As most of you know, the Sony Xperia P is unfortunately not going to make the jump to Android 4.4 KitKat – at least not in an official manner. There are, however, ways and means to experience the latest OS on the Xperia P; mainly with the use of custom ROMs.

This guide will allow you to install a CM 11 custom ROM based on Android 4.4.2, on the Sony Xperia P. Before continuing, keep in mind that this is not an official release from Google or Sony. As a matter of fact, it's not an official CyanogenMod ROM either. It's a port built by the XDA developer and member "percy_g2", and it's constantly being updated. It may contain bugs –hence the term "Nightly"- but it appears to be supported and improved on a daily basis.

IMPORTANT – READ BEFORE PROCEEDING:

  • This guide and custom ROM has been designed specifically for the Sony Xperia P (also known as "nypon"). Don't attempt to apply this guide on any other device
  • In order to complete this guide, you will need a rooted Xperia P running the latest version of CWM or TWRP recovery. Don't proceed any further if you're not meeting these prerequisites
  • During the installation process you will be required to factory reset your device. Create backups if necessary
  • You will be given instructions on how to create a NANDROID backup
  • To backup your app data, you can use the "Helium" application
  • The "SMS backup & restore" app allows you to backup your text messages
  • You can use the "APN Settings Backup & Restore" application to backup your APN Internet settings
  • If you need to backup your contacts, you can do so by syncing them with your Gmail account
  • You will need to enable "USB Debugging" before proceeding. To do so, go to "Settings" > "Developer Options" and enable the aforementioned option
  • Make sure that your smartphone has at least 70% battery left. It's very important that your smartphone doesn't run out of battery during the installation process
  • This is an advanced guide. If you brick your device, or if you lose important data, you cannot hold the developers or anyone else responsible
  • Don't skip any steps!

Installing Android 4.4.2 CM 11 (Unofficial) on the Sony Xperia P – CWM Recovery Method:

  1. Download the latest CM 11 nightly build available from this link
  2. Since the ROM doesn't include Google apps, you'll need to download a separate zip from this link
  3. Connect your Xperia P to your computer using the USB cable
  4. Copy the downloaded zip files from your computer to your phone's storage (root directory; don't create a new folder)
  5. After the files have been transferred, disconnect your Xperia P from your PC and turn it off
  6. Reboot the device in recovery mode. To do so, press and hold the "Power" button, and tap the "Volume Up" button multiple times. When a blue screen appears and the phone vibrates, stop tapping the volume key
  7. From the CWM recovery screen, select "backup & restore" to create a NANDROID backup
  8. Once the backup has been created, select "data wipeout / factory reset". Then, select "wipe cache" as well as "dalvik cache" from the "Advanced" menu
  9. With the memory wiped, return to the recovery menu and select "Install zip from SD card". Browse for the CM 11 zip file downloaded at step 1, and flash it
  10. From the CWM recovery screen, select "Install zip from SD card" again. This time around, browse for the Gapps zip file downloaded at step 2
  11. After both files have been flashed, select "+++Go Back+++" and then "Reboot system now". NOTE: the first reboot after the flashing process can take several minutes to complete. If the process does not finish in 10 minutes, or if your device is stuck in a boot loop, you'll need to redo the whole guide without skipping any steps.

NOTE: The NANDROID backup can be used to restore your previous ROM. If you wish to do this, simply reboot in CWM recovery, select "backup & restore" and restore the appropriate backup file

Installing Android 4.4.2 CM 11 (Unofficial) on the Sony Xperia P – TWRP Recovery Method:

  1. Download the unofficial CM 11 zip file from this link. Make sure you download the latest available version
  2. Download the Google apps zip package from this link
  3. Connect your Xperia P to your PC via USB, and copy the zip files to your phone's memory
  4. Disconnect your smartphone from the computer, and turn it off
  5. Reboot in TWRP recovery by holding the "Power" button, and tapping the "Volume Up" key several times until a blue splash screen appears and the phone vibrates
  6. From the main TWRP menu, tap "Backup" to create a NANDROID backup. Then, select the type of data that you want to save, rename the file and swipe the "Swipe to Backup" button
  7. With the NANDROID backup performed, return to the main menu and select "Wipe". Go to "Advanced" and select "Wipe cache" and "Dalvik cache". Then, swipe the "Swipe to wipe" button
  8. Now return to the main recovery screen and select "Install". Browse for the CM 11 zip file and flash it
  9. Select "Install" again and browse for the Google apps zip file downloaded at step 2
  10. Once both zip files have been flashed, return to the main recovery menu and select "Reboot". NOTE: this first reboot in normal mode may take a while to complete. Be patient and don't press any buttons. If the process does not end in 10 minutes, or if your smartphone is "boot looping", then something went wrong and you need to restart the guide from the top. Make sure you don't skip any steps, and that you have properly reset / wiped the handset's cache

NOTE: you can always return to your previous ROM by using the NANDROID backup. All you need to do is to reboot in TWRP recovery, tap "Restore", and load the appropriate backup file

› See More: Sony Xperia P: Install Android 4.4.2 KitKat via CM 11 Unofficial Nightly ROM