Let’s be honest the Redmi Note 5 Pro (Whyred) was a legend in its time. But now in 2025, most people wouldn’t expect it to still be relevant, let alone running the latest Android 16 update.
Well, surprise thanks to the Dark-Elixir Team and developer Arijit Saha, this iconic device has just received a massive new breath of life with Evolution X 11.
This isn’t one of those half-baked ports that barely boots. This is a feature-rich, clean and surprisingly smooth experience, built right on top of Android 16. And it feels fantastic. If you’ve used Evolution X before, you know it’s not just another custom ROM it strikes a balance between the elegance of Pixel UI and the power of deep-level customization.
What really makes it shine is that it feels modern. Not outdated, not sluggish. Once you boot up and give it a few hours to settle in, it’s hard to believe you’re still holding a phone that came out in 2018. It really does take about 3 to 4 hours for the ROM to fully optimize, but once it does, animations feel fluid, multitasking is reliable, and the whole experience becomes incredibly polished.
And yes, it’s Enforcing and Signed, which means security isn’t compromised. No weird behavior or half-working features. The ROM runs on a non-EROFS base, which just makes everything more flexible during installation and use. You will need to flash it with the latest unofficial Retrofit recovery, but once that’s done, you’re all set.
What stood out to me personally was how close it felt to using a Pixel not just visually, but in the flow of things. It has all the small Google-style touches, but you still have the freedom to make it yours. Whether it’s tweaking how the lock screen works, adjusting system accents, or just setting it up the way you like everything feels very natural.
This isn’t just about nostalgia. This is about pushing old hardware to new heights, proving once again that the custom ROM community does what manufacturers won’t keep older devices relevant, safe, and fun to use.
📥 Download Link
You can grab the ROM right now from the official source:
🔗 Download Evolution X 11 for Whyred (Android 16), Unofficial Retrofit Recovery
Massive credit goes to Arijit Saha and the Dark-Elixir Team for making this possible. Without their work, this level of software finesse on Whyred wouldn’t be a reality in 2025.
So, if you’ve still got a Redmi Note 5 Pro in your drawer, it might just be time to dust it off. Flash Evolution X 11, let it breathe for a few hours, and watch it transform into something new again.