Android O Developer Preview: Here is how you can manually install the upcoming Android version

Google officially announced the next update for its mobile Android operating system on 21 March. Android Nougat will be succeeded by Android O. Along with the announcement, Google released factory images for the first developer preview of the upcoming update which is expected arrive this fall.

Like always the preview has been released for a handful of devices including the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Pixel XL, Pixel, Pixel C or a Nexus Player. This means you can have a first glimpse of Google’s Android O update in case you own any of the aforementioned devices.

We have made a quick a step by step instruction guide which you can follow to install the update manually. Now before you jump and get ready to update, there is a considerable risk as the new update will not be very stable. It is a beta build and is likely laden with bugs and issues. Also, this process is not as easy as downloading an OTA (over the air), so you could also end up with a bricked device.

So if you are willing to take the risk, read on.

1. Backup your device and data, because everything will be wiped out.
2. Visit the Android Developers website and download the correct factory image from the list of devices, on your PC.
3. You need to have the latest ADB tools including your device Google Android drivers installed on your PC.
4. This process needs your device’s bootloader to be unlocked.
5. To unlock your bootloader, go to your device settings and open Developer Options. Tick OEM unlocking.
6. Turn of your device and reboot it into the fastboot mode. This is done by pressing the power button and volume button combination. If you don’t know how to do it, check it out over here.
7. Once you are in fastboot mode, connect the device to your PC via a USB cable.
8. Open a command prompt window (terminal on Mac) on your PC and type in ADB command “adb fastboot oem unlock.”
9. A prompt will come up to confirm.
10. Once the bootloader is unlocked, you need to install the Android O preview.
11. Again open the device into the fastboot mode by the key combination used earlier.
12. Unzip the Android O file that you downloaded for your device. It should have a bunch of files and a zip file which is the factory image.
13. Now put the path where you extracted the Android O zip file on the command prompt window.
14. Now you will have to flash the .img files that were in the Android O zip.
15. This includes the radio, bootloader, and the factory image files. We suggest you to extract the factory image zip file and individually install the various img files inside.
16. To flash the files use the adb command “fastboot flash radio <radio-file-name>. Similarly do this for bootloader “fastboot flash bootloader <bootloader-file-name>. Similarly do this for all the img files inside the factory image zip.
17. Once you flash all the files, hit terminal command reboot and wait for Android to boot.
18. Voila, you have the latest Android O developer preview

We repeat, this is not as simple as it sounds.

If you know the risks and you have the knowledge, then and only then you should go ahead.

The post Android O Developer Preview: Here is how you can manually install the upcoming Android version appeared first on Tech2.

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