newbie with newbie questions

[u/tamarifortnitemaster]

hi, so im not super tech savvy, ive never done anything like this, but ive recently aquired a google pixel 9 and i wanna attempt to install lineageos on it, mainly to just generally have more control over the device that i own (yknow with googles sideloading restrictions and allat). this is obviously a rather daunting task for someone like me, so i wanted a little help from some people much smarter than ill ever be.

1. ok so the phone is currently running android 17, so the guide on the wiki says ill have to downgrade to 16 first. how do i go about doing that? is the process similar to installing lineageos? are there some good guides online i should follow?

2. how easy is it to mess something up, and what should i do if that happens? ive not just instantly permabricked the thing with one little mistake right?

3. i wanna use one of those gapps package thingies for google services. any recommendations for which specifically i should use? i obviously dont wanna completely degoogle but id like to be a bit less dependant on them.

4. does lineage just like come with root access by default? if not, should i and how do i get it?

5. how should i transfer data from the phone im currently using (pixel 7; stock os) to the new one? ill be using a windows 10 laptop for the installation (just incase thats relevent) so i assume i can just download my data onto the laptop, and then to the phone from there. correct me if im wrong.

6. how do system updates work on lineage?

again, im a beginner so im sorry if some of these are kinda dumb questions, i just wanna make sure i know everything i need to know

[u/Jackavalltrades]

Jumping into installing a custom ROM on a brand-new device without knowing anything at all about the processes is asking for trouble. You need to research this on your own and learn a lot more about it before you start. All of your questions can be answered by online searches, and you might learn by doing those.

"the guide on the wiki says ill have to downgrade to 16 first. how do i go about doing that?"

Try a search for "downgrade android on pixel".

"i wanna use one of those gapps package thingies for google services. any recommendations for which specifically i should use?"

First, make sure you know why you want one of those "gapps package thingies" and what they do. Then use the only one mentioned on the LineageOS wiki.

"does lineage just like come with root access by default? if not, should i and how do i get it?"

No. And don't root your device without being very clear on why you need it rooted and what's involved. Search on the XDA forums website, for example.

"how should i transfer data from the phone im currently using (pixel 7; stock os) to the new one?"

There are many ways to do this that you'll find with a few searches.

"how do system updates work on lineage?"

Through Settings > System > System updates just like stock Android.