How to determine the Android firmware version. How to find out the firmware version in Android and why it is needed. Custom low-quality MIUI builds

Firmware or Firmware is the software that is installed on your Android device. Firmware can be official - it is developed by the device manufacturer (or Google, if it is a device from the Nexus line), and also unofficial - it is developed by enthusiasts. In general, firmware is a set of basic software that is installed on your device. Without Android firmware, the gadget is just a brick that won’t even turn on.

Many users are interested in how to find out the firmware version on an Android device. It's actually very easy to do. To do this, just open the Android settings and go to the “About smartphone” section (or to the “About tablet” section if you have a tablet computer).

The firmware version will be indicated here, as well as other data. These include: build number, kernel version and Android version. It should be noted that the firmware version and the Android version are not the same thing. Android version is the version of the Android operating system that was used to develop the firmware. And there can be many different firmwares with the same version of Android.

Why and how to update the firmware? The firmware is updated for two purposes: to fix bugs in the existing firmware and to add new features to the firmware. The firmware update is installed when the Android device is connected to the computer or using WiFi. For example, Samsung uses the KIES application, which runs on Windows. By connecting an Android device from Samsung to a computer and running the KIES program, the user can update the firmware. If updating via WiFi is possible, the user almost does not need to make any effort. The device will prompt you to reboot the gadget and install new firmware. By agreeing to the reboot and waiting a couple of minutes, the user will receive a firmware update.

What is custom firmware and why are they needed? Custom firmware is not official firmware developed by independent developers. For example, one of the most popular custom firmware is CyanogenMod. Installing custom firmware is already more difficult compared to installing firmware from the manufacturer. But, nevertheless, any user can handle this if desired. After this procedure, the user will receive many new features that were included in the firmware by the developer. It should be borne in mind that installing non-official firmware carries some risks. In particular, as a result of incorrect installation, you can turn your phone into a non-functional brick; in addition, after installing the katom firmware, you will most likely lose the official warranty from the manufacturer.

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Mobile devices on Android do not always use the latest firmware version, so users of such gadgets often experience difficulties installing software and gaming applications. In this post I will tell you see the firmware version for Android. Firmware is a set of basic software that ensures the correct and stable operation of your smartphone/tablet. Without it, your device is just a useless brick that won't even start.

How to find out the firmware number

There are several types of firmware: official (developed by mobile device manufacturers) and custom (created by third-party developers). If you are an experienced Android user, then you can easily not only view the firmware, but also update it to the latest version if necessary. But what about beginners?

Ways to find out the installed version

There are several basic ways to determine the version of the operating system installed on your mobile device. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Through the main menu of the device.

Open the device menu and select “Settings”. Next, go to the “About device” section and select the “Software information” sub-item. In the “Android Version” field you will find the current version of the installed operating system, as well as the firmware version. It should be noted that firmware numbers may have different formats depending on the brand and model of the mobile device.

Using special engineering code

If you are the owner of a Samsung device, in order to find out the current firmware version, you need to enter *# 1234 # .

If you have recently used a push-button mobile phone, then you may not even suspect that modern smartphones are equipped with different operating systems. And we’re not even talking about the fact that it can be not only Android, but also Windows Phone, OS, as well as the well-known iOS. Even the versions of operating systems differ on different smartphones! Therefore, in today’s article we will talk about how to find out the Android version, as well as the meaning of updates.

Why is the latest version of the operating system so important?

Many novice smartphone users do not pay any attention to the version of the installed operating system. They pick up a device running Android 4.2, after which they are surprised by the instability of operation and the small number of supported applications.

Depending on the version of the mobile operating system, the functionality of the device varies. The “five” and “six” have so many different settings and capabilities that it’s difficult to come up with something new. It should also be noted that many utilities and games are developed with the latest versions of Android in mind. And if your device has an old version of the operating system, then some games and programs may not even start. And even if they work, it will be with interruptions and unexpected crashes. Only old applications that were originally designed for your version of the operating system will function stably.

We'll talk more about the main differences between different versions of Android next time. In the meantime, you should understand how to find out the Android version on a tablet or smartphone. Let's say right away that the mentioned method works on all devices, regardless of their type and the installed proprietary shell.

The only and easiest way

Step 1. First you need to get into " Settings" The corresponding icon can be found in the menu, and sometimes on the desktop.

Please note: button " Settings" is often also available in the notification panel if you pull it out completely.

Step 2. Scroll down the list and click on " About the phone».

Step 3. Review the information displayed. It is possible that you will see the firmware and OS version here.

Step 4. On some devices you need to go to an additional subsection. For example, in devices it has the name “ Software details».

Google introduces an interesting Easter egg into each version of its operating system. To view it, quickly click about ten times on the Android version. As a result, you will see an image of one or another delicacy, which corresponds to the name of this version. And sometimes you can even get into a mini-game this way - in particular, it is available in Android 6.0.

This is how you can easily find out the Android version on your phone. Often this section contains information about the kernel version, security level, build number and other software parameters. But all this is required only by professionals who know much more about all this compared to ordinary users.

Reading time: 8 minutes. Views 14.9k. Published 07/08/2019

Have you purchased a new Xiaomi phone from Aliexpress or any other store from the Middle Kingdom? Quite satisfied with the quality, but can’t find the Russian language in the settings? Don’t understand why all the inscriptions are depicted in hieroglyphs? Most likely, you have come across a smartphone with a Chinese shell China ROM. This happens quite often, so the user needs to know how to distinguish the global Xiaomi firmware from the Chinese one.

Navigation

MIUI firmware is a great combination of comfort, simplicity and versatility. But, unfortunately, its main disadvantage for beginners is its confusion.

The user hears dozens of different names and versions, not understanding which one is right for him. So we'll figure it out.

China ROM

This is the MIUI version, intended exclusively for the domestic Chinese market. It is installed on phones that will be sold in China. Moreover, new Xiaomi products operate first on China ROM. If you want to be one of the first to buy a cool smartphone and order it from AliExpress, be prepared to reflash it yourself.

And only a few months after the release of the Chinese firmware, Global ROM appears, which we will discuss below. Why is China not suitable for us?

• This firmware does not have multilingual capabilities.. Living in any European country, you will not be able to set your native language on your phone. Only Chinese and English are available.
• Chinese services available. Such as a local geolocation service, browsers with limited access to some services (the Great Internet Wall of China), “dialers” that do not recognize Russian operators. At best, such programs will be simply useless, and at worst, they will refuse to work at all and slow down the operating system.
• No Google services. Agree that it is difficult for an Android user to do without the Google Play store, Gmail, Chrome, etc. When purchasing a device with a Chinese shell, be prepared to install the necessary utilities yourself.

But there is also an advantage - a lower price. Such smartphones are an order of magnitude cheaper than phones with a global version, while all the characteristics, of course, are identical.

Global ROM

But this one is already international version of firmware released outside of China. It is the global firmware that is suitable for European users because:

• Multilingual. Almost all languages ​​are supported, including Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, etc.
• Availability of Google services. You don’t have to implement Google Play yourself and endure constant slowdowns in its operation.
• There are no inscriptions in Chinese, sections, settings and menus are perfectly translated. There are also no unnecessary programs from the Middle Kingdom.

What to do if your phone has unofficial firmware installed

After looking at the firmware version, some Xiaomi phone owners are horrified that their version is Vietnamese, or they have installed a terribly low-quality custom one. What to do?

1. If you just purchased a phone and find such a problem, immediately contact the store with presentations. No seller has the right to offer you a self-made smartphone at the price of the original! Does the store tell you that they simply received such a shipment and are not aware of the counterfeit? Then ask for the contact information of the supplier company.
2. Did you buy the device not from a local store, but from a Chinese or regional Internet service? Here, unfortunately, complaints are unlikely to help, since you simply will not be able to reach the seller by phone after receiving the parcel.

In the future, avoid purchasing from unknown sources, and on AliExpress choose only trusted sellers with a large number of positive reviews.

You can check the originality of your phone by using.

Answers to popular questions

My smartphone runs on MIUI from Xiaomi EU. Is it worth switching to the global official version?

If you are completely satisfied with the current version, you can continue to use it without any problems. The main thing to pay attention to is the following parameters: are there frequent slowdowns, crashes, or crashes of the operating system? Are there updates coming? Are you satisfied with energy saving? If the answer is yes, the firmware is of high quality.

I have a Chinese version of my smartphone, can I upgrade to global firmware?

Just recently, Xiaomi approved a new rule: flashing from China to an international shell and back is prohibited, otherwise you will get a brick.

As you can see, it is quite easy to distinguish global firmware from Chinese firmware on Xiaomi. All you need is a little time and care. Follow our instructions and everything will work out.

Instructions for inexperienced users who want to know the version of Android and proprietary firmware.

Every smartphone or tablet runs on an operating system, also called a platform. The most common mobile systems are Android, iOS and Windows Phone. Each of them is updated and improved - a new version is released for this purpose. For example, it adds a multi-window mode and other innovations, and in the previous one the interface was redesigned and the Now On Tap function was added. As you can see, the developers assign a number (5.0, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0) and even a name to each update.

In addition, many developers create their own proprietary shell that runs on Android. Xiaomi has MIUI, Meizu has Flyme OS, Huawei has EMUI, and so on.

But what version of Android is my phone running? And what is its firmware (proprietary shell)? To obtain this information it will take a minimum of time, everything is very simple and accessible. We will tell you about several methods.

Find out the Android version in settings

Every smartphone and tablet that we have encountered for 7 years shows the firmware version in standard settings. To do this, just go to the “About phone” section (usually located at the bottom of the list), and find the “Android version” and “Firmware/communication module/kernel version” items (the names may differ slightly).

As an example, here are screenshots from the Leagoo smartphone, which we wrote a review on. As you can see, the Android version is 6.0, the firmware is Leagoo OS 2.0.

Benchmarks

Benchmarks are services for checking the performance and power of gadgets, you can find out more in (there are also download links). In addition to synthetic tests, benchmarks show all useful information about the device, including system and firmware versions. For example, screenshots of AnTuTu (Info section) and Geekbench 4 (CPU section).