn't follow these topics for a few years may have a hard time getting back into the loop. I hope this guide will help others to quickly get a grip.

Note that I use Linux, so the Unlock part might be interesting for that. Windows users can still follow this guide but may need the official tool for the bootloader unlock and different drivers and tools to interact with the phone.

My configuration is rather intended to use a maximum of open source and securitized applications but with a door slightly open to applications requiring the Google framework.

WARNING : ALWAYS BACKUP, THIS GUIDE IS NOT INTENDED FOR UPDATES, BUT FOR A FULL FORMATTING SETUP.

XIAOMI REDMI 7A (PINE SDM439) : from locked Stock MIUI to Custom LineageOs 18.1 with microG and Gcam​

Unlock the Bootloader and install a Custom Recovery (for linux)​

- [Android + Linux] Unlock your Xiaomi Device Bootloader : https://github.com/tkapias/XiaoMiToolV2

- [Linux] Dowload the SDK Platform Tools (ADB, Fastboot ...) : https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools

- [PC] Download you current Stock Recovery ROM (Careful with the region): https://mirom.ezbox.idv.tw/en/phone/

- [PC] Patch your boot.img after extracting it from the Stock ROM : https://github.com/YaAlex3/patcher-oss

- [PC] Extract vbmeta.img from the Stock ROM

- [PC] Download PBRP zip and img, the best Custom Recovery : https://github.com/PitchBlackRecoveryProject/android_device_xiaomi_pine-pbrp/releases/

- [Android + Linux] Copy boot.img, recovery.img and vbmeta.img to your phone

- [Fastboot] Reboot in Fastboot and flash :

fastboot flash boot boot.img​

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img​

fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img​

fastboot boot recovery.img​

- [Custom recovery] Boot in recovery and Flash the zip of PBRP

Unofficial LineageOs 18​

(Performance, Open sources, noGapps)

- [Linux] Download the last zip release of the Unofficial LineageOs 18.1 (Android 11 64bit) : https://github.com/TTTT55/Lineage-OTA/releases

- [Custom recovery] Wipe: system, data, cache, vendor

- [Custom recovery] Format: data

- [Custom recovery] Flash ROM Zip

- Reboot

Root, Kernel, Drivers...​

- [Custom recovery + Android] Root by installing the latest Magisk :

- Try the custom recovery method first : https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/install.html#custom-recovery​

- Download the Magisk APK : https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases​

- Rename the .apk file extension to .zip​

- In Custom recovery, flash the zip​

- Reboot and check whether the Magisk app is installed. If it isn’t installed automatically, manually install the APK.​

- In Magisk check that yours is > v24.0 with [Zygisk], it replace the Riru module to install Gapps later.​

- [Custom recovery] Flash the latest Cherry Kernel in Recovery (then wipe Dalvik) : https://t.me/s/CherryKernel_SDM439

- [Magisk] Install Adreno Team Graphics Drivers with Magisk([M] 4.2+) : https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sizBYMR40G8cF8c0SatGLqpOrbML0tPb?usp=sharing

- [Custom recovery] Flash the Cache Cleaner addon from the Team Graphics Addon Directory.

- [Magisk] Install the magisk module "Color accuracy preset for Redmi 7A" : https://t.me/AkiraLostSushi/30

- [Magisk] Install the magisk module "MagiskHide Props Config" : https://github.com/Magisk-Modules-Repo/MagiskHidePropsConf/releases

[WARNING] [Magisk] The sepolicy.rule file of modules may be stored in the cache partition. DO NOT MANUALLY WIPE THE CACHE PARTITION from this point, or rebuild the rules after :

su​

source /data/adb/magisk/util_functions.sh​

copy_sepolicy_rules​

reboot​

F-Droid in root​

- Install the official F-droid apk : https://f-droid.org/F-Droid.apk

- In F-droid install the F-Droid Privileged Extension

- [Custom recovery] Flash the zip org.fdroid.fdroid.privileged.ota...zip in /data/data/org.fdroid.fdroid/ota/

Custom Webview​

(UpToDate, AdFilter, more privacy)

- [Android] Download the last Bromite SystemWebView : https://www.bromite.org/system_web_view

- [Custom recovery] Use the file manager to copy the Bromite SystemWebview apk to /system/product/app/webview and rename it as webview.apk

- [Custom recovery] make sure the permissions of webview.apk are 0644 (should be by default)

- reboot phone

- [Android] install the Bromite webview.apk file as you would for any other app

- Once the installation is complete it will be possible to update the SystemWebView without root.

- If your have installed the Root privilege app for F-Droid :

- Add the Bromite repository to F-droid :​

- Address: https://fdroid.bromite.org/fdroid/repo​

- Fingerprint of the signing key: E1EE5CD076D7B0DC84CB2B45FB78B86DF2EB39A3B6C56BA3DC292A5E0C3B9504​

- You can update from F-droid.​

Install NL Sound & Viper4Android with Magisk​

(change all the audio framework ant effects engine)

- Install Package Manager and Termux from F-droid

- Disable or uninstall AudioFx in Package Manager

- [Magisk] Install the module “Audio Modification Library” : https://zackptg5.com/android.php#aml

- [Magisk] Install the module “NL Sound” : https://github.com/Briclyaz/NLSound_module_QCom (Zip it or from Telegram)

- [Magisk] Install the module "ViPER4Android FX" : https://zackptg5.com/android.php#viper

- Reboot

- Open Viper4Android, follow the prompt to install the driver, or install them from : https://zackptg5.com/android.php#viper

- Reboot

- In Termux, install root packages :

pkg install root-repo && pkg upgrade​

- In Termux :

su​

source /data/adb/magisk/util_functions.sh​

copy_sepolicy_rules​

reboot​

- After the reboot open Viper4Android and switch on the Legacy option.

- Reboot

- Check the driver status in the second icon on the top in V4A

- Activate "Master limiter", "Gain control", "Speaker optimization"

- Disable battery optimization for the app in android

Install microG with Magisk​

(Minimal Google framework to use Gcam and some apps from Aurora store)

- [Magisk] Install modules "Zygisk - LSPosed" : https://github.com/LSPosed/LSPosed/releases

- [LSPosed] Install the module "FakeGapps"

- [LSPosed] In FakeGapps, check that the recommanded app for subsystem is checked

- [Android] Add a file /data/adb/no_droid_guard with any content (it disables the installation of Droid Guard)

- [Magisk] From Magisk Modules, install "microG Installer Revived" : https://github.com/nift4/microg_installer_revived/releases

- [LSPosed] From F-droid, install "Aurora Store"

Tweak the network settings for a better roaming and latency​

- [APK] Install KTweak : https://github.com/tytydraco/KTweak-Android-App/releases/tag/build-2dd09c9_1639707532

- [KTweak] Give it root acces, restart on boot and use its "throughput" profile.

- [DNS] Activate AdGuard DNS : Go to Settings → Network & internet ( or Wi-Fi & Internet), Select "Private DNS provider hostname" option and enter the following address: dns-unfiltered.adguard.com

- [Props] In Termux:

su

settings delete system tether_entitlement_check_state; settings delete global tether_dun_required

props

- "Select an option below." → "Add/edit custom props" 5 ↵

- Select "New custom prop" with n ↵

- net.tethering.noprovisioning ↵ → true ↵ → y ↵

- "Do you want to reboot now?" n ↵

- Select "New custom prop" with n ↵

- tether_entitlement_check_state ↵

- "Are you sure you want to proceed?" y ↵ → 0 ↵ → y ↵

- "Do you want to reboot now?" n ↵

- Select "New custom prop" with n ↵

- tether_dun_required ↵ → 0 ↵ → y ↵

- "Do you want to reboot now?" → y ↵

Custom Gcam​

(Keep the stock camera app for fast results, Gcam is for quality HDR+)

- You need to install microG first

- Prefer 7.2/7.3/7.4 versions.

- Prefer Nikita or urnyx05 releases :

- https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/dev-Nikita/​

- https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/dev-urnyx05/​

- My favorite : GCam_7.3.018_Urnyx05-v2.5 https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/f/changelog1500/

- I uploaded my configs XML : https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/f/configs-urnyx-02/

List of favorite additional apps​

F-Droid​

- FFUpdater (Install and update Browsers)

- Firefox Nightly (My addons collection: 17173754/tkacomplete, see Mozilla blog)​

- DAVx5 (Sync CalDav and CardDav)

- Element (Matrix messaging)

- FairEmail (Email)

- Identiconizer! (Contacts pictures)

- KeepassDX (Passwords - sync with Syncthing)

- Lemuroid (Game emulation)

- Librera Reader (PDF, Books, Comics...)

- LibreSpeed (Open source speedtest)

- Markor (just for quicknotes, sync with Syncthing)

- Material Files (File explorer)

- MinCal Widget (Calendar widget)

- mpv-android (Player)

- NewPipe (Youtube player)

- OsmAnd+ (Maps)

- Package Manager

- QR & Barcode Scanner

- SimplyTranslate Mobile (Google translate with privacy)

- Syncthing (to sync files)

- Task.org (Task in CalDav)

- Telegram (Messaging)

- Termux (A better terminal)

- Wireguard (VPN client/server)

- XBrowserSync (Sync bookmarks)

Aurora Store​

- Device Info HW

- Spotify (Music)