• Android flashing. The complete procedure for flashing an Android phone via a computer

    Android OS has become popular for its stability. But even with her, unpleasant “surprises” happen, so to speak. At the most inopportune moment, your device suddenly closed previously running applications, began to slow down, some strange errors, glitches, etc. appeared. In this case, you will need to reflash the phone. How to flash Android without a computer if you don’t have one at hand? There are two ways to flash the firmware, but before you start, decide which one is right for you.

    Methods for flashing Android firmware without a PC

    • Stock firmware

    Released by the developers, this is an official, fairly optimized software and fits perfectly with most smartphones.

    Pros

    1. official firmware ensures stability and quality of system operation;
    2. guarantees protection against burglary;
    3. automatically updated in connection with the release of a new OS version;
    4. absence of serious problems, bugs, etc.;
    5. the opportunity to use repair service or exchange in a warranty case.

    Cons

    1. official firmware contains a lot of unnecessary programs that cannot be removed;
    2. restriction of full access to device management; inability to install any additional programs.
    • Custom firmware
    1. modernized official version of the OS created by user-programmers
    2. availability of open source on the Android device
    3. provides the opportunity to edit the operating system as it will be convenient for the user of the device

    There are many custom ones, they all have their own advantages and disadvantages.

    Pros

    1. high performance;
    2. no unnecessary programs;
    3. availability of third-party software;
    4. bugs fixed;
    5. granting root rights.

    Cons

    1. many of them significantly slow down the system;
    2. no guarantee of data security on the smartphone;
    3. This firmware is not suitable for all devices;
    4. By installing a custom one, the warranty on the phone expires and in case of malfunctions on your Android, the service center will have the right to refuse repairs.

    So, before flashing your smartphone, consider all the nuances and find the right solution.

    Android firmware via recovery

    Before installing stock or custom firmware, you must initially obtain root rights. After receiving, proceed to install one of the versions of the custom recovery menu. Better reliable version - TWRP and ClockworkMod recovery

    NOTE!

    Note: Rooting will void your phone's warranty.

    To install the TWRP menu:

    1. download the Goo Manager program from the Play Market
    2. To install ClockworkMod, download the Rom Manager program via the Play Market
    3. After that, in the main menu, click “Setup recovery”

    NOTE!

    During the flashing process, your Android device will be reset to factory settings, and in order to avoid losing all your contacts and data, we advise you to back up all data to an SD card at the beginning of the procedure

    1. First, download the firmware zip file to your SD card.
    2. But before that, you should make sure that this firmware is suitable for your device, or you risk losing it forever.
    3. After installing the menu and moving the firmware file to the SD card, boot the smartphone into recovery mode.

    How to enter recovery to flash a smartphone?

    To navigate to recovery, you can use the volume keys. So, with the device turned off, you need to hold down the “Home” and “Volume +” buttons, then, without releasing them, press the power key. The gadget will turn on in the required mode. If you have a more modern device without a Home button, repeat the process using the Volume + button and the Power button. If nothing works out for you, then you should expand the list of ways to enter recovery for different manufacturers.

    Moving on to the process of the firmware itself, I will add that unofficial Android operating system files created by skilled users should be installed at their own peril and risk. If you decide to install a non-native version, you should make sure that the firmware is “written” directly for the phone that you are flashing.

    If you chose stock, then don't bother installing CWM Recovery or TWRP. All actions that should be performed are limited to directly downloading the factory file and moving it to an external memory card. After all this, the process itself will be similar to installing a custom recovery:

    1. you need to go to the stock menu “recovery” and select “Apply update from external storage”.
    2. next step - specify the firmware file and click “confirm”
    3. when the process comes to an end, you will need to perform an additional step to avoid glitches when turning on and operating the gadget
    4. After installing the firmware, you immediately need to select “Wipe data/factory reset” in the menu and then confirm
    5. this way you can clear information about the previous software and files that were previously available on the smartphone before the firmware was updated
    6. After completing these manipulations, you should select “Reboot system now”. This will reboot your smartphone and start the setup process from scratch.
    7. If the switching process takes a long time and the device logo “hangs”, then you should remember whether the “reset settings” item was performed after flashing.

    Everything is very simple in Android firmware. But do not undertake to flash it if you are not sure that you can handle it yourself, otherwise you risk “killing” the device with no hope of restoring it. It's better to contact specialists.

    The site administration and the author are not responsible for possible problems on your gadgets during installation.

    When nothing works on your Android phone or everything slows down and lags, and the usual tips (clearing the cache or freeing up the phone's memory) do not help - it's time to resort to radical measures, such as flashing Android. Flashing an anodroid phone is not a difficult task; you can flash your phone at home, by yourself, today we will tell you in detail how to do it!

    • The Android core itself;
    • Drivers that ensure the coordinated functioning of the components of a specific device model, that is, hardware.

    The verb “Flash” the device refers to the platform installation procedure. However, the process of installing an operating system for a computer and for a mobile gadget on the Android platform is significantly different. The reasons for this are the huge variety of implementations of this most common OS in mobile devices. Much software is created individually for certain models of smartphones and tablets. Therefore, installation of new firmware often ends unsuccessfully for inexperienced users due to lack of information and the lack of correct action algorithms before their eyes.

    The guide below will help you reflash Android at home, and will also introduce you to the possible risks of the procedure and ways to minimize them.

    Why do you need to reflash your Android phone?

    People make and program gadgets, so no device is completely immune from errors. If a problem occurs in your Android smartphone (tablet), the drastic way to get rid of the problem is to flash it.

    Arguments for reinstalling the OS

    Thanks to the openness of this operating system, manufacturers are free to improve and customize it to suit their gadget models. Many of their advanced software have already won the love and trust of users. In this regard, owners of smartphones and tablets often take risks and decide to reflash their electronic friend. This is also facilitated by some developers who eventually stop releasing updates for their gadgets. Users from various sources of information learn about new software modifications that can allow optimal use of the device’s hardware capabilities and, of course, wonder how to reflash Android.

    Even very well-known companies that produce smartphones and tablets often sin by installing their own software, which for obvious reasons is not suitable for most users. In addition to the unsuccessful external design of the shell, these proprietary software significantly slow down the functioning of the device. At the same time, pure Android, not stuffed with unnecessary marketing tricks from the developer, often amazes with its high performance and stability. Therefore, the answer to the question posed is to install custom software, which does not contain pre-installed “junk” from the manufacturer.

    Arguments against reinstalling the OS

    If there is a lack of experience or insufficient care, there is a high risk of getting a non-working and useless piece of microcircuits and plastic after the procedure, or as specialists used to call this failed device - “Brick”.

    If firmware is installed with software taken from unofficial sources, the warranty on the device will be void.

    Not all drivers included in the software package from a third-party developer work correctly with the gadget’s components. It happens that after flashing the GPS module, it refuses to search for satellites, and the camera takes low-quality images. Also, not optimally selected software can cause the battery to drain quickly.

    How to flash an Android phone yourself and what do you need for this?

    The success of any event depends on how thoroughly the preliminary preparation has been carried out.

    Preparatory activities include the following main points:

    • Be sure to fully charge the device before starting the procedure;
    • Through the gadget settings menu, find out the name of the device and the modification of the current software (it is recommended to write them down to the last character and sign, otherwise, if you flash the firmware with an inappropriate assembly, you may end up with a “brick”);

    Each user must independently decide which version of the software to give preference to:

    a) official;
    b) third party.

    Having completed all three points of preliminary measures and, most importantly, having precisely decided on the software modification, you should proceed directly to the installation procedure.

    There are the following ways to do this:

    • Update (When an updated software version has already been released for a device, a convenient method for all users is “Auto Update”. In order to find out if a new firmware version is available, you need to open the “About Phone” section through the settings and go to the “System Update” subsection).
    • Manual installation (For models from different manufacturers, different firmware methods are used using different software, which are called “Flashers”. For example, for gadgets from Samsung the Odin program is used, for Nexus, Sony and HTC - “Fastboot”, “Lenovo” - “Flash Tool”, “LG” - “KDZ Updater”, etc.).

    List of stages of the flashing procedure using the ROM Manager program:

    • Get root rights to your Android gadget;
    • Install the ROM Manager utility;
    • Create a copy of the current OS;
    • Find and save suitable firmware;
    • Install it;
    • Test the operation of the new software and, if you are dissatisfied with the results, return to the previous version using the created copy in step “3”.

    You can find and install the “ROM Manager” utility from the Google Play Market. Then, by opening the main application window and clicking on the top line, you can install “ClockWorkMod” (CWM), and using the second line – “Load Recovery Mode”.

    In order to save a copy of the OS, you will need to install “CWM”.

    Important aside: During installation of "CWM", the gadget should not be connected to the PC.

    By clicking on “Install CWM” you will need to specify the exact name of the gadget and wait for the installation procedure to complete.


    Where can I get firmware for Android?

    They are available for download on the official resources of the smartphone and tablet developers themselves. If the user has sufficient experience, then by the name of the model he can find many versions of the software on third-party sites, from which the appropriate one is selected and its archive file is saved in the computer memory. Then you can write it to a memory card without unzipping the file.

    If you use the “ROM Manager Premium” utility, the user can click the “Download firmware” line. After this, the application will display a list of software suitable for the device. This useful program saves you from wasting time searching for software in online resources of third-party developers, of which there are currently a huge number.

    Why do you need non-official (custom) firmware for Android?

    Non-official software is developed to ensure faster operation of the device, and some useful functions and good design can be added to it.

    Custom firmware sometimes continues to be improved by developers even when an already outdated gadget has been discontinued. Therefore, the user receives a device with updated software that optimally meets modern requirements.

    For some users, it happens that the decisive criterion for deciding in favor of installing a third-party product is saving battery power and a more attractive interface.

    By installing non-official software, you can immediately provide yourself with root rights, which means you can increase your security by installing a powerful firewall. The owner of the gadget, at his own discretion, will be able to install any fonts he likes, as well as increase the speed of the GPS module, etc.

    You can get rid of unused system utilities, which not only take up memory space, but also consume mobile traffic; this is especially true if the user does not have access to an unlimited Wi-Fi network.

    How to flash an Android phone via a computer at home?

    If the owner of the device is interested in the question of how to flash an Android phone via a computer, then the following will be necessary:

    1. Install drivers on the PC to work with the device;
    2. Download the firmware corresponding to the gadget model;
    3. Create a backup copy of the current OS in the device;
    4. Install the firmware application (flasher).


    The essence of the actions is the same for different models of devices. Below is an example of working with the Odin flasher from Samsung:

    • Connect the device to the PC in download mode. To do this, you should turn off the gadget and simultaneously press the keys: “Home”, “On/Off.” and “Increase sound.”
    • Next, “Odin” will see the device;
    • Then, in the “AP” column, indicate the location of the downloaded software;
    • Place marks in columns “F. Reset Time" and "Auto reboot";
    • Click “Start”;
    • Wait for the process to complete.


    The sequence of actions consists of the following steps:

    1. Launch “ROM Manager” and click “Install ROM from SD card”;
    2. Specify the location of the OS distribution package copied to the card;
    3. In the menu that appears, check the boxes that interest the user and click “Ok”;
    4. Wait for the installation procedure to complete.


    How to reflash Android via Recovery yourself?

    To install software using Recovery, you must first save the firmware file on the device card. Next you will need to complete the following steps:

    • Turn off the device;
    • Simultaneously press the keys: “On/Off.” and “Increase sound level” (on some models the button combination may be different);
    • In the window that appears, specify “Recovery Mode” (the transition between columns is made by using the buttons to increase and decrease the sound level);
    • Next, specify “apply update from external storage” and click the “On/Off” button;
    • Wait until the process completes.

    The question of how to flash an Android tablet already has detailed answers in the above paragraphs of this guide. All actions in gadgets on Android will be identical. For example, consider the procedure using a PC in relation to a model from the popular Lenovo company.

    The following steps must be followed:

    1. Fully charge the tablet;
    2. Install the “Software Update Tool” application and drivers. Save an archive with a distribution of suitable firmware in memory;
    3. Disable the mobile gadget;
    4. Simultaneously press the keys: “On/Off.” and “Lower volume” (the device should vibrate);
    5. After “Fastboot USB” is displayed on the display, connect the gadget to the computer;
    6. Open the installed application and specify the location of the saved distribution;
    7. Next, in the program menu, specify the type of software;
    8. Click “Erase user data”;
    9. Click “Start” and wait until the process is completed.


    Programs for flashing Android

    Many applications have already been developed for this purpose. Here are the most successful utilities that have proven their reliability and earned positive user reviews.


    This utility is installed directly into the device itself. The firmware is installed from the gadget's CD card.



    A universal utility that is suitable for almost all devices on the Android platform. Installation is carried out only through a computer, so you will definitely need a USB cable. An intuitive interface allows even novice users to cope with the difficult task of reinstalling the system



    FastBoot

    This is one of the most difficult applications for beginners. The actions in it are a little confusing. The installation procedure is carried out through the console of the Windows operating system.

    How to flash a phone if it won't turn on?

    It will be possible to successfully resolve the issue only if the integrity of the bootloader is not compromised. To find out this, you can hold down the “On/Off” button. When a response appears from the device in the form of a robot or some icon, for example, “!”, then we can conclude that the OS has failed. You can also try to connect the device to a PC via a USB cable and press the following keys on the device: “On/Off.” and "Volume". When the PC then finds the gadget, resuscitation will not be difficult and will be successful in 95% of cases. Next, you can use one of the above methods and install new software. It is not uncommon for incorrectly executed firmware to break the recovery partition, after which the gadget can only be restored by installing the correct OS modification.

    The algorithm of actions is as follows:

    1. Install the firmware utility on the PC;
    2. Download and save the firmware file;
    3. Open the utility;
    4. Connect the device to the computer and press the keys (combinations vary for different models);
    5. Indicate in the utility the location of the distribution kit with the new OS;
    6. Click “Start”;
    7. Ready. You just need to wait for the installation procedure to complete and restart the device.

    What to do if the flashing fails?

    You can resort to system recovery. To do this, you will need a saved copy of the system.


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    A new firmware has been released for your smartphone, but the update via OTA is delayed? Or is the current firmware damaged and you need to upload the original image to the phone? You can fix the problems listed above by flashing your Android phone using a computer. The process itself takes only 3-5 minutes. You will learn how to perform this procedure from this material.

    Android firmware via computer

    The process is not complicated and is performed automatically after completion of the preparatory work. To do this you will need:

    1. A computer, or better yet a laptop, with an OS compatible with firmware programs and drivers.
    2. Drivers and program for installing firmware.
    3. System image for the device being flashed.
    4. A working USB cable with data transfer function, as well as a working connector for connecting the cable to a mobile device.

    The further algorithm of actions is simple. You will need to connect the device to your computer. Run the program, where you specify the location of the firmware file. And then click the button to install. Further actions are performed without user intervention.

    Important!

    1. Before uploading new firmware, take care to back up your information, as the data will be erased.
    2. If possible, create a complete image of the original system.
    3. Charge the battery to 75% or more.
    4. Make sure the cable and connector are in good condition. A loose connection can damage the device during the firmware process.
    5. Make sure that the downloaded firmware is for your model. If there are regional differences, for example the use of European firmware for an American model, there is a high probability of software damage or failure of the radio module.
    6. Before installation, check the details and additional requirements.
    7. If you have no experience in changing the OS, you should read the additional material at the links below.

    How to find firmware on an android device

    The firmware should be looked for on a trusted website, with a focus on a specific brand. Or browse resources where various brands and models are discussed. For example, the XDA-Developers forum, where you will need to be patient and have basic knowledge of the English language.

    But before you start searching for firmware, you should find out the correct model name. Information is available in the system settings section, “About device” or “About phone”. Usually the item is located at the end of the list, in some models, at the beginning.

    Take a screenshot using the Volume Down and Power key combination, or rewrite the content. Later, such information will be useful for knowledgeable users on the forum, who can help in finding suitable firmware.

    How to reflash an Android phone via a computer at home

    Below we will look at programs for devices of certain brands and basic instructions.

    Important! Be sure to check additional requirements and conditions necessary for successful installation of the firmware. Pre-install the firmware and driver software.

    Instructions on how to reflash an Android smartphone manufactured by Motorola

    Smartphones manufactured by Motorola are flashed with the RSD Lite program.

    Algorithm of actions:

    1. Connect your phone to your PC. As soon as the utility recognizes the phone, information about the current firmware will be displayed in the left rectangle. The name of the model will also appear below, with the status Connected.
    2. In the “Filename” field you should specify the executable firmware file with the “XML” extension. The file contains commands, partition firmware, etc. If, according to the instructions, you need to erase some lines with commands, this should be done before uploading the firmware to the phone. If the firmware is archived, then unzip the archive to access the executable file.
    3. After adding the firmware to the program, additional information will be displayed in the right rectangle, including the model for which the firmware is intended.
    4. Click the “Start” button and wait for the operation to complete. Typically, flashing takes up to 5 minutes, which is affected by the number of loaded partitions.
    5. The status “In Progress” in the “Result” column indicates the process of installing the firmware, and “Finish” indicates successful completion. If at the beginning of the system installation, in the middle or at the end the message “Fail” appears, then the firmware is unsuccessful. You should view the Log file in the folder with the RSD Lite application to find out the reason for the failure.
    6. In case of successful firmware. You should not rush to disconnect the cable, but wait another 2-3 minutes for completion. Don't be surprised at how long it takes to turn on the device for the first time.

    Instructions on how to reflash an Android phone made by Samsung

    Firmware is installed using the ODIN program. For devices manufactured before 2012, program version 1.86 should be used. The type of firmware also influences the algorithm of actions: single-file, single-file with PIT file, multi-file, etc. We will consider the most popular option - installing single-file firmware.

    Preparatory process before flashing

    1. Download and install the ODIN program on your PC. Do similar actions with drivers, ADB & FASTBOOT tools.
    2. Download and unzip the firmware. Place the file in the root of the disk – C:\.
    3. Connect your phone to your computer. Be sure to use the USB2 port located on the PC motherboard.
    4. Enable "USB debugging". The mode is located in the section for developers.
    5. Close processes related to “Samsung Kies” on your phone.
    6. Run the ODIN program using “administrator” rights.
    7. Switch your phone to ODIN mode. To do this, turn off the device, and then hold down the volume down, central Home and Power buttons. Hold the buttons down until the text appears on the screen.
    8. After successfully switching to the mode, the “ID:COM” column will be highlighted.

    Installing single-file firmware

    If, after unpacking the archive, only a file with the “.tar” extension is contained inside, then the firmware is single-file. After uploading the file, personal information is not deleted, unless the settings indicate erasing the data.

    Algorithm of actions:

    1. Click on the “AP” button in the ODIN program to specify the folder with the firmware file.
    2. Check the Options tab. It is only necessary to check the Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time items if the program did not do this automatically. The remaining items are empty.
    3. Specify the path to the firmware.
    4. To start flashing, click the “Start” button. Until the flashing is completed, do not disconnect the power cable and the computer itself.
    5. More often than not, after 2-5 minutes, the flashing will be completed. After rebooting the device, you should disconnect the USB cable.

    Instructions for flashing firmware for Android smartphones based on MediaTek

    To upload firmware to smartphones with the MediaTek mobile platform installed, the SP Flash Tool program is used.

    Important!

    Be sure to back up your system.

    During normal firmware installation on models with SoC MT6575 and MT6577, you cannot activate the preloader and dsp_bl options, as well as formatting, since this will completely disable the device without the possibility of recovery. On models with other MediaTek SoCs, options cannot be enabled if this is not specified under the system installation conditions.

    Algorithm of actions:

    1. Turn off the power to the smartphone, remove the battery for 1-2 minutes, and then install the battery back.
    2. Download and unpack the firmware and install the drivers.
    3. Open SP_Flash_Tool version 5.
    4. Click on the “Scatter-loading” button and select the file “MTxxxx_Android_scatter_emmc.txt”, where xxxx is the name of the SoC in your device.
    5. If you are flashing a device with SoC MT6575 and MT6577, you should uncheck the Preloader and dsp_bl items. For other models – only Preloader.
    6. Select the “Download Only” mode, and then click on the “Download” button.
    7. Then connect the switched off phone to the PC. The program will detect the device and begin flashing the firmware. If this does not happen, then disconnect the USB cable, remove the battery, install it back, and then connect it to the PC again.
    8. Once the flashing is completed, disconnect the cable and turn on the phone.

    Instructions on how to flash an Android phone made by LG through a computer

    To update the firmware at home, LG suggests using the Mobile Support Tool utility. The program has not been supported since April 2015, so the method is only relevant for outdated smartphones.

    Algorithm of actions:

    1. Launch the LG Mobile Support Tool.
    2. Connect your device to your PC. Also in connection mode, select “Software”. Then the drivers will automatically download. If this does not happen, please select a model from the list.
    3. If there are updates for the connected smartphone, the program will offer to download the firmware. You will need to click on the “Start update” button. Then follow the instructions of the application.

    For modern models, the LGUP utility is more often used.

    Algorithm of actions:

    1. Download the firmware image with the “.kdz” extension.
    2. Download and install the LGUP program. In the folder with the installed LGUP program, copy the library of files with the DLL extension for your model - LG G6 or LG V20, etc.
    3. Turn off the phone's power. Then hold down the “volume up” button and connect to the PC. After entering download mode, you can release the “volume up” button.
    4. Launch the LGUP program. If the phone is detected, then click on the “three dots” button and specify the location of the firmware.
    5. Next, select the firmware update option – “UPGRADE”, and then “Start” to begin installing the update.
    6. Wait for the firmware to finish, and then turn on the phone.

    Instructions on how to reflash an Android phone made by Xiaomi

    For firmware, the MIUI ROM Flashing program is used. Detailed instructions are described in our separate material.


    In this article we will tell you how to reflash your phone to Android and how to do it in a simple way. In principle, there is nothing complicated about this and you can do it all yourself.

    Reflashing a mobile phone is replacing the software it contains with an updated one to improve the operation of the device. The service is in great demand, since new games, programs, and widgets do not function on old firmware.

    - any programmer knows. Many owners of regular mobile devices and Android phones turn to service centers for services. Although, in order not to go anywhere and not pay money to update the platform with utilities, you can carry out the procedure for replacing the software yourself.

    Re-flashing will also be required if the phone’s speed or visual performance does not suit its owner. We are looking for an official resource where programs for flashing are posted.

    This article usually reads the same way:

    • How to clean your Android phone effortlessly?
    • How to restore, boost and properly charge your phone battery?

    Instructions abouthow to flash a phone on Android:

    1. A backup copy of the files is made. It is needed to save the original settings in case the program fails to install new software.
    2. The phone must first be charged 70-100% so that there is enough battery power during the software reinstallation process.
    3. Check how things are going with the installation driver. It may be on a disk included with your mobile phone. Or you need to turn to the World Wide Web for help, find and download a driver from there. Download the selected utility to your computer. Take a USB cable with a double connector and connect it to your Android, laptop or computer. The phone is turned off, it is powered energetically from the computer.
    4. After downloading the utility, you need to restart your phone. The mobile device can independently launch a program to reload the data. Don't interfere with this.
    1. Before performing flashing operations, check if any important files are left on the phone. Otherwise, the information will be lost.
    2. Use only appropriate programs. For example, for Samsung it is Odin, for tablets and smartphones it is Android.
    3. How to reflash an Android phone, if there is no computer nearby? Save the zip archive on the memory card of your mobile device, and then unpack it using the Recovery program.
    4. If suddenly you were unable to flash the firmware, use a backup copy of the files and repeat the entire process again.

    Custom firmware: benefits and risks

    Custom firmware is software developed by a third-party specialist (advanced user, programmer) for the purpose of modifying some properties of mobile devices. If the factory firmware provides for the normal use of functions on the phone, without interfering with the software, then custom will make the owner of the device a superuser with access to changing the initial settings. You will be able to work with fonts, scripts, delete unnecessary applications and transfer them to a memory card, enable battery-saving mode, configure a more complete Launcher graphical shell, and more. However, root access with the ability to change OP settings is not possible on all phones.

    There are also negative aspects to using superuser rights:

    You can read how to create a user with root rights in our previous article.

    • after a custom flashing, the right to warranty service is lost, even if the phone was purchased recently;
    • third-party interference in the “brains” of the android is fraught with deviations in the operation of the phone. This is what holds back phone owners from wholesale custom flashing;
    • Rooting weakens the device's security system and limits the use of a number of programs on the Internet.

    We hope that the question regardinghow to flash a phone on androidNow it will not be difficult for you.


    Android is open source, so developers can freely modify it, add new features, and create their own images of the operating system for phones and tablets. Some of these firmwares become extremely popular and even become the basis for successful commercial projects. We introduced you to some of them in this and also. And now we want to discuss with you the reasons that may convince you to take a risk and install third-party firmware on your Android.

    Getting the latest version of Android

    It's no secret that many manufacturers of even expensive devices don't bother themselves too much with supporting their products. As soon as they sell you their product, they immediately forget about the need to release new firmware versions for them. As a result, it turns out that you do not have the opportunity to update to a new version of Android, even if the smartphone’s hardware freely allows it.

    In this case, the best and sometimes only solution would be to use the well-known CyanogenMod, which, although it has many of its own “chips,” is in many ways similar to stock Android. Thanks to this development, owners of even fairly old devices can use the latest versions of the system.

    Refusal of “branded” shells

    Many popular manufacturers (let's not point fingers) love to equip phones with their own proprietary shells, which, however, is not liked by all users. Not only are many of them frankly ugly and inconvenient - this, as you know, is a matter of taste, but they also manage to noticeably slow down the system. Naked Android against this background shows speed records and impresses with its responsiveness.

    Yes, of course, you can install your own launcher and remove all these widgets, but there is no way to refuse all the dubious settings that the manufacturer has made in the operating system. So in order to get a truly "pure" Android, you will have to install a custom ROM.

    Removing pre-installed software

    Having received your brand new phone and having played enough with the programs installed on it, you gradually come to the understanding that it would be better not to have them at all. Most often, manufacturers complete the software package of a device, focusing not on feasibility and quality, but purely for commercial reasons. In addition, these programs are considered system programs and cannot be easily removed. As a result, we get a device full of outright rubbish that interferes with our lives.

    A radical solution to this problem is to flash the device to a custom assembly that does not contain pre-installed software.

    Getting additional features and system settings

    Many firmwares have such a different appearance and set of functions from the original Android that we can safely talk about independent operating systems. First of all, we are talking about such popular Chinese projects as MIUI, Lewa, Oppo, which are developing at a gigantic pace. It is likely that after trying this oriental cocktail at least once, you will look at the bland Android dish with undisguised regret.

    Other firmware, for example AOKP, although based on stock Android, give such scope in settings, such customization possibilities that owners of ordinary smartphones have never dreamed of.

    Safety

    It may sound strange, but free community-created firmware can sometimes be safer than Google's product. In them, if you wish, you can completely get rid of the all-seeing eye of this company, completely replacing all their services and applications with third-party developments. It turns out, therefore, “Android without Google,” no matter how strange it may sound.

    In addition, many custom ROMs contain a built-in antivirus and such detailed permission settings for each application that you can thoroughly specify who can do what on your device for what purpose.

    Reasons not to use third-party firmware

    But, as you understand, everything is not so rosy and there are quite significant problems that you may encounter in your experiments with firmware.

    1. Bricks. The flashing process, although thoroughly developed and quite easy, still, with a certain degree of bad luck and crooked hands, can turn your device into just a dead block of plastic and microcircuits.
    2. Battery problems. A custom ROM may not be optimized enough for a specific device and may drain your battery faster than the official firmware.
    3. Hardware problems. Your new firmware may not fully support all the hardware in your phone, so you may encounter errors, some broken modules, and other issues. For example, your device's camera may not capture images as well as it used to, or your GPS may suddenly be slow to find satellites.
    4. Errors. The manufacturers of your device test the software well before releasing it for sale, which, of course, cannot be said about independent firmware developers. Therefore, you may encounter annoying errors, which, although they will be corrected in the future, can spoil a lot of blood for you.
    5. Guarantee. If you use third-party firmware, you will lose your warranty. If this is important to you, then think about it.

    And now I would like to know your opinion about the need to flash Android. We ask you to participate in the survey and express your point of view in the comments.

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