What does it mean to update your phone to the latest version. How is the firmware update on Android devices going?

Over time, the operating system of the phone becomes obsolete. To return the phone to normal life, while expanding its functionality and personalization settings, you can update the firmware on it. Since not everyone knows the required algorithm of actions, we will consider several ways how to update the firmware on Android.

Installing an official Android update on your phone or tablet is pretty easy. To do this, it is most convenient to use two methods: updating "over the air" through the mobile phone settings menu or through a computer using proprietary utilities. Let's take a closer look at both methods.

Via Wi-Fi

With the release of a new OS update on a mobile phone, the easiest way is to update online, through the main settings menu of the Android device itself. All that is required for this:

• Open the settings tab (by selecting the icon on the home screen or notification shade).
• Find and click on the item "About device".
• Click on the line "Software update" and click on the corresponding button.
• After confirming the firmware download, the system will start downloading it. Depending on its size and internet speed, it may take from 1 to 30 minutes.
• After the download is finished, a notification about its installation will appear. Agreeing with him, the installation will begin, during which the device can reboot. It is very important not to interrupt the installation process, as this may turn the mobile phone into a “brick” state.

In the settings menu, you can also set the automatic check for new updates and download exclusively via Wi-Fi network. In the event that you already have the latest firmware version installed, the system will issue a corresponding notification. But it is worth noting that if your phone does not turn on and it is impossible to go to the settings menu on it, you will not be able to update in this way.

For more details on over-the-air firmware update, see the video below.

Using computer programs

An alternative way to update and install the official firmware is to use computer programs such as Odin. For different manufacturers, proprietary programs have their own names, we will consider one of the most popular called Smart Switch. You can download it from the official Samsung website, and for installation it requires no more than a few megabytes of free hard disk space. So, to install an official update on an Android phone via Smart Switch, you will need:

• Run the pre-installed utility on a computer that is connected to the Internet.
• Connect a mobile device via USB cable to a PC.
• The program menu will display information about the connected smartphone with the ability to perform basic functions. If there is a new firmware version for it, you will be prompted to download it on the screen. In the event that there is none, no notifications will appear.
• Click on the update button.
• The process of downloading the new firmware will begin, first to the computer, and then to the mobile phone itself. You are required to follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
• After the firmware has been downloaded to the phone, it will reboot and an image of a green robot with an update bar will appear on its screen. As in the previous case, you cannot interrupt the installation process, including disconnecting the mobile phone from the PC.

Updating Sasmung smartphone through a utility on a PC

At the end of the installation, the smartphone will reboot and display a notification about the successful installation of the updates. It is recommended to do a data reset after backing it up. Otherwise, the new firmware on a mobile phone may work with system errors.

For more information about installing updates on Android via a PC, see the tutorial video below.

If the phone does not turn on

In the event that your mobile phone does not start, you can install the official update through a special menu. In addition, in this way you can also install custom (custom firmware). Such operating systems are upgraded by the users of Android phones themselves and can be downloaded from thematic forums and other resources.

Algorithm of actions

Android phone users have probably heard about Recovery mode. This is a special menu that is embedded in the smartphone's memory, regardless of the OS itself. It allows you to reset the settings, format the memory card and control the phone when it does not start. Also in the Recovery menu there is an option to update the firmware. For this you need:

• Download the archive with the update from the official website and move it to the phone's memory.
• Turn off your mobile device and enter recovery mode using a combination of buttons. In most cases, these are the volume up / down keys + power / lock key.
• Navigation through the menu is carried out using the volume and lock buttons.
• Select the "Apply update" item.
• Then, depending on where you left the archive with the firmware, select the Choose from internal storage or Choose from sdcard item.
• Go to the required directory and click on the name of the file with the firmware.
• The update installation process will begin, which is not recommended to be interrupted under any circumstances.
• At the end of the firmware installation, you need to go back to the main recovery menu and select the Reboot system now item to reboot.

Firmware update via Recovery

After the actions taken, the mobile phone will restart with the new version of the OS and give a corresponding notification on the start screen. For more information on updating this way, see the tutorial video.

For advanced users

Advanced users can try updating the phone's firmware via the Windows command line. To do this, as in the case of the Recovery mode, you will need to first download the archive with the required update and place it on your PC. You will also need to install a special Fastboot utility on your computer, and the bootloader on your mobile device needs to be unlocked. To prepare the update installation, you need to connect your phone to a PC via a USB cable, set up USB debugging and run the Fastboot utility. All further actions are carried out by typing the necessary commands in the Windows command line.

Updating via Windows command line

With the release of each new version of the Android operating system, many users immediately start looking for information on how to update Android on their phone. The fact is that very rarely, immediately after the release of a new version of the OS, it becomes available for download and installation.

At first it comes only to a limited number of people, and then to everyone else, but, again, not immediately, but gradually. For some, the notification about the new version does not come at all. Then you have to resort to independent, manual installation of the new version of the operating system. Let's look at several of the most working and, accordingly, popular methods for performing this process.

Automatic update

As we know, the system can be updated automatically. At least when a new version is released, the user will see a notification about this and the ability to install it. All this is done, by the way, for free.

So, to enable such a function, you need to do the following:

• Connect Wi-Fi, so that later the update is not downloaded using the mobile Internet, and the operator does not charge extra money for this.
• Go to the settings and find the item "About the smartphone" (or "About the tablet") there.
• Find the item "System update" in there.

Clue: The item names may differ depending on the version of the operating system already installed. But in the sense, it will still be possible to guess which item is responsible for what. In the latest versions of the OS, by the way, these items are called "About the device" and "Download updates manually."

• After that, it will check for updates and, if there are any, offer to install them. In the future, when a new version is released, the user will see the corresponding notifications on his screen.

The secret of this method is that the system in forced mode starts looking for system updates. Even if your phone has not yet been included in the list of "favorites" who received a notification, you will add yourself there. All this, as mentioned above, is done absolutely free of charge.

Additional applications

There are also a number of Android apps that help check the system for updates and update it if possible. Let's analyze the most popular ones.

"Update for Android" from Womboid Systems

A very unusual application that just allows you to check the system and update it if necessary. In this case, the user will be able to see information about what "hardware" is installed on his phone.

To use this application, you need to do the following:

1. Download (here is the link) and install the "Android Update" from Womboid Systems.
2. In the main window of the program, click on the "Check your Hardware" button. After that, the system will be checked, and you will be able to see the real data about it (it happens that the real information differs from the one indicated by the seller).
3. Further in the "Upgrade to" block, a complete list of operating system versions that are available for updating on your device will be shown.
4. After the selection, either the update will start automatically, or you will need to carry out three more texts shown below. In the second case, after each test, the result will be displayed, and if the test is successful, the message will say “You can upgrade”.
5. Next, in the main menu, you need to click on the "View android firmware" button to see the available system updates. There you just need to click on the selected OS version to start installing it.

It was not possible to find other really working programs for the phone that could update the system. Therefore, we advise you to update the system in the standard way (described above) or via a computer.

Using a computer

Android Update Manager

As they say on the Internet, this is not a very reliable program, but it works well. Another disadvantage is the fact that Android Update Manager does not support all modern smartphone models.

To use Android Update Manager to update your system through your computer, you need to do the following:

• Download and open the program. Select the device model from the list. This is done by clicking on the selection button and choosing among the proposed options.
• View a list of available firmware for the selected device.

• Click on the required version. After that, you will go to the page with its description. All this is not necessary to read. It remains only to click on the download button.
• After the download is complete, you need to drop the resulting file to your phone and install it like any other program.

Kies

This is a much more proven method. You can download the program here.

After downloading and installing, you need to do the following:

• Connect your device to your computer using a USB cable. After that, you will need to wait a bit for the program to recognize the connected phone. It will also check if an operating system update is available for the device. If it is available, the user will see the corresponding notification shown in Figure 5. There you need to click on the "Update" button.

• After that, the user will see a large warning text. It is advisable to read it, put a tick in front of the inscription "I have read (s) ...", as well as in front of the inscription "Allow saving". Then you can click on the "Start update" button at the bottom of the window.

• Then you will need to wait for a certain time while the program downloads the necessary files and installs them. At the end, a window will appear where you need to click on the "Confirm" button.

This process can be clearly seen in the video below.

There are two types of smartphone owners. The first people are completely indifferent to what version of the operating system is installed on their device. It is only important for them that the apparatus is functioning stably. Well, users of the second type want to be at the forefront of modern technologies. They want to ensure that their tablet or smartphone is running the latest version of Android currently available. Today's material is for people of the second type. With the help of this text, you can understand how to update Android on your phone or tablet computer.

Many manufacturers are almost forcibly offering to update Android. In this case, you do not need this manual - one day you will simply receive an appropriate offer, which is almost impossible to refuse. Even if you click the "No" button, the offer to update will appear in the notification panel every day.

If the system has never prompted you to update the Android version on your phone, then you can try the following actions:

1. Go to " Settings"- the corresponding shortcut is in the menu, as well as in the notification panel.

2. Go to the section " About the phone". On tablets, it may be called “ About the device».

3. Click on the item " System update". On some devices, the item may be called "" or something else.

4. Follow the further instructions provided by the system. If it is said that there are no updates, then you are using the latest version of the operating system available for this device.

Note: for a successful update, a certain amount of free memory is required, as well as a sufficient level of battery power (it is advisable to charge it fully in order to definitely avoid any problems).

Why is it necessary to update Android?

We have all heard a lot about viruses that can attack the system. Malicious utilities try to steal personal information (name, surname, bank card number, etc.), and also interfere with the stable operation of the operating system. If you regularly update the system, then the device will always have fresh "patches". They close security holes, thereby preventing viruses from acting freely.

Also, updates significantly expand the functionality of the operating system. Here are just the most basic list of innovations that Android 6.0 has received:

Updating Android via computer

Some users are not at all happy that the manufacturer is no longer releasing software updates for their smartphone. Also, people want to update Android manually, but through a PC. In fact, nothing prevents this, because everyone remembers that Android is a free operating system, and therefore it is not difficult to get an image of it. But everything is not as simple as it seems.

By default, Android does not have support for multiple mobile processors and graphics accelerators. In this regard, you will have to look for a special custom assembly, in which the drivers for all the components that make up your device are precisely embedded. It is best to search for such firmware on sites dedicated to your particular device. Then the Android assembly must be downloaded to your computer.

You also need a special computer program that can be used for flashing. Depending on the manufacturer of the smartphone, this may be Flashtool, ODIN, Fastboot or some other flasher. Well, then you need to follow the instructions that are attached to the custom assembly of the operating system you downloaded. If you do everything correctly, the Android on your smartphone will be updated.

Attention: flashing will void your warranty. Also, this process is associated with a risk, in case of wrong actions, you can get a "brick". Therefore, you should be careful and as careful as possible!

), I hope now your gadgets make your actions easier thanks to applications. Today I want to tell you how to update the android firmware version.

So what I'm going to talk about today:

• How is the firmware update on Android devices going (not flashing)
• My opinion: why you shouldn't carry the device for updating to the service center

Attention: the author of this article, (i.e.) does not take any responsibility for your device. Any wrong action can kill your phone, but 95% of firmwares are successful, the main thing is to do everything according to the instructions, have straight, ironed hands, a drop of patience and attention.

So let's start in order, naturally.

How is the firmware update on Android devices going?

If you bought yourself an Android device, then you probably already know that there are thousands or even tens of thousands of them. Moreover, each model is good in certain qualities. But when buying, especially if it is the first one, you do not think about the installed version of the software in the device, and even more so about when the update will be released on it.

Comparing Android and iOS, their update policies are very different. Apple only needs to update its operating system for several devices and everyone will update it almost immediately upon release. This is both a plus and a minus: plus - you don't need to wait long, minus - there is practically no choice of devices.

Google is different. He does not distribute updates himself, he just releases them. And manufacturers are already finishing them on their own for their devices. For example, many devices have not yet released Android 4, but 4.1 has already been released.

There is nothing you can do about it. But believe me, most of the owners of those budget smart phones that just do not get updates - they are not needed. For them, a smartphone is like a landline phone (just to ring), but what's inside is not important.

For those for whom updates are important and they understand what a smartphone is - craftsmen-developers themselves port new versions to phones. It can be dangerous, but who does not risk it ...

What Android firmware are there

For devices on this excellent platform, you can find 2 types of firmware: stock - those that are produced by the manufacturer and custom - those that users modify.

How does one differ from the other? Well, firstly, in custom, in most cases, all unnecessary programs and integrations are removed, according to users. In most cases, almost all Google services. Also removing the identity transfer exception, as well as more frequent updates. I already wrote above that Google itself releases updates quite often, but manufacturers delay them, and sometimes do not release new versions at all. Therefore, many people install custom firmware.

Where to download the firmware to your Android device

Depending on how you are going to update the software, the firmware is downloaded differently. For example, to update the stock firmware, you just need to run the update, or, for example, you can connect the cable and run Kies, in which you can start the update. Everything will download and install automatically.

If, however, you decide to manually update the stock firmware (in the same way, any other firmware is installed, if anything), then you can download it on the manufacturer's official website, or on specialized forums. For example, W3bsit3-dns.com- all new firmware and applications appear there before people know about them :-)

How to flash an Android phone

In order to update the android version, we need:

• The device itself
• Cable
• Straight arms
• For manual flashing - software and files with software, kernels, etc. Or just an apk file that will find you and install the firmware into the device.

To begin with, concentrate, clear your mind of unnecessary thoughts, because you can be left with nothing if you do something stupid. We take our smartphone, connect it to a PC. In my case, I run the Kies program, which checks for updates. If there are any, she will inform you about it.

You must agree that the software will be updated and the download will begin. Unfortunately, I do not have screenshots of these actions, since I updated the smart for a long time, and I do not want to roll back the android firmware.
After the update, the phone will turn on for a long time. This is normal - the initial configuration is performed and the necessary OS directories are created, etc.

You can also start updating the OS directly on your smartphone. To do this, find in the settings "Update software" and wait for the smartphone to update the android version. But if you do not have unlimited and fast internet, get ready for torment. Your money will flow into the network slowly and for a long time. Therefore, the way that I described above is the safest, because nothing is required from you :-)

In addition to these methods, there is one more - using the Odin program. How is it different? Instead of full automation, you will have to download all the firmware files with your hands (as I mentioned above), enter the smartphone into download mode and flash it. If you do everything carefully and slowly, then on average it takes about 10 minutes.

To flash an android phone, you need:

How to flash an Android tablet

Since, in fact, tablets are no different from smartphones in the inside, then they need to be flashed in the same way. That is, if you have a tablet computer, then you can flash it in the same way as a smartphone.

The update can be done through internal utilities, but you can customize it or just reflash it through Odin. I wrote how to do it above. It makes no sense to describe this procedure again, friends.

My opinion: why you shouldn't carry the device for updating to the service center

Recently, the service provided by service centers has become very popular. They are ready for you to update the firmware for a fee. Only this payment usually turns into a large bill. It costs about 700r to update Android, and you still have to wait until your OS is updated. But now you have to be smarter - you can flash the device yourself, and above I have already written how to do it. This is not difficult.

That's all for me. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments. Add an article and follow the blog - there is still a lot of interesting things;)

Android is one of the most common operating systems for smartphones and tablets. The company that creates this system is constantly working to improve the speed and quality of the interface, while not forgetting to fix old errors. Naturally, every mobile phone owner wants to use the latest firmware versions. Many smartphones of popular brands are updated automatically, but some models still have to be updated manually. Let's take a closer look at the existing ways to get a new Android.

How to update the Android version on your phone

News from the world of gadgets constantly informs about the appearance of new firmware for devices. Alas, smartphone owners do not always receive fresh updates. The reason for this lies in the fact that phone manufacturers must prepare firmware for each model before sending updates.

The situation with the owners of gadgets from unpopular manufacturers is worse. Many companies simply ignore the release of new versions of Android, depriving users of their technology of the opportunity to use the updated functions.

The easiest way to get a new version of the OS is to use the over-the-air update feature. Android devices can download updates via Wi-Fi or mobile internet, with a stable connection.

If there is an update, the smartphone informs its owner about the start of the download. In common phone models, the updated system is installed automatically.

Unfortunately, inexpensive smartphones often do not receive new versions of the operating system at all. Manufacturers are often busy developing new devices, forgetting to support old ones.

If your smartphone has not received new firmware versions for a relatively long time, then it is recommended to open the update settings and run an automatic update scan. If there are any on the servers, the update will start automatically.

Update settings often contain two items - "Download only via Wi-Fi" and "Automatic update", which should be given special attention. The first point limits the download of firmware via mobile networks to save traffic. The second allows you to allow your smartphone or tablet to download updates automatically.

How to update Android on a tablet

Updating the OS on tablets is the same as on smartphones. Often, manufacturers of mobile technology start sending out the next versions of Android simultaneously for all devices. Your tablet may not send you an update alert. Check the parameters and make sure that the update option is activated. Do not forget to check the box for automatic request so that you do not face a similar problem in the future.

Be careful: when the operating system is automatically updated on the tablet, personal data may be damaged. Before confirming the download, you should make a backup on your device or copy any important data to your computer.

How to update Android via computer

Most of the popular manufacturers of Android smartphones create convenient programs for exchanging data with a computer. Often in such programs, you can check and update, with the possibility of further installation. The best example of such a program is Kies for Samsung phones. This method is considered stable and safe for smartphones.

There are also programs from third-party developers that allow you to update your smartphone using simple manipulations. Among the most famous are Flash Tool and Odin. Before downloading and installing, you need to make sure that such programs work with your smartphone. These programs allow you to download official updates, stock firmware, as well as custom firmware created by third-party developers. To update the OS correctly, just follow a few steps:

• charge your device up to at least 50%;
• sync with PC via USB cable;
• run the program downloaded for your smartphone;
• load the previously downloaded firmware into the program;
• start installing the updated Android into your smartphone.

Depending on the phone model, the update can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. The result of the correct actions will be the updated firmware on the smartphone.

Don't forget that the Kies and Odin apps work exclusively with Android devices that are made by the Samsung brand. If you own a smartphone from another manufacturer, then use the Internet to find a suitable program. Before proceeding with the flashing, save all important data on your computer or in the cloud to protect yourself from losing important information.

How to roll back an Android update

Unfortunately, the updated version of the OS may not always suit the owner of an Android device. Deficiencies can be found both in official firmware and third-party ones downloaded from the Internet. The system does not provide for a return to previous firmware versions. Resetting to factory settings in this case will not help - the version of the operating system will remain the same. We'll have to arm ourselves with a set of special programs to install the old firmware or contact the specialists.

How to disable updates on Android

If the owner of the smartphone has a desire to refuse to receive updates, then turning off this function is quite simple. It is enough to open the phone settings, find the “Software update” item there and deactivate this option. The smartphone will not receive information about updates, always running on the current version of the operating system and with the current firmware, until the setting is re-activated.