• How to update Android to the latest version. Instructions for updating Android firmware on a tablet

    New OS versions are constantly being released for modern smartphones, but not all users receive them. If the firmware on your Android is not updated over the air or via cable, then the reasons can be very different: from lack of memory to the termination of support for the phone by the manufacturer. Let's figure it out.

    This article is suitable for all brands that produce phones on Android 9/8/7/6: Samsung, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Sony, ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Fly, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Nokia and others. We are not responsible for your actions.

    Why is there no update on Android?

    The most common reason why Android is no longer updated is the cessation of support from the manufacturer and the obsolescence of the device itself. Android developers are forced to work on compatibility with a large number of devices and create additional drivers. Therefore, only the latest models of smartphones, the flagships of the series, usually receive updates.

    Other reasons for missing system updates on your phone include:

    • Insufficient memory on the device. There is no place for the update to install. A corresponding message should appear.
    • Google Services malfunctioned.
    • Using unofficial software - installing custom firmware and recovery, installing applications from unverified sources.
    • Hardware faults that lead to failure of individual components.

    In addition, you need to understand that the new firmware is distributed among users gradually, from the region the phone is bound to. Even if your friends have already updated their Android, this is not a reason to look for problems - perhaps you need to wait a little longer.

    Increase

    Only the latest Nexus models in the line-up of various brands are updated regularly and in a timely manner. Owners of other devices are forced to wait for information about whether the new version will work on their phones at all, and when the update will arrive - in a week or a couple of months.

    Automatic and manual system updates

    Typically, a notification about the availability of an update comes when you connect to the Internet. You can download and install it via Wi-Fi or mobile traffic. But if other users have already installed the new firmware, but you haven’t received anything yet, try to force a request for an update.

    1. Open settings.
    2. Go to the “About device” section.
    3. Go to "System Update".
    4. Click Check for Updates.

    If there are updates available for your device, click Download. It is preferable to use a Wi-Fi Internet connection. It's important that your phone doesn't run out of power during the reinstallation process, so connect it to a charger when the battery is low.


     Increase

    If the update does not arrive, but you are sure that your model supports the new version, then force the update:

    1. Open settings.
    2. Go to the "Applications" section.
    3. On the All tab, open Google Service Framework.
    4. Erase data and clear cache.
    5. Force check for updates.

     Increase

    If the manufacturer supplies a proprietary management utility with the device, then use it to obtain a system update. The example below is Samsung Kies, and other brands have their own programs.


     Increase

    When you connect your phone, a list of available updates that can be installed will appear in the utility window.

    Installing firmware updates via Recovery Menu

    If all else fails, install the update manually by downloading the file from the smartphone manufacturer’s website.

    1. Download the new official firmware to your computer. You can find it on the manufacturer’s website on the support page for your phone/tablet model.
    2. Move the update file to the root of the memory card or internal memory of the device.
    3. Turn off the device and go to the Recovery Menu. Typically, to enter Recovery, the combination “Volume up” - “Power button” is used. What to do if the combination didn't work? View the combination for a specific manufacturer and model.

    The Recovery menu is navigated using the volume keys and the power button. To install the firmware.

    Software updates and the operating system itself are known to be the key to security and stable operation. Yes, if you do not update, your device will also work, but new functions may be missing or vulnerabilities may appear. To prevent this from happening, we will tell you how to update Android in different ways.

    When a new smartphone first goes on sale, its software is often quite crude. A good manufacturer tries to fix bugs and release updates as soon as possible. It turns out that a user who does not install the patch will continue to use a buggy device.

    Moreover, sometimes holes are discovered in the operating system that allow attackers to steal your personal data and force your smartphone to work in networks for DDoS attacks. It is in order to protect the user and make the smartphone fast, reliable, and also more functional that firmware updates are needed.

    Preparing for the update

    Before you begin the procedure for installing new versions of the OS, you need to make sure that your Internet connection is stable and has sufficient speed. The update algorithm is designed in such a way that an incompletely downloaded file will not be installed. However, if you are using a slow network, packages, often reaching gigabyte sizes, can take almost days to download.

    Also, before you start, just in case, we advise you to create a backup copy of all existing data. Usually, the user’s personal files are not lost, but it’s still worth being safe. Just connect your smartphone to your computer or laptop and copy all your videos, photos and music there.

    In what cases auto-update may not work?

    There are 8 generations of the Android operating system. In addition, each manufacturer modifies the OS to suit itself. But one way or another, there are a number of established reasons why new updates may not be installed:

    • the update is simply disabled in the phone settings;
    • the manufacturer has stopped supporting the model and updates for it are no longer provided;
    • there is no connection to the network;
    • There is not enough free space on the drive.

    From all this you can understand what to do if Android is not updated. Next, we move on to instructions for updating your device.

    How to change the version (firmware) of Android

    Since there are many versions of the Android OS, we will describe the process for each of them. Also, working with the OS may vary, for example, depending on the device manufacturer. In Xiaomi Redmi Note 4x, HTC One M7 or Meizu, everything may look completely different. We will not consider the first and second editions of the green robot, since if such devices still exist, then updates for them have not been released for a long time. An example of updating using third-party programs will also be given.

    Standard over-the-air update procedure

    So, let's get started and start with the oldest version of Google's OS and work our way up.

    Android 4.x

    In order to change the OS configuration, you first need to get into its settings. In the fourth edition of Android, this is done like this:

    1. On the home screen, tap on the icon depicting several dots arranged in a row.

    1. Click on the settings gear, which is located in the main menu of the device.

    1. Scroll the list to the very bottom and select the item marked in the picture.

    1. We need the “System Update” item.

    1. Here we see that there are no new versions of the OS, but to be sure, we still press the marked button.

    In the case of Android 4.x, if there were updates, the system would download them, then reboot and install in PreOS mode. The situation is exactly the same with other versions of OS.

    Android 5.x

    In the fifth edition of the operating system we do this:

    1. Move the notification line or, as it is also called, the “curtain” down and tap on the settings icon.

    1. Scroll the contents of the window to the very bottom and select “About tablet” or “About phone”.

    1. Just like in the fourth edition, click on the item circled in the screenshot.

    1. As you can see, there are no updates, but you can check them manually.

    Android 6.x

    Let's move on to the conditional equator of the development of operating systems from Google. This is the sixth version named Marshmallow. Let's look at how to check and, if necessary, apply updates here:

    1. On the desktop or, as it is also called, the home screen, press the menu button.

    1. Tap on the settings gear.

    1. Let's move on to the point marked in the screenshot below. You can find it at the very bottom of the settings.

    1. Click on “System Update”.

    1. As a result, we see that there are no updates. To be sure, click on the circled button to check their availability again.

    Android 7.x

    We won’t talk about the newest version of Android “eight”, because it is currently installed only on some smartphones. But let’s talk about its predecessor right now:

    1. We lower the “curtain” and go to settings.

    1. Scroll the list down and tap on its last list.

    1. Here, on the contrary, we select the very first point.

    1. Then click “Check for updates”.

    As in other cases, there were no updates. This means we have the latest version of the operating system and you don’t have to worry about its security.

    ROM Manager

    1. In order to install the program, you need to open the Play Market.

    1. Here we write down the name of the program we need and select it from the generated list.

    1. Click the button that will begin installing the application.

    1. We allow the utility access to the necessary resources.

    1. We wait until all the files necessary for the program to work are downloaded and installed.

    1. You can launch the application directly from the store.

    1. The program shortcut will also appear on the Android desktop.

    Here is the ROM Manager software interface. We need to tell you something here. The fact is that this program has extensive functionality, which you will not need in its entirety. All you need is the “Check for update” item. Then just follow the program prompts.

    Recovery

    The last option we will consider is working with custom Recovery using unofficial firmware. In order to install the firmware through it, you must first download it in .zip format. This can be done on one of the forums that are replete with the Internet.

    1. To get into recovery, turn off your smartphone. Then press and hold the power button and volume up button at the same time. When the logo appears, release them. In the custom Recovery menu, select the installation option.

    Since there are several such recovery options, the names of the items and their location may change.

    1. Next, open the folder in which you previously placed the archive with the firmware.

    1. And select the firmware itself.

    Attention! If you flash a file that is not for your device, it may turn into a “brick” that even a service center cannot restore.

    1. To apply the update, pull the slider to the right.

    You can also update your phone through a special package from the manufacturer. For example, in the case of Samsung, this is the proprietary KIES utility. You need to work with it through a computer.

    Results and comments

    This concludes our article and we can only say that if you have comments, you can leave them a little lower in the form provided for this.

    Video instructions

    For greater clarity and completeness of the picture, you can also watch a video on this topic.

    From time to time, every owner of a device running Android OS needs to update the system. Moreover, this procedure is not mandatory; you can simply forget about it completely and use the version that was installed from the factory.

    However, this decision will deprive you of many benefits. For example, all new games and applications are installed only on the “fresh” versions of Android. In addition, developers release updates with a very specific goal: to get rid of the shortcomings and bugs of the previous version and introduce new functions useful to the user.

    First of all, we will look at the easiest way to update the system, which does not require any skills.

    Important! Before any update or firmware procedure, make sure your device is fully charged. Otherwise, during the process, the smartphone may discharge and then not turn on, because... the update process was interrupted. Also, before any operation, make a backup of your data so that in case of software errors, you can return to the previous stable version.

    Official firmware

    Android update over the air

    The easiest way is to update automatically using Wi-Fi or regular mobile Internet. The most important point here is that there is an officially released update for your device.

    Go to the device settings, look for the “About phone” section.

    Inside the section we are interested in the “System Update” item, click on it.

    Here you can move the top slider to the active position to have your device automatically check for released updates. Or click the "Check Now" button.

    After this, the system will automatically update. Or a message will appear that the device does not need to be updated because... The latest OS version is installed.

    Sometimes it happens that your acquaintances or friends who have the same smartphone as you have already received an update “over the air”, but it never arrived to you. To solve this problem, do the following:

    Go to the device settings and click on the “Applications” tab.

    In the window that opens, go to the “All” tab. In the list that appears, you need to find “Google Services Framework”.

    We go inside and click the “Erase data” button.

    After that, in the “About phone” section, check for new updates.

    Manual update

    If the above methods did not help, perform the following steps:

    We go to the official website of the manufacturer of our device and look for an archive there with an updated version of the OS for your device. Download it and dump it onto the device’s SD card or internal memory.

    We go into Recovery mode. To do this, turn off the smartphone, and then turn it on, holding down the power key and the volume up/down button at the same time (combinations may differ on different models).

    Here we are interested in the item “apply update from sdcard”, if we dumped the archive on the SD card or “apply update from internal storage”, if the archive with the firmware is in the internal memory. Select the desired item and click on it using the power key.

    In the window that opens, select the archive with the updated firmware and press the power key. After this, the system update process will begin. After rebooting, the device will delight you with the new OS version.

    Updating Android Using PC

    If for some reason it was not possible to update the operating system using the above methods, we move on to a more complex option. We will need a PC, smartphone, USB cable, installed drivers for the specific model of our device, as well as a special program for firmware. Programs and drivers will vary for different brands and models of smartphones. We will describe the process in general terms.

    Instructions:

    1. Download the PC client for your model. For example, for Samsung it is Odin or Kies, and for Xiaomi it is XiaoMiFlash, etc.

    2. Then download the ADB drivers so that the PC can recognize our device.

    3. Download the official firmware for your device from the manufacturer’s website.

    4. In the smartphone settings, go to the “For Developers” section and enable “USB Debugging”.




    5. After this, connect the phone to the PC and install the updated firmware using the appropriate program.

    Unofficial firmware

    It may also happen that the manufacturer no longer releases updates for older smartphone models. In this case, you will have to use unofficial Android OS firmware, of which there are a great many. However, it is worth remembering that installing such software may cause malfunctions in the device or even turn it into a “brick”.

    Instructions:

    Download the unofficial firmware as an archive and dump it into the internal or external memory of the device.

    We go into Recovery mode. To do this, turn off the smartphone, and then start it by holding the power key + volume up/down button (combinations may differ on different models.

    Click the Install button and find the archive with the firmware. For me this is Update MIUI.zip Click on it.

    Then we swipe in the specified area, and the installation process will begin, after which the device will reboot with the new firmware and, as a result, the updated version of Android OS

    Read more about how to flash an Android device in this guide. You will find official and unofficial firmware for various models there.

    Ask any questions you have in the comments and we will definitely help you!

    Many Android smartphones and tablets receive regular updates. The only exceptions are devices from little-known Chinese companies and very budget devices.

    Why update Android

    Some users of devices running this OS are wondering: should they update Android, and if so, why do it? This is highly recommended, since installing updates:

    • fixes security issues;
    • improves system performance and stability;
    • brings new features.

    As a result, after updating, the device is less susceptible to security threats, runs faster, and provides better usability.

    You can check this in three ways:

    1. on the official website of the device manufacturer;
    2. on specialized forums (for example, w3bsit3-dns.com);
    3. by launching the application to update the device over the Air.

    How to find out the current Android version of your device

    To check which OS version is currently installed, do the following:

    1. go to the settings menu;
    2. scroll through the items to the last one - which is called “About phone” and tap on it;
    3. Opposite “Android version” you can see the one present on the device.

    Important: many Chinese manufacturers create their systems based on Google's OS. Therefore, in addition to the version of the “Green Robot”, you can also find out about the version of the operating system itself from the specified menu. Often, after an update, it is the latter that changes, while the former remains the same.

    Why doesn't Android update automatically on my phone?

    Most often this happens for three reasons:

    • First– the manufacturer did not provide for the possibility of an update over the air. In this case, the system does not have a proprietary application and the standard one has been removed, which checks, downloads, unpacks and replaces the corresponding files.
    • Second– the corresponding function is disabled. To activate it, you need to go to the program that performs the update, find this option there and enable it. You can read about activating the standard Android update tool in the “Over the Air” subsection.
    • Third– the software updater is prohibited from accessing the Internet. Many phones/tablets can be used to block network access using a built-in application.

    Separately, it should be mentioned that automatic updates may not occur because the device manufacturer simply does not release updates.

    Updating a system is not reinstalling it. Therefore, after it, absolutely all the data that was present on the phones at the time of initialization of the process in question is saved.

    Moreover, 90% of users have contacts synchronized with the Google cloud. The only exceptions are those who intentionally disabled this feature or use a device that completely lacks services from the specified search giant.

    That is, when synchronization is enabled, contacts will be saved even if the OS is completely reinstalled. They will even appear on another phone if you log in with your GMAIL account.

    Methods to update the Android version

    There are three ways to install updates: over the air - the easiest, through a PC - the most complex, using applications - very unsafe.

    Updating Android over the air

    In order for the device to receive updates over the air, it is necessary that the developer provide for this possibility. It, in turn, is available in almost all devices over $100.

    Over-the-air update involves checking for the latest patches via the Internet (wi-fi) using the phone's built-in tools. If they are, then a special program downloads them to the device and replaces the files present in the system partition with those located in the downloaded archives.

    However, the presence of the corresponding opportunity does not mean that updates will come forever. Typically, device support period is 3 years, and for some manufacturers it is even less.

    If Android is “clean”, then you can try to update it through the settings menu. To do this, you need to go to the “About phone” section, select “System update” there and switch the switch to the active position.

    Update Android via PC

    To update via computer you need:

    • drivers for mobile devices;
    • special utility;
    • archive with update.

    Also, before this, you may need to unlock the bootloader, which is done through the developer menu.

  • connect your phone/tablet via USB to your PC;
  • run the patcher program;
  • select the archive with updates;
  • press the START button (most often it is called that way).

    • The specific steps that need to be performed in this case depend on the phone model. To obtain the appropriate instructions, you must refer to the manufacturer’s official website or the relevant topics on the forums.

    It should be noted that you can install updates from the archive directly from your phone. But this will require the TWRP bootloader.

    Update Android using apps

    This is the worst way to get updates. Serious companies do not develop such programs, and those applications that exist were created by someone unknown. This method should be used as a last resort.

    The principle of working with such applications in most cases is as follows:

    • downloading and launching the corresponding application;
    • selecting a device model (if it is not detected automatically);
    • Click on the Update button and wait for the update process to complete.

    The easiest way to install patches on the Green Robot is to run the OTA update utility (OTA utility is a standard application for updates provided by the manufacturer). If Android is “clean”, then you need to go to settings, then select “System”, and then “System update”. If the switch present there is active, then, provided there is a connection to the Network, information about patches that have not yet been downloaded will appear on the screen. To install them, you will need to click on the checkbox and agree to download and install the files.

    If the manufacturer has provided its own program for updating the system, then you need to run it and follow the instructions it offers.
    If, after opening, it has not loaded information about the packages, you will need to click on the button with the image of an arrow wrapped in a circle. After this, all that remains is to agree to install updates if they were found.

    How to update Android on a tablet

    How to update Android on a tablet is no different from how to update Android on a phone - these are almost identical devices, just different sizes.

    Everything is quite simple, the procedure is as follows:

    1. Download the update and save it on your phone;
    2. Turn off the phone and use the key combination (see the combination on the website of the manufacturer of your device) to go to the engineering menu;
    3. Find the “Apply update” item and indicate the location of the downloaded update - you’re done.

    If OTA does not work, then you can update via your computer. For information on how to do this, read the “Via PC” subsection.

    Android custom firmware update: where to download, how to install

    Attention: It will not be possible to update a custom OS system; a complete reinstallation of the system will be required.

    As you already understand, it will not be possible to update the system with custom firmware, and to completely flash the device you will need to obtain RTH rights. Mobile phone manufacturers strongly discourage using custom firmware, much less reflash devices yourself.

    In what cases is it not necessary to update Android?

    There are several such cases:

    • The phone already has the latest firmware.
    • The operation of the device is completely satisfactory and there is no valuable information on the phone.
    • Your phone is old and will most likely slow down a lot after the update.
    • You can't connect to wi-fi, and mobile traffic is expensive.

    How to disable Android updates

    This can be done either by changing the position of the switch in the “About phone” – “System update” menu to inactive, or by disabling the corresponding option in the proprietary application.

    How to roll back an Android update to a previous version

    In fact, there is no way to do this. However, it is still possible to return to the old system. To do this, you need to reflash the device. But you will need to find the firmware that matches the previous version.

    You can also reset the firmware to factory firmware, for this:

    1. Find the “Privacy” item in the settings (parameters) menu;
    2. Click the “Reset settings” item in the “Reset settings” tab and wait for the device to restart.

    Be sure to back up your data, as after a rollback they will be erased from the device’s memory.

    Third-party programs for updating Android

    Now let’s briefly look at the option of how to update Android on your phone/tablet using special programs.

    The first of them is Android Update Manager. Through it you can update Android for free. Its advantage is that it allows you to roll out custom firmware. That is, even if the developer no longer supports the device, through AUM you can install a more recent version of the software on it than provided.

    Upgrade for Android Go Next– through this application you can get acquainted with the features of different OS versions for a specific phone and install them. However, of course, not all devices have new versions.

    If you want to update Android as quickly and easily as possible, it is not recommended to use any applications. This is due to the fact that it is far from a fact that the updates will install normally, and if this happens, you will have to remove the phone from the “bricked” state.

    As you can see, there are many ways to install updates. However, it is better to use either those provided by the device manufacturer, or popular, proven ones.


    Android 4.4 KitKat is the latest version of Google's OS, creating which the developer had the goal of making it accessible to all gadgets. Taking care of its users, Google has developed a special application that allows you to check how the new version will work on a specific device. This year's new models will have the latest version of the OS, while everyone else can upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat.
    Traditionally, the new version will provide an increase in performance, but the most visible updates affected the interface. The developer also changed the color of the design, inviting users to make their own choice. Another change concerns the use of the display. In addition, the updated version has several additional profiles for Bluetooth. In addition, KitKat allows wireless printing of various documents, and also received a new graphic editor. Along with the release of the next update, qualitatively new ones appeared, presented in all existing genres.

    How to update Android to 4.4 on a tablet or phone?

    The easiest way is to download Android 4.4 from the developer’s website, and then follow the instructions to download and install the OS update.
    You can also install the files manually, using a home PC with fastboot and adb installed and a USB cable to connect these devices to each other. Then you need to do the following:

    1. Connect your tablet to your PC and boot it into bootloader mode.
    2. On the command line, write fastboot flash recovery specifying the file name.
    3. Reboot your device into a new recovery by entering the adb reboot recovery command.
    4. Download the archive file with the latest version of SuperSU.
    5. Flash the unpacked file via TWRP or Clockworkmod.
    6. Reboot your device and use it.

    If your tablet has an alternative recovery, you can download and directly install the Android 4.4 KitKat update on your tablet.

    1. Download it from the Google website.
    2. Download the zip file to the tablet using the adb sideload command without unpacking it.
    3. Reboot your device and use it.
    When installing an update, do not forget that it does not always end well. In some cases, a new OS version may perform worse than the previous one.

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