It looks like the Verizon Galaxy Nexus SCH-I515 will have the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update after all — in the form of CyanogenMod 10 (CM10). Thanks to the efforts of XDA Developers member winner00, Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners are one of the lucky few to receive the CM10 update.

Don’t expect the ROM to be fully functional and free from bugs yet, as CM10 still needs a lot of work. Despite these flaws and shortcomings, the ROM is stable enough for daily use. Consider this ROM as a preview of what Jelly Bean has in store for you once it will be released.

Check out the rest of this guide to learn how to upgrade Verizon Galaxy Nexus I515 to Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean via CyanogenMod 10.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, model number SCH-I515. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• Verizon Galaxy Nexus with unlocked bootloader and ClockworkMod Recovery installed
  • Check our post about a toolkit that will easily unlock your phone’s bootloader and flash ClockworkMod Recovery.
• Fully charge battery or at least 70% battery left.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.
• Download the following file and save them to your computer:
  • CyanogenMod 10 Alpha for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus (cm-10-20120724-UNOFFICIAL-toro.zip, md5sum: ecbe2058b62b24361dd8d611b7ae038c)
    • MediaFire Link
    • Goo.im Link
  • Jelly Bean GApps (Google Apps) Package (gapps-jb-20120717-signed.zip, md5sum: 10988c023495b7871514f2d69cbc2503)

Instructions

1. Copy the downloaded ZIP files and place them in your phone’s internal SD card.
2. Switch off your phone.
3. Boot into ClockworkMod Recovery. You can do this by pressing and holding down the Power, Volume Up, and Volume Down keys until you see the word “Start” in bold green letters. Highlight Recovery Mode using your phone’s Volume buttons and select it using the Power button to boot into Recovery Mode.
4. Create a NANDroid backup of your existing ROM. If ever you encounter any problems or experience disabled features in using this ROM, you can easily revert to your original state by running the backup file. To perform a backup, select Backup and Restore, and on the screen that follows, select Backup again. Head back to the main recovery menu after backup is complete.
5. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset, then select Yes on the next screen to confirm data wipe.
6. Select Install ZIP From SD Card.
7. Select Choose ZIP From SD Card, then browse cm-10-20120724-UNOFFICIAL-toro.zip file and select it. Confirm the installation by selecting Yes on the screen that follows. It may take 5-10 minutes for the installation process to finish.
8. Once done, go the main menu and flash the gapps-jb-20120717-signed.zip file in the same manner as in steps 6 and 7.
9. Head back to the main recovery menu by selecting Go Back.
10. Select Reboot System Now to reboot your phone. It may take a couple of minutes for your phone to boot completely as this will be the first time it runs Jelly Bean.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean on your Verizon Galaxy Nexus SCH-I515 via CyanogenMod 10.