Does Onion OS work on the A30?

No. Onion OS is for SigmaStar Miyoo devices (Mini / Mini Plus / Mini Flip). The A30 is Allwinner A33, so its custom firmware options are spruceOS, MinUI, BTN and RA30 instead.

What is spruceOS and how is it different from MinUI?

spruceOS is a full-featured UI on top of stock with WiFi, RetroArch, box art, themes and N64/DC/PSP support. MinUI is deliberately minimal, has the fastest boot, no WiFi, and officially targets up to PSX. Pick spruce for features, MinUI for simplicity/battery.

My install failed or games won't show — what do I check?

Confirm you kept the hidden .tmp_update folder, used a card reader (not USB mass storage), and formatted FAT32. Try a different/known-good card, or run the SD Card Formatter tool on Quick mode then reformat to FAT32 and reinstall.

A30 — Custom firmware

Quick answer

Button combo

(SD: FAT32)(SD: FAT32)SpruceOS Installer (one-click) OR extract spruce.vX.X.7z to SD rootinsertPOWER

Steps

1Format a branded microSD/TF card as FAT32 (Rufus → Boot selection 'Non bootable' → File system FAT32; on >32GB use Large FAT32).
2Easiest: run the SpruceOS Installer app (Windows/Mac/Linux) and pick the latest stable release to format, download and write in one click.
3Manual: download spruce.vX.X.7z, extract it with 7-Zip and copy the contents to the card root — keep hidden files, the .tmp_update folder is essential.
4Insert the card and press POWER; the first boot takes longer while it sets up and scans games, then power off and on once.
5On spruceOS run the Firmware Updater app if prompted (a firmware update fixes WiFi).

Last verified: 2026-06-20Source: lomiyoo.com

spruceOS is the popular A30 custom firmware — a beautification and optimization that runs on top of Miyoo's stock Linux OS (it mimics the Onion experience but is a different OS). Onion OS does NOT run on the A30 because the A30 is Allwinner A33, not SigmaStar. Other community options include MinUI (minimal, fastest boot, no WiFi), plus BTN and RA30. Format FAT32, use the SpruceOS Installer for a one-click setup or extract the .7z to the card root by hand, and always keep the hidden .tmp_update folder or spruce will not work. Do not use USB mass-storage mode to copy files; use a card reader.

FAQ

Does Onion OS work on the A30?: No. Onion OS is for SigmaStar Miyoo devices (Mini / Mini Plus / Mini Flip). The A30 is Allwinner A33, so its custom firmware options are spruceOS, MinUI, BTN and RA30 instead.
What is spruceOS and how is it different from MinUI?: spruceOS is a full-featured UI on top of stock with WiFi, RetroArch, box art, themes and N64/DC/PSP support. MinUI is deliberately minimal, has the fastest boot, no WiFi, and officially targets up to PSX. Pick spruce for features, MinUI for simplicity/battery.
My install failed or games won't show — what do I check?: Confirm you kept the hidden .tmp_update folder, used a card reader (not USB mass storage), and formatted FAT32. Try a different/known-good card, or run the SD Card Formatter tool on Quick mode then reformat to FAT32 and reinstall.

A30 — Custom firmware

Button combo

Steps

FAQ

Same device — other tasks

Other devices — same task