[Google Home] Chewie610:
Improving Your Lenovo ThinkSmart View (Custom Recovery, Root, Play Store, Custom Webview)​

Huge credit to @deadman96385 on how to flash your Lenovo Thinksmart View device and providing access to the firmware files! Credit to @WhyPartyPizza on reddit for the adb enable steps. And also, credit to @Xi07 on providing a way to install TWRP and demonstrating that it is possible to get the Play Store working. And also credit to @garnir4ik on showing us that we can root the device.

The point of this guide is to organize all the information we have on the device and provide a way to make the device more usable (especially since some of the software on the device is outdated).

The guide covers how to:

Install TWRP (optional) and Magisk (recommended) on the device

Install microG and the newest version of the Google Play Store (Magisk required)

Update Webview (needed for Home Assistant)

I'm still trying to figure out how exactly to do certain things on this device so feel free to leave any new information you find!

Installing TWRP (optional) and Magisk (required for Play Store)​

Quick Blurb:​

To install TWRP, you will need to flash new firmware onto your tablet. However, since there's currently no way to use the device with the bootloader unlocked, a lot of the features used in TWRP are unusable. It might still be good to install TWRP in case someone finds a way to modify the device to better utilize TWRP.​

​

To install Magisk,

it will

be

much easier

to do it by flashing new firmware. However, it is also possible to install Magisk without flashing new firmware. I will include the steps to do this below these.​

Steps:​

Download and install the Qualcomm drivers from here

Download and install QPST from here

Download the firmware from this thread (Credit to @deadman96385). I used the 200628.084 version for reference.

Extract the firmware to a folder that you can easily access, like on your desktop.

If you want to install TWRP, download the recovery.img file attached to this post. (Credit to @Xi07)

Open the folder that you extracted the firmware to. In the image folder, replace the recovery.img file with the one you downloaded.

If you want to install Magisk, download the boot.img file attached to this post.

Open the folder that you extracted the firmware to. In the image folder replace the boot.img file with the one you downloaded.

Download the firehose/rawprogram file from @deadman96385's post and flash the package using the instructions provided by @deadman96385. I've included them here for your convenience:

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If you get the dreaded "Sahara" error when flashing your device, you may be waiting too long to flash. The device must be flashed moments after it is booted into EDL mode (powering on with Vol + and Vol - held down). Once you plug in your device, hit download the moment the port is recognized at the top of QFIL.

You can also try disabling driver signing (I'm not sure if this makes a difference). To do so:

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From here, you can go ahead and follow the original method from @deadman96385 for breaking into the device.

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You can also technically install Magisk without reflashing your device. These steps are not recommended and not necessary to installing Magisk on your device.

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Steps for Google Play Store and Custom Webview will be in the next post (to reduce clutter).