last updated May 3, 2025
This is a written guide of how to customize the light phone 3 and install custom apps on it. If you follow this tutorial you can still run LightOS without having to use another custom launcher, which can sometimes break.
credits at the bottom!
- Step 1: boot into android
- method 1: press the keys
up down up down down home - method 2: use an nfc card guide here
- select the default android launchers and not the LightOS ones, or else it will boot back into LightOS
- Step 2: become a developer
- go to build number, tap it 7 times, which will enable developer mode
- type oem unlocking and turn it on
- Step 3: settings
- enable fingerprint sensor (if you want)
- make display and font size small
- make navigation mode gesture navigation so you can swipe up to go home
- Step 4: Download Aurora store
- in Aurora store, download the following apps
- Keymapper: Unleash your keys
- You can also download any other apps you want to use from aurora store, like spotify, signal, messenger, google keyboard
- I also download f-droid which gives you access to more open source apps, and I use the e-reading app KOREADER
- Step 5: setup keymaps
- this is what will enable you to launch these apps from Light OS
- so i just have 3 extra apps I can launch
- messenger
- e-reader
- spotify
- qr code scanner
- Step 6: reboot into light os
- if you’re using before launcher just swipe to the left, select launcher, select light os
- then boom you have light os with the apps installed and working properly
how to switch between Android and LightOS
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from LightOS into Android
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from Android into LightOS
current limitations
- no google play services
- you might have a hard time installing any google related apps, or properly receiving notifications from other apps
- you also don’t have access to the google play store, so you must install everything from side-loading or the aurora store
- limited carrier selection
- they only support a few carriers, and no e-sim, so you cannot easily transfer from your current phone to this phone if you want to “unplug”
troubleshooting
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computer not detecting light phone (for transferring files)
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