How to update Xiaomi firmware via OTA update. What is an over-the-air (OTA) smartphone update?

We talk about the technology for updating smartphones and tablets “over the air”.

As we know, everything software products subject to regular updates. Developers of operating systems and other software strive to improve, optimize and make them more functional. operating room Android system- is no exception. Since its release (2008), it has received a huge number of updates. All of them related to bug fixes and functionality improvements.

Google has chosen an update method for its operating system exclusively via the Internet - it is called OTA or wireless update.

What is an OTA update?

OTA is an abbreviation for the English words “Over The Air”, which translates as “by air”. To get a new shell for Android, you do not need to connect it to your computer to install new files - just a connection to the Internet or Wi-Fi network. This is a huge plus for owners of official Android versions, since improvement and optimization of the operating system occurs automatically and does not require user involvement.

Pros and cons of over-the-air updates

After downloading a package of new files, the operating system will definitely ask the user when to install them - now, at night or later. It would seem like a complete convenience, but why do some users prefer to disable the ability to update? The point is that the owners mobile devices trying to save space system memory, and updates often take up more and more space.

But there is another danger. Software downloading during wireless updating is not scheduled, while the Android device can be connected to the Internet either through a channel mobile network, and via Wi-Fi. In the second case, the process of background downloading is welcome, since the speeds are high and the cost of tariffs is low. As for the first option, receiving an update brings with it a lot of inconvenience, since the limit suddenly depletes mobile traffic allocated according to the tariff plan.

In this case, the speed of web surfing may drop significantly or video viewing may slow down, since the downloaded update “pulls” all the speed onto itself. In this regard, in the device settings, you can select the option “download updates only when connected to Wi-Fi networks».

Sometimes it happens that a user heard an announcement about the release of a new version for Android and wanted to get it. But when I try to check the update through the device settings, I find that it is empty. There is a lot of information on the Internet about how to speed up the process of receiving an OTA update. standard means. For example, this is a data reset to system application Google Services Framework or sending USSD codes with a specific combination of numbers and characters.

But it is important to understand: developer reviews indicate that such actions are unlikely to have a good effect on stable work devices in the future. In most cases, the update will result in only minor changes: appearance application shortcuts, improved energy saving and performance. Due to such minor changes, it is better to wait for the new firmware to be downloaded automatically in a timely manner rather than jeopardize the correct operation of the operating system.

Very often you can encounter such a situation as a software update. air Android, but not everyone prefers OTA updates due to the fact that it is very expensive for mobile traffic and not very safe, since failures may occur during the update (dead battery, update was not downloaded successfully).

If you do not want to receive these updates, then you need to disable them. You can learn how to do this from this article. You will be offered several ways to easily disable or re-enable over-the-air updates if you have Root rights and if you do not have them.

Instructions for disabling over-the-air Android updates

Method number 1 (If you don’t have Root rights, hide the notification, Android 5.X and higher)

1. Pull the notification shade down;

2. Press and hold on the “Download update” notification;

3. Click on the “i” button that appears;

4. In the menu that opens, turn off all “Block all” notifications!

Method number 2 (If you have Root rights, disable)

6. Then restart Android and your device will not receive updates.

Instructions to allow over-the-air Android updates again

Method No. 1 (If you don’t have Root rights, turn on notifications, Android 5.X and higher)

1. Go to menu Android settings-> Applications;

2. Find the application " Google Services Play" and go to it;

3. Enter notifications;

4. Activate notifications;

5. Reboot Android device, after notification about the update will be available to you again.

Method 2 (If you have Root rights, enable)

1. Enable software debugging USB to Android and connect Android to PC;

2. Then open adb program Run

3. Go to the Manual -> Adb menu and enter the following commands:

4. Then reboot Android and over-the-air updates will come to your device again.

After the release of any official firmware, most users install new versions of them in order to ensure better performance of the device, although this is not at all necessary. If you still decide to improve your operating system, in this article we will tell you how to do it correctly. Partial consideration will be taken into account Xiaomi update Mi5 and some other devices. We will also talk about installing a new version of software over the air.

What is OTA

To be precise, in simple terms, in clear language, then OTA (Over The Air) updates do not require a connection to a computer, that is, you can update via 3G Internet, EDGE or Wi-Fi, this method is often called “over-the-air update”. Having a user account, we will be able to synchronize our device only with new firmware modules, this function also allows you to receive notifications about released products regarding the OS, your data is not lost, but remains saved, in short, this method saves you a lot of time and effort. Absolutely every Xiaomi owner will be able to cope with updating the system to the new version, and we will talk about device compatibility in the future.

Current firmware on at the moment is an update to MIUI 8, so in the future we will talk specifically about it. We will tell you who can afford to upgrade to the current MIUI 8 build, and also advise what to do if you still have not received the firmware for your device. We will not talk about its pros and cons, we will only say that such an innovation will allow you to change the appearance of the interface, add a multi-screen mode that allows you to work with a number of special programs, in general, your Android will transform well, and there will be something to look at.

Compatibility

It is also important which devices can be installed on new firmware, so it is important to understand this issue. According to official sources, the firmware will be available on all Android 6.0 devices, including devices such as Xiaomi Mi4, its earlier representatives of the Mi series, that is, Mi 2, Mi 2S, Mi 3 and so on. Popular update Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro, and indeed the entire Redmi line along with Mi Note, is a given.

True, there is one thing. The fact is that the firmware is not yet available to everyone, since it is released in “waves” for certain series of devices, but if you have everything necessary files, then you can install it manually, which we will briefly discuss later.

Firmware update

Updating the firmware is not the easiest process, at least it used to be. Now, with the help of OTA, you can do everything in a few clicks, and you don’t need a computer, a connection cable, and you’ll also be able to do without searching necessary files, their correct location and so on. Since you already know about over-the-air updating, let’s move on directly to the process, looking at three simple steps:

• Make sure that your device is charged to the maximum, but even 30% of the battery is enough to carry out such an operation; for some, 60%. But it’s better not to take risks by fully charging the device;
• Of course, up to Android 6 and older you need official firmware, that is, custom and root rights are not suitable here, and there should not be any changes in the firmware;
• Then you just have to follow the standard path to check for updates: “Menu” – “Settings” – “About phone” – “System updates” – “Check now”. When the system sees that there is an update, agree to install it, restart the device, and then wait.

Having figured out how to update your Xiaomi devices Redmi 3 Pro and some others, I would like to mention that for the same Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, Xiaomi Redmi 3S at the time of writing is only available Chinese version firmware and you can’t do anything about it, so you’ll have to wait. We remind you that MIUI firmware The latest versions are not released immediately and not for all devices. They will still be translated (global version), so there is no rush, of course, unless you want to get a device in Chinese.

Other installation options

Since many people want to upgrade their device to MIUI now, there are options manual installation via Recovery and Fastboot, but this is a topic for another article. It is also worth considering that the approximate similarity of devices, say Redmi 3 and 3 S, does not promise us that they will be able to officially update at the same time, although everyone really hopes for this.

If for some reason you are unable to update your device, you should try slightly more difficult methods, but no less correct; more about this in the article about device firmware.

All smartphone manufacturers release updates based on region. This means you must be in Europe or America to receive your updates first. Most companies release updates in America first. In this article, we will tell you how you can update your device faster via OTA. You should keep in mind that this guide only applies if the company has already released the update.

How to speed up OTA update on your phone?

Obviously, we all want our phone to be updated. With every new update, smartphone manufacturers include security fixes that make our smartphones more secure. Plus you will get a lot interesting features with new update. Using the service https://specspro.net/phones/, you can choose a smartphone with the most latest version Android. However, after some time, it will certainly appear new version or updates will be released. Of course you'll want to update software your mobile device as quickly as possible.

So, you want to make an OTA update faster than it becomes available to other users in your region? Just follow the instructions we give below. If you're patient enough to wait for the update to naturally arrive on your phone, you won't need this guide.

Step 1: First you need to install a VPN app. We recommend that you download Opera VPN. Some of you have been using paid VPN programs for a long time. In this case, you don't need Opera VPN. All you need to do is install the app of the VPN service you are using on your phone. Once you open the app, provide your login credentials and you'll be all set.

Why do we recommend Opera VPN? You can ask this question. Opera VPN is available for free download. The Service never imposes restrictions on your use or bandwidth. You can use it as much as you want. We have used many VPN services in the past. Therefore, we can say that Opera VPN has the easiest to use interface. If we are using a VPN to speed up the delivery of OTA updates, we don't need a VPN with many additional functions. Therefore, Opera VPN is more than enough.

Step 2: As stated earlier, most updates are launched in America (and closer countries) first. What we're going to do is change the country in our VPN service. We hope you are using Opera VPN. So, open the app and click the blue Connect button on home page application interface. Alternatively, you can click the menu button on the left top corner screen and tap the switch next to the Opera VPN shortcut.

Step 3: It is necessary to change the region. You must make sure Canada is in the list of countries ( best choice for Opera). If you're using another VPN, you may want to make the obvious choice (meaning the US). If the selected country is not Canada, click "Change Region" and select the desired one. If you have the option to use the USA country in Opera VPN, you can select it.

Step 4: Most likely, you will immediately receive a notification about the update. If you don't see it, go to Settings - System update(steps vary from manufacturer to manufacturer). Here you will find update options. You can begin the update download process. Do not start the download process if you are using mobile transmission data.

You can follow this step by step guide to speed up OTA updates every time you find out about the release of an update, but do not receive it. We hope you understand how to get OTA updates quickly. The principle of the process is actually to change your location. We used the Opera VPN service, which is free tool with a simple user interface. You can use any other good VPN service whichever you like.

How to update Android?

Despite the fact that Google's Android operating system appeared in the mobile device segment relatively recently, it has managed to take a leading position in the smartphone market. About half of all activated smart phones worldwide run on this OS.

It is worth noting that Google quite often releases various software updates, allowing you to maximally protect Android users from detected software failures. But often these updates do not reach end consumers, since many smartphone manufacturers stop supporting their devices almost immediately after their release. To decide this problem, many people install third-party firmware on their gadgets, released by enthusiasts. Often, you can update Android only with their help.

How to update Android on a smartphone or tablet?

First, it is necessary to provide some clarity about how the update process occurs and in what cases it can be done. Despite the fact that a new version of the OS is released once a year, not everyone will be able to use their device. Stable update to the latest latest versions The OS is guaranteed for 2 years only for users of the Nexus and GPE line of devices ( Google Play Edition, which is served in the Google online store).

Also, in most cases, all smartphone manufacturers update the firmware for their flagship models, but updates come out with a long delay.

Updating Android using a proprietary utility

To update your smartphone's operating system to the latest state, you can use software developed by the device manufacturer. For Samsung smartphones you need to use the KIES utility; users of LG devices need LG PC Suite or HTC Sync Manager for HTC devices.

Android update process via PC:

1. First, you need to download proprietary software from the official website of the manufacturer of your smartphone. Address of this Internet resource can be found in the device instructions.
2. After this, you need to install the software on your computer, as well as, if necessary, an additional set of drivers.
3. Next, you need to connect your smartphone or tablet to personal computer using a USB cable.
4. Now you should run the installed software and give it some time to detect the connected device.
5. When the model of your device is identified, you should find it in the program interface and click the “Software Update” button.
6. Next, you need to follow the prompts given by the program.
7. During the software update, it is strictly forbidden to disconnect the USB cable or remove the battery from the device. In addition, a smartphone is best on a laptop or computer with a source uninterruptible power supply so that in the event of a power outage the update process will not be disrupted.
8. After the update is completed, the smartphone or tablet will restart and its settings will be reset to factory settings.

The process of updating an Android device over the air:

1. First connect your device to charger and wait fully charged battery In addition, if your smartphone or tablet is guaranteed to be charged more than 80%, you can safely try to update.
2. Now connect the gadget to the Wi-Fi network, since using mobile internet, even unlimited, will make the process of downloading the update very long (it may take from several hours to a day). In addition, when using a mobile network, the download process may be interrupted due to low speed.
3. After that, open the software update utility on your smartphone:
   • For devices from various Chinese manufacturers, as well as from FLY, Explay, etc. you will need to go to system menu settings, then go to the “Software Update” section;
   • For Samsung or HTC devices, you need to go to the settings section, select the “About device” menu item, then go to the “System updates” section and click the “Check for updates” button;
   • Smartphones from LG are equipped separate program to update Android, it is located in the main menu and has the appropriate name “Software Update”. You just need to open it and start the update process.
4. During the update process, the smartphone may reboot several times. If the system update was minor, user data may be retained. Otherwise, you will have to restart or restore the settings from the backup.

Android firmware update based on CyanogenMod

1. Download the firmware image for your device to a memory card or place it there using a computer.
2. Turn off your smartphone and boot it into “Recovery” mode by simultaneously pressing the volume button and the power button (the key combination depends on the device model).
3. Select “Update” and open the previously saved firmware image;
4. The device will be updated and rebooted.