Update this phone. Compatibility of equipment with firmware. How to install a new version of Android if there are no official updates at all

The question “how to update the Android version” on a phone or tablet with an installed operating system from Google is not at all idle, as it may seem to many users. There are many cases in life that require you to flash a new version of Android on your device.

When might you need new firmware?Android:

1. Very often, when launching a new model for sale, the manufacturing company is in such a hurry to do this that it does not have time to correct all the flaws in the software and the firmware with many errors may be installed on the smartphone.

2. Mobile equipment manufacturers who value their reputation consider it good practice to update the firmware of their devices, adding improvements to it, or doing this with the release of each new version of the Android OS with additional functionality.

3. There is a huge army of third-party developers in the world who do not work for mobile device manufacturers and produce their own, unofficial (so-called “custom”) firmware for many models, which can sometimes be of better quality than the Android version from the phone or tablet manufacturer.

4. And finally, you may need to update the firmware on a Chinese device that simply does not have normal localization.

In all these cases, the user needs knowledge on how to update the Android version, and whether this can be done in each specific case. We will tell you about this in our article today.

Find out your firmware version

Before upgrading to a new version of Android, information about the firmware that you already have installed may be useful. Here is an excerpt from

To find out your Android version, follow these steps:

1. Go to the main program menu;

2. Select the “Settings” menu item;

3. The last item in this menu is usually the item “About the phone”, “About the tablet”, or simply “About the device” (in the case of an anonymous Chinese without Russian language support, look for the item “About tablet” or “About phone”);

4. Somewhere in this menu item you will find the version of your Android operating system, as well as information about the build number, etc.

Knowing the current firmware version can help you understand whether there are newer versions of software for your smartphone and whether they can be installed.

How to update your Android version using the official update

Official firmware updates for phones or tablets with Android OS are released quite regularly, at least this applies to products from well-known manufacturers and more or less popular device models. For little-known Chinese smartphones, the situation with new firmware can be much worse; sometimes their basic firmware is not updated at all.

Firmware from the manufacturer can be updated completely free of charge, and this operation does not require any special knowledge from the device owner. Note: To check the availability of new firmware and its update, the Internet must be turned on on the smartphone.

To check if you can update the firmware on your Android phone or tablet, do the following:

1. Activate your Internet connection in any way;

2. Go to the “Settings” menu item of your device;

3. Go to the very bottom to the item “About phone” (sometimes “About device”);

4. Find the “System Update” (sometimes “Software Update”) item in the menu;

5. Click the "Check Now" button.

If a new version of Android is available, you will receive a system message about this, after which your system will update itself and you will be able to enjoy the new functionality of your mobile friend.

How to Update Android Version Using ROM Manager

It is not always possible to download an official update via the Internet, and, in addition, you will not be able to install unofficial (custom) firmware on your phone or tablet this way. In this case, applications from third-party developers will help us update the Android version.

We have already reviewed one of the best programs for working with the firmware of mobile devices on the Android OS, ROM Manager, when we studied. In addition to creating a backup copy of the entire system, ROM Manager can help us manually update our version of Android if we need to install firmware from third-party developers or in our unnamed Chinese smartphone, official updates over the air simply do not work.

To run the R programOM Manager You must first obtain root rights on your phone or tablet, if you have not done so yet. How to get root rights, read this article on our portal:

Before starting to work with ROM Manager, the program will ask us to install ClockWorkMod Recovery, which is a more advanced version of the standard Recovery mode of the Android operating system. Agree with this proposal. Next you will need to perform the following sequence of actions.

1. Download the firmware in zip archive format that you want to install to the flash drive of your device;

2. Launch the ROM Manager application and select the menu item "Install ROM from SD card";

3. Using folder navigation, specify the path to the archive on your SD flash card;

4. Select the “Reboot and installation” item, and also check the “Save current ROM” checkbox in case you don’t like the new firmware and want to roll back to the previous version;

5. Agree to the reboot, after which ROMManager will reboot your device in ClockWorkMod Recovery mode and install new firmware.

In addition, this application can independently search for firmware for your device. Select the menu item "Download firmware", and perhaps you will find something interesting for yourself.

How to Update Android Version Manually Using ClockWorkMod Recovery

The ROM Manager app is a great tool for installing unofficial firmware, but sometimes things can go wrong, especially on a Chinese smartphone or tablet from a little-known manufacturer. In this case, there is no need to be very upset, because you still have the opportunity to try to manually update the Android version using the ClockWorkMod Recovery menu mentioned above. Install it using the ROM Manager program, copy the archive with the firmware you need to the SD flash card of your Android device, and follow the instructions below.

To carry out the firmware process, you first need to get into this very ClockWorkMod Recovery mode. This can be done by turning off your smartphone and then simultaneously pressing some combination of its hardware keys. This combination varies depending on the device manufacturer, but usually you need to press one of the following:

- "Power on" and "Add volume";

- "Power on" and "Lower volume";

- “Power on”, “Lower volume” and “Add volume”.

- “Power on”, “Home” and “Lower volume”.

To clarify this question, it is better to ask the all-knowing Google by entering a query for the name of your model. After you have entered the ClockWorkMod Recovery menu, look for the item “install zip from sd card” or something similar there. Moving between menu items in ClockWorkMod Recovery is carried out using the volume down and up keys, the selection of the item is confirmed by the power key of the device or the Home key. In some mobile device models, this menu may be touch-sensitive.

1.Select the menu item "install zip from sd card";

2. In the menu item "choose zip from sd card" specify the path to the new firmware saved on the SD flash card in the archive;

3. Confirm your choice by clicking "Yes";

4. Wait until the system installs this firmware.

After the update, the system will reboot, and all you can do is enjoy the new version of Android.

Today we learned how to update the Android firmware (version) on your mobile phone or tablet. This operation is nothing scary, and there is no need to be afraid of it. Even if the manufacturing company does not release any more operating system updates for your device, or you have a smartphone in which half the menu is in Chinese, you can always improve the situation using unofficial firmware.

There are no universal recipes for flashing mobile devices with the Android operating system, so read specialized sites, study forums dedicated specifically to your model, try different firmware options, and you will definitely find the optimal one for yourself. Good luck!

The Android operating system is much more susceptible to viruses than Apple's iOS. In addition, like any other OS, the functionality is constantly expanding, bugs and shortcomings are being fixed. Google regularly releases update packages to the latest version, and the newer your device, the more of them there are. If Android is not updating, please read the following reasons and possible solutions.

Installing a new OS version or security patch is necessary in different cases.

Important! Before installation, make sure the battery charge is at least 60%.

• Critical vulnerability in the current firmware. In such situations, Google tries to release a fix as quickly as possible - within one day. All that remains is to download the “patch” from the server and install it into the system.
• Scheduled update to the latest version of Android. If the device is new, this will happen often, especially for the Google Pixel and Nexus line.
• Fixes minor bugs and improves existing features. The patch may also contain minor changes to the OS interface.

As already noted, most often new patches are received by devices with a pure version of the Android OS. Budget Chinese gadgets from unpopular manufacturers are updated the least often.

What to do if it does not update automatically

Automatic installation of patches may not occur in two cases:

• Your phone model is already outdated. In this case, you can forget about automatic updating. The solution is to install custom firmware or try to download a new version of the OS using a PC and a USB cable on the manufacturer’s official website.
• The “Update automatically” option is disabled in the smartphone settings. How to enable it in the gadget settings is described below.

Causes and solutions

In addition to the above, the following reasons for the lack of updates can be identified:

• Lack of stable Internet connection. In this case, the OS simply cannot load the necessary files for the new firmware.
• The smartphone is connected to the network via 3G, and the “Scan via Wi-Fi only” option is enabled in the settings.
• The device has a custom recovery installed or ROOT rights have been obtained.
• System applications required for the installation process are disabled.

Smartphone manufacturers have an extremely negative attitude towards manipulating firmware; such actions can even lead to turning the device into a “brick”. In some cases, only a Hard Reset will help restore the device to normal operation.

Let's restore normal update mode through the phone settings.

1. Open the device settings and go to the “Software Update” tab. Pay attention to the "Automatic download" switch. If it is enabled, all updates will be downloaded automatically.
2. Click on "Manual Installation". If the device is connected to the Internet, a manual search will be performed. It usually takes about 15-20 seconds. Available patches will be shown in the window that opens.
3. If there is no new version, check the status of the device. Go to settings, then “Phone information”. Tap on the “Status” item. If the value of this parameter is “Official”, the device is running the factory firmware version. In this case, the patches will download without problems.
4. If the status is indicated “Modifications installed”, proceed to the next method.

Update via computer

Any update can be downloaded manually and installed via a USB cable and connection to a computer.

Important! The following actions will lead to loss of warranty, and if performed incorrectly, the smartphone can be turned into a “brick”. Essentially, you are “reflashing” your smartphone.

1. Download the Odin program and install it on your PC.
2. Connect your tablet or phone to your computer using a USB cable. In the developer options, enable “USB Debugging Mode”.
3. Turn off the gadget, then hold down the volume up and down buttons and the power button at the same time. The device will be turned on in “Download Mode”, the Recovery menu should open.
4. In the Odin main menu, select the required files in the PIT, PDA and PSC tabs. Everything you need can be found in the 4PDA forum topics for your gadgets.
5. Click the “Start” button and wait for the installation to complete.

Important! Do not turn off the phone during the firmware process! This will render it inoperable.

Firmware compatibility

Always download files only from official themes for your smartphone on the XDA or 4PDA forums, this will reduce the likelihood of infection by viruses and hidden miners. Carry out actions with custom recovery with extreme caution and remember that the warranty will be lost. If you are unsure whether a certain patch is compatible with your phone model, ask the experts at w3bsit3-dns.com.

If the device was purchased recently, but updates are not installed, contact the manufacturer’s official service center. Specialists will update the device manually; usually this procedure is free if manipulations with the OS or installation of ROOT rights have not been carried out.

Conclusion

The gadget may stop automatically installing updates due to its “advanced” age and the end of support, as well as after manipulating the firmware and obtaining ROOT rights. Always keep the scheduled scan option enabled in your settings, as the latest versions contain security fixes and improvements to many Android features.

Articles and Lifehacks

Content:

Many smartphone users do not know why to update Android. Most people think that after purchasing it is better to leave the version of the OS that was originally available.

But if you want to use new programs (say, for), and also avoid software failures, then you cannot avoid updating.

Main reasons to update Android

The main factors which OS should be updated:

• After installing the new version, the device starts working several times faster, without changing elements inside the device.
• Improving the functionality of the system.
• Errors that appeared in the old version of the OS will disappear.
• New versions of the software run games and applications that did not run on the previous software.
• After updating the OS, you will feel more comfortable working with your device.

Updates for Android there are two types :

1. Update .

   Such updates weigh about 500 MB and are freely available on the Internet. When downloading, make sure you have a stable network connection.

   It is better to use wired Internet or Wi-Fi when downloading, since with gprs Internet there may be interruptions in the network, which in the future will lead to repeated downloading.

2. Micro .

   Such updates weigh about 50 MB, they are aimed at eliminating errors in applications. Most often they are invisible to the user.

   Such updates are aimed at changing certain programs, and not at updating the OS as a whole.

Pros and cons of updating Android

If you are in doubt about whether you need to update Android on your gadget, you should know that these actions will lead to the improvement of your device, just like programs for, for example.

If you are tired of system glitches on your phone, then you should update your software version. This is the main advantage of the update.

Cons of updates:

• Possible disappearance of some desktop icons.
• Installing new programs, which are then difficult or not removed at all. This is due to the introduction of certain adjustments by the developers.
• At home, the firmware often fails, and if your device is under warranty, you may lose it.

In the end, I would like to say that it is still necessary to update. This is useful both for the owner of the gadget (i.e. you), and for the device system and the performance of the smartphone.

There is no need to be afraid of this and put it off “for later.” But at the same time, if you don’t want to update on principle, you don’t have to do this and use the old version of the OS.

Periodically, every device running Android OS needs to update the current version of the operating system. Of course, even without this, the gadget will remain in working order, but nevertheless, some problems may arise with the old version. Therefore, today we will talk about how to update Android.

Often, when a new model is launched, some software problems remain out of sight of the manufacturer. A conscientious developer always tries to eliminate shortcomings in previously released versions that were identified while using the gadget, and in addition, add new functions that are more user-friendly.

There are also third-party developers who do not work for a particular company that produces mobile devices, but produce their own, unofficial software (custom firmware) for many device models, which may be of even better quality than Android versions directly from the manufacturer.

In addition, devices from little-known manufacturers (usually Chinese) purchased outside the Russian Federation and not properly localized also need firmware updates.

How to update the version (firmware) of Android

Standard procedure

Official updates from the manufacturer are released quite regularly. As a rule, this applies to popular models of gadgets or devices produced by well-known companies.

Such updates are absolutely free, do not require special knowledge from the user and, as a rule, occur automatically. An Internet connection is required to check the firmware and update it.

Go to the main settings, in the section “ System", at the very bottom we find the item " About the phone" (May be " About the device"), then open the position " System update" (May be " Update BY", on some models you will need to press the " Check now«):

The display will show " System check“, after which a message will appear indicating that the latest version is available or that it is being used, which means the system has been updated automatically. If this does not happen, then before upgrading to a new version of Android, we find out information about the firmware installed on a specific device. To do this, go back to the “About phone” section and at the very bottom we find the necessary information:

Knowing the current firmware version is necessary to obtain information about the availability of more recent software versions for a specific smartphone/tablet model and the possibility of installing them.

Note: if you are using a gadget whose software does not support the Russian language, then you need to find the items “ About tablet" or " About phone» and look for the necessary information there.

Using third party programs (ROM Manager)

Sometimes downloading an official update via Internet is impossible, and custom firmware cannot be installed this way at all. In this case, one of the best applications used for these purposes - .

Using this program, you can easily create system backups and (in our case) manually update the current version of Android, including on Chinese smartphones.

To work correctly with the program, it is necessary if your device is not rooted.

After launch, the program will ask you to install ClockWorkMod Recovery (CWM), this is a more advanced mod of the standard Recovery Android OS. We agree, and then do the following:

Loading on SD card your device, the required firmware (zip archive format), which can be found on the official website of the developer of our device, launch the utility ROM Manager, then select the menu item “ Install ROM from SD card" Using folder navigation, indicate the path to the archive on your SD card. Now let's activate the button " Save current ROM"(this is done to be able to roll back to the old version if you don’t like the new firmware) and select the “” position:

We agree with the reboot and the program will start the process of rebooting the smartphone in mode CWM and installing new firmware.

Also, the ROM Manager application will help in searching for firmware for a specific device; to do this, select “ Download firmware", and it may well be that there is something more suitable just for you.

Learn more about the app's features ROM Manager watch the video:

Via ClockWorkMod Recovery

It is possible that updating Android using the ROM Manager utility failed, especially this situation is possible on smartphones from Chinese or little-known manufacturers. In this case, you can use the CWM menu.

ClockworkMod Recovery (or CWM Recovery) is an analogue of standard recovery with advanced functions. This utility will not only help you perform a complete reset of the device or install patches for games, but also update the firmware of your mobile gadget.

CWM supports most Android devices. In fact, every second modern Android smartphone (or tablet) is equipped with Modrecovery CWM. But if your device only has stock (standard) recovery, then install CWM Recovery using the ROM Manager application (see above).

After entering the ClockWorkMod Recovery menu, move using the volume key and first select “ wipe data/factory reset" (to reset all settings to factory settings), then " wipe cache"(to clear the cache). Now we find the line “ install zip from SD card" and confirm the action with the hardware button " Home"or the device power button (it plays the role of the " Yes»):

Note: for some device models, menu operation can be controlled using a sensor.

Next, getting to the point “ choose zip from sd card", indicate the path to the new firmware in the ZIP archive that was saved on the SD card, confirm the choice by clicking " Yes – Install /sdcard/update.zip»:

After completing the steps, the process of flashing our Android device will start. Upon completion, select “ reboot system now"to reboot the device and wait for the device to boot, which can take quite a long period of time.

Important ! Before updating the Android version (firmware), you need to fully charge the device, because the whole process will take about half an hour. During the firmware update, the smartphone will require a lot of energy to correctly complete the task. In addition, the display backlight will be at maximum brightness during the update procedure, and the update process interrupted due to a lack of power can lead to disastrous consequences.

Therefore, before you start updating your device, assess the degree of risk and try to approach the question of how to update the Android version responsibly. Good luck!

Smartphones produced by Xiaomi continue to enter the global market, occupying more and more leading positions. But at the end of 2017, almost all phones had the Android 6.0 operating system, which was not particularly encouraging, because the latest Android Nougat is already available for worldwide use. Therefore, most users are interested in how to update Android to 7.0 on Xiaomi, and whether it is even possible.

NAVIGATION

First, let's look at what's new in Marshmallow and Nougat, and whether the innovations are so extensive that they are worth updating.

Android 6.0	Android 7.0
The emergence of GoogleNow. A real smart online assistant in your phone that helps you find the information you need without text or voice input. The built-in application literally scans the screen, stopping, for example, at the address from a message sent to you, and instantly shows the location on the map.	Functioning notifications. Are you communicating with a friend in Messenger, but you’ve logged into the game for a couple of minutes and you receive another message, but you don’t want to close the toy? No problem. Now you can easily respond in the notification shade without opening the application itself.
Gradually request permissions in new applications. In previous versions of Android, before downloading from Google Play, the system immediately asked if we agreed to give the program access to certain information on the smartphone. Now this will be done in order.	Thorough work with notifications. Now you can completely customize them for yourself in this way: messages from this program should always come first, from this one - without sound and vibration, and notifications from any game are not needed at all, I turn them off. Agree, it’s very convenient.
Advanced energy saving mode. Doze corrects battery waste and puts the device into “sleep mode” when the user is not using it. Thanks to this, the battery can not be discharged all night or spend a minimum charge while in your pocket.	Multi-window mode. A hit among new products, it makes working with the device much easier. Now you can split the screen into two parts and simultaneously work with several applications or web pages.

As you can see, both versions have their huge advantages, but do not forget that Android 7 is free from many of the shortcomings and bugs that users encountered in the six. Therefore, Nougat is the most optimal solution. Read on to learn how to get this version on your device.

Do I need to update Xiaomi to MIUI 9

On Xiaomi phones, the second base after the operating system is the firmware. Pure Android has far fewer useful options, not as fast and powerful. Therefore, you won’t be able to get the seven without installing new firmware. Want Android 7? This means that you need MIUI 9.

This firmware version is officially released August 11, 2017 year and allowed millions of users to hope for the desired upgrade to Nougat. There is also the sensational Android 8 Oreo, but it practically does not apply to Xiaomi phones yet; only the flagship was lucky MI 6.

A few summaries from the site: to update to 7.0 you need to install MIUI 9 firmware on your smartphone. Read the details below.

For which models was MIUI 9 released?

Note! Line 3 and below received only new firmware, but the operating system version remained the same. But the opportunity to upgrade to the seven was the first to touch the popular 4 series, which continues to be among the top selling and best budget devices:

• Redmi 4/4X;
• Redmi Note 4/4X.

Unfortunately, new firmware is not available for Redmi Note 4G.

The line of elite Mi smartphones, which most are no longer considered budget, also did not go unnoticed. Guaranteed update The following models will receive the Nougat:

• Mi Max
• Mi 5S
• Mi5S Plus
• Mi Mix
• Mi Note 2.

Xiaomi Mi Note and Mi 3 were unlucky, so owners of these models should not expect such a large-scale update either.

Updated and more recent third generation line also has the opportunity to become more powerful and more convenient for its owners:

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 3
• Redmi Note 3S
• Redmi Note 3S Prime.

How to update Android to 7.0 on Xiaomi in 2 ways

Now let's look at the process of updating to the new version of Android. If you are still on the list of lucky ones and can install MIUI 9 without any problems, then proceed to the official method. But if you don’t find your phone on the list, don’t despair, you still have a way out. Read on.

Unofficial methods

If your device is not on the list, do not be upset, because there is a solution here too. Unofficial custom MIUI 9 firmware can be found for almost every phone. Do not forget that in this case a mandatory one is required. Thus, you will receive the Android 7 operating system, but no one rules out operational problems. Most often, violations concern the camera and brightness adjustment. You can ignore all this, since the improved functionality of Nougat will brighten up the disadvantages that have appeared.

Typically, third-party firmware is ideally installed using a special program. You can find the options of this program and detailed instructions in our separate article. Do not forget that before starting the operation you should carry out a working system.

Official ways

Has the official firmware been released for your phone model? Then you automatically get rid of a series of complex processes. The only thing you need to do is download the firmware from the site and install it, using the built-in Updates application.

1. Go to miui.com;
2. Look for your phone model there;
3. Select “Global Stable” from the list of available firmware;
4. Download it. Transfer to your phone (if downloaded via PC);
5. Go to “Settings”;
6. Look for the “About device” item. Click on “Updates”;
7. Look for 3 dots in the upper right corner, click there;
8. Select the item “Select firmware file”;
9. Wait for the file integrity check to complete;
10. Click “Install”;
11. The update process lasts from 5 to 10 minutes.

Do you want to get a device with MIUI 9 already installed from the factory? Such smartphones also went on sale, and the leader among them so far is Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, having the latest Android 7.1 system. Nougat will match perfectly with a diagonal of about 6 inches, a powerful processor, luxurious color reproduction, an excellent camera and extensive built-in memory.