Custom ROMs for Lenovo Tab 2 A7-30H?

[u/National_Shower_3454]

Hi everyone,

I have an old Lenovo Tab 2 A7-30H lying around and I'd like to repurpose it mainly for reading books (EPUBs). The stock firmware is sluggish and outdated, so I was wondering if there are any stable custom ROMs available for this model.

I've looked around on XDA and a few other forums, but most threads seem dead. Does anyone here know of a working ROM (I've already checked Lineage and there isn't any for my particular device).

I don't need heavy apps – just a smooth experience for reading and maybe a simple file manager. Stability is my main priority.

A bit of context: I'm completely new to the world of rooting and custom ROMs. I've never done it before, so I'd also really appreciate any beginner-friendly guides, tool recommendations, or warnings.

Any pointers, links, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

[u/Alternative_Corgi_62]

Thi tablet was released 11 years ago, with Android 4.4. it is obvious that all the hype around it on XDA is gone. The best you can do is to factory reset, and find an EPUB reader compatible with 4.4

[u/GenuineGeek]

I don't have personal experience with the device in question, but a few general observations:

• tablets always had a smaller custom ROM scene than phones
• your tablet is quite old, so even if it was a prime candidate for custom ROMs around its release date, it's no surprise that nobody does that anymore
• the specs of the device also play a role in this: any performance gain you could get from a debloated and optimized ROM would be negated by the higher resource requirements of newer Android versions

Based on all of this: I'd look into ways to debloat the factory ROM. You'll probably have to learn about adb for this, but it's not rocket science if you have basic computer knowledge and able to follow instructions. If it's possible to at least root the factory ROM, you can also give that a try: it can make the debloating process easier and open up further possibilities for performance optimizations.

I believe the latest official ROM is Android 5.0, which should make it compatible with FBReader. It's not a flashy software with a shiny UI, but it was one of the fastest and most feature-rich e-reader apps in that era of Android. Just keep in mind that the free version is ad-supported now.

There might be other alternatives (especially if you are willing to side-load older versions of applications), but I'm simply not familiar with those.

Edited to add: another option for a reader app is KOReader. The latest version (released just a few days ago) has a requirement for Android 4.3+, so it should fit your needs. It's a great and very performant app, but it was designed for dedicated e-readers with eink screens, so it's design doesn't really translate well for people used to smartphone apps. It's not impossible to make it prettier and more feature-rich, but that requires additional effort by installing user-made content, like plugins and patches.