Google releases major Android OS updates to a new version every year. Users of the Nexus (and now Pixel) series devices receive the latest firmware releases promptly and quickly, which can be installed without the need for a computer. However, other manufacturers are in no hurry (and often do not have time) to quickly create OS builds adapted for their devices, and updates have to wait for months. Some companies do not bother at all about releasing new firmware; users of their devices find themselves hostage to the old version of the operating system. However, most of these problems are easily solved with a little effort. Our material will tell you how to install a new version of Android.
How to update Android using standard means
The Android OS functionality provides the ability to receive updates from the manufacturer’s server via the Internet. The item responsible for receiving updates is usually located in the settings menu, next to the phone information. Depending on the system modification, the appearance of this item may differ, but the functions are the same everywhere. This is what the update menu looks like in pure Android 5.1 Lolipop (top item).
And this is the appearance of the entrance to the update submenu in MIUI8 OS from XIaomi (bottom of the screenshot).
After entering the submenu, the system will contact the manufacturer’s server and check if a new firmware version has appeared. If it is available, the phone will report this and begin downloading it. After this, the installation will occur (it is advisable to charge the battery to 50% or higher) and the device will reboot.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to update Android on a tablet or phone in this way. Even if the new firmware has already been released, manufacturers do not send the update to everyone at once, since their servers may not be able to withstand the heavy load. Sometimes it takes days or even weeks for an update to reach the end user. However, in this case, you can outsmart the developers and avoid the wait.
How to update Android if there are no updates
Before you update Android, if there are no updates, forcefully, you need to make sure that only you do not have updates, and that other owners of a smartphone or tablet of this model have already downloaded the firmware. To do this, you can visit the profile forum (XDA, w3bsit3-dns.com, forum for fans of your brand, etc.) and see if there are any messages about the release of updates. If they are, you need to find the update file for your smartphone. Make sure that the version matches: many devices are produced in several modifications, the firmware for which is incompatible! When the firmware file is found, you need to download the Android update and save it to the phone’s memory or to a flash drive. After this, go to the above system update item and click the ellipsis icon. On stock Android 5.1, the additional options menu looks like this.
The menu interface for selecting update options over the air and on MIUI is implemented in a similar way.
In the first case, you can update Android from a flash drive using the “Local updates” item, in the second case, “Select firmware file”. Captions may vary depending on the translator, but the general meaning of the title should be approximately the same. After selecting the firmware file, the system will check its integrity and compatibility with the smartphone, reboot the system and install the update. Again, this must be done with a charged battery to avoid sudden shutdown of the device.
How to install a new version of Android if there are no official updates at all
If the manufacturer “forgot” about customers and does not release firmware updates for old devices, there is still a chance to get a fresh OS. There are many enthusiasts developing alternative Android builds for many smartphones. The most famous is the CyanogenMod project, the OS build of which is installed on more than 15 million devices.
Also, quite often, alternative OS builds are made by small groups of enthusiasts or individuals, using as a basis the firmware from another similar model equipped with a more recent version of the OS. However, before you update Android on your tablet or smartphone to such a build, you need to take into account that it may be unstable. The fact is that it is very difficult to assemble 100% working firmware alone, because such assemblies often have bugs and shortcomings.
To update the Android version to an unofficial build, you need to follow the instructions for flashing the firmware of a specific smartphone model (the flashing procedure differs for different phones). The easiest way is to install the update from the Recovery menu. First you need to download the Android update and save it to your memory card. To enter recovery, you need to turn off your smartphone, hold down the volume up and power buttons at the same time, and wait to enter the menu. Sometimes, in addition to the above two, you need to hold down the home button under the screen (for Samsung smartphones). To update Android, you need to find an item in the menu containing something like “Install from sdcard” (navigation is carried out with the volume rocker, selection is made by briefly pressing the power button), find the firmware on the flash drive and install it. 
Sometimes, to flash the firmware, you first need to install an alternative recovery menu, for example, TWRP, since the native one may not support the installation of unofficial updates. Once the Android update is installed, you need to select “Wipe data & cache” and reboot. Before updating in this way, carefully read the instructions so as not to break your phone or tablet.
Another way to install official and unofficial Android firmware updates is through a computer.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Are apps not updating on your Android phone? First, I will briefly list the reasons, and the full text with a transcript of what to do next is in the article.
- Google Play has lost its settings and automatic updates are disabled.
- Play Google is configured to update only via WiFi (it will not happen via mobile Internet).
- There is not enough memory on your phone/tablet, which prevents you from starting the update process.
- Inappropriate version of Android (too old) and they no longer release program and game updates for it.
- Other reasons, which are discussed later in the article.
This article is suitable for all brands that produce phones on Android 9/8/7/6: Samsung, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Sony, ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Fly, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Nokia and others. We are not responsible for your actions.
Attention! You can ask your question to a specialist at the end of the article.
Checking the Play Market settings
If you can use Google Play on your computer or to install applications, then the Play Market must be installed to update programs and games on Android.
It is also important to correctly configure its operating parameters. Incorrect settings may be the reason why applications are not updated on Android. We proceed step by step:
If the auto-update function is set to “Never,” then applications will only be updated manually. This is done like this:
- Expand the Play Market main menu.
- Go to the “My apps and games” section.
- On the “Updates” tab, look at which applications have updates. Click "Update" next to the desired program/game.
Increase If manual updating seems inconvenient, go back to the Play Market settings and select a different status for the auto-update feature. For example, “Only via Wi-Fi.” In this mode, applications will only update when the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Increase If you want applications to be updated whenever you are connected to the Internet (via Wi-Fi or 4G, 3G mobile traffic), then select the “Always” mode. However, remember that when downloading updates via a 3G or 4G connection, you will spend mobile traffic, the amount of which is limited by the tariff of the cellular operator.
Problems with the Play Market application
Even if auto-update is enabled, applications may not be upgraded due to incorrect operation of the Play Market. Various error messages may appear in the Android content store, but most often they can be resolved in one way - deleting data and system program updates.
- Open settings, go to the "Applications" section.
- Find Google Play Market. Go to the program settings.
- Remove updates and cache, erase data.
Increase 
Increase Additionally, you should log into your Google account and uncheck all synchronization checkboxes. Then restart your phone, go to your account settings again and.
Lack of memory is the reason why applications are not updated on Android
Free memory is required to install updates. If you run out of space on the internal storage and microSD card, you need to delete unnecessary data. To check memory:
- Open Android settings.
- Find the "Memory" section.
- Look at what data is taking up space and think about what you can delete.
Memory is also clogged by temporary application files, which can be deleted in the settings. On Samsung, clearing memory of unnecessary data is implemented quite conveniently: in the settings there is an “Optimization” section, upon entering which an analysis of the device’s state starts.
The article describes how to update Android.
If we take into account the statistics, then already in 2013 the majority of smartphones purchased by consumers worked on the “ Android" In addition, various manufacturers of such gadgets (except “ Nokia" And " Apple") by default they install the operating system on their devices " Android».
Many factors, including being free and having a lot of games/programs, have made this OS extremely popular. In this article we will briefly talk about how to properly update " Android» to new versions.
About Android
Operating system " Android"in fact, it was not originally developed by the company" Google" The authors of the operating system for gadgets tried to distribute their creation through the company " Samsung”, which, in turn, refused this offer. But " Google"seen in" Android» great prospects and acquired the rights to this development.
The first gadgets on the platform " Android", which went on sale several years ago, had not yet made a splash on the market; the new operating system was still, so to speak, in its “raw” form. But after five years " Android"gained enormous popularity among consumers, pushing into the background " Windows Mobile" And " Symbian».
You can now purchase " Android 6.0", although it is possible that newer versions of this OS with bugs fixed will appear tomorrow. This is all good, especially when you install “ Android» from scratch or buy a gadget with the latest version. But how can you be sure to update to new versions without any problems?
How to update Android to new versions?
First thing you need to know:
- Before updating the operating system, the battery on your gadget must be charged to 100%
- Before updating the operating system " Android» all your programs, contacts, information, etc. must be stored in a separate place. Often after updates all information may simply be lost
There are several update options " Android» to the latest versions:
- Auto
- Forced automatic
- Using a computer
Automatic update method is the most popular. Operating system " Android"it looks for updates itself, and when they come out, the operating system " Android" prompts you to download and install them. The user is only required to give his consent.
By the way, updates weigh quite a bit, up to several hundred megabytes, so with your limited Internet traffic it is better to use Wi-Fi, if available.
Forced-automatic method can be called semi-manual or semi-automatic. If the operating system " Android”does not look for updates on its own, then this role is assigned to us. To do this, go to the Internet through your gadget and open “ Settings", then click on the item " About the system"and enable automatic search for updates. There should be a button in the menu " System update" If updates have already been released, the smartphone will prompt you to download and install them.
From these instructions you can see that the update " Android" is a fairly simple process. But problems also happen. The system may refuse to download new updates. In this case, you need to reset the settings and try to download the updates again. In 90% of cases this helps users. If this does not work, then you will have to turn to another method of updating - through a computer.
Updating using a computer occurs using custom firmware. Custom firmware is unofficial updates. The fact is that any updates to any system can be either official (that is, created by the developers themselves) or unofficial - updates made by individual programmers. In custom firmware, as a rule, everything unnecessary from the point of view of certain user groups is removed and, accordingly, everything necessary is added according to the same criteria.
The whole point of updating the operating system " Android"on a gadget via a computer comes down to the following. You need to download the firmware from the Internet to your computer, and then download it from the computer using certain programs and install it on the gadget. But this is not a relatively easy process. It must be remembered that each model of smartphone or tablet has its own procedure (selection of custom firmware, installation programs, etc.). You can find out more about this for your gadget model on the Internet.
Video: How to update your Android smartphone?
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 will 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!
You can download and install official firmware “over the air” if you go to the appropriate settings menu or through a proprietary utility on your computer. But what to do if your Android has not been updated for a long time, or if it gives an error when updating? Let's look at the possible causes of this problem, as well as ways to solve them.
The problem with updating the phone's operating system is quite common. It is inherent not only to owners of older models, but also to users of the most modern Android devices. In most cases, it is not possible to update the phone due to the lack of necessary firmware on the developer’s website. But there are also reasons related to the presence of system errors in the mobile phone’s software or even mechanical damage to its components. In any case, each of the possible reasons deserves separate consideration.
The phone is outdated
Unlike IOC, developers of the Android mobile OS are forced, in addition to the firmware itself, to also work on its compatibility with many devices. This leads to the need to create drivers and other software, without which the correct operation of the system is impossible. Also, Samsung, LV, NTS and many other companies use proprietary shells on top of the operating system itself. As a result of all this, in most cases, only new and current smartphone models receive updates. And older devices, including due to a lack of hardware resources: RAM and processor power, remain without software updates.
Problems with Google services
If an update has been released for your phone, but it is not displayed in the settings, then the problem may be with the Google Services Framework service. The reasons for service failures may be its incorrect updating, infection of the phone with malware, etc. In any case, in order to update Android to the latest version over the air, you cannot do without this service.
Installing unofficial software
Official updates for Android are available only for devices whose owners agree to the developer’s software use policy. If the installation of applications from unverified sources is enabled on your phone, an update error may occur. The same applies to downloading custom firmware and recovery, as well as devices on which administrator rights have been obtained. For such smartphones, you will not be able to install official OS updates, either over the air or using a proprietary utility on your computer.
Virus infection
Without antivirus software, the phone's operating system is susceptible to malicious files. Virus programs can be downloaded from the Internet, or by installing apk applications from unverified sources. Since the effects of malicious files can be very different, one of the possible options is to block the service responsible for updating the Android OS.
Incorrect installation of updates
When updating Android, you must wait until the files are completely downloaded and installed. In this case, the device spontaneously reboots a couple of times. Problems may arise if an error occurs during the installation of updates caused by one of the following factors:
- The Internet stopped working on my mobile phone.
- The battery has run out of charge.
- The phone was forcibly turned on, etc.
This can not only cause the update installation service to not work, but also render the phone inoperable.
Hardware failure
The least likely, but also possible reason is a broken phone. If, after updating the OS, the mobile phone does not see the SIM card or simply does not start, it may have hardware problems. In most cases, this is the result of a manufacturing defect or occurs after the smartphone falls on a hard surface or gets moisture inside.
Solution
To solve problems with updating Android, you may need root access rights to the phone system. But in simpler cases, you can try to do without them. In any case, you must first perform a forced check for new OS versions in the main settings menu. Let's consider all the methods in more detail.
Forced verification through settings
The new OS version may not appear in the notification list until you go in and download it yourself. You can force a check for updates in a few clicks through the main settings menu; to do this, you need to find and select the “OS Version” item. In it you need to click on the “Check now” line and wait until the system connects to the developer’s server. Naturally, the Internet on the phone must be turned on, preferably a Wi-Fi connection.
Verification via USSD request
An alternative way to force verification is to dial a combination of numbers into the dialer. To do this you need:
- Open the phone book and dial a number.
- Dial request *#*#2432546#*#*.
- Wait until the system performs a check.
In this case, you do not need to confirm your request by pressing the call button.
Clearing Google Services Framework data
Clearing the Google Services Framework data can help solve the problem with the update. To do this, go to the main settings menu and tap on the “Applications” item there. In it, use a side swipe to select “all applications” and find the Google Services Framework in the list provided. By clicking on the desired service, a management menu will open in which you need to clear the data by clicking on the corresponding button.
Using a PC on which proprietary utilities from the developer are installed
A reliable way to install the latest updates to your mobile phone operating system is to use proprietary utilities from the developer. In this case, you will also need to download the latest version of drivers for your mobile device on your PC. Let's consider the algorithm of necessary actions for Samsung smartphones and the proprietary Kies program:
- Create a backup copy of your data, if necessary.
- Download and install the Samsung Kies utility from the developer’s official website.
- Connect your mobile phone to your computer via a USB cable.
- The program will automatically recognize the device and display information about available firmware versions on the screen.
- Confirm the request to install new firmware.
- Read the supporting instructions and click on the “start” button.
Installing firmware via the proprietary Kies utility
When performing these steps, the firmware will begin downloading through a special utility, and the phone itself will go into Download mode. After this, the mobile phone will reboot with the already updated OS, and a notification about the successful completion of the process will appear in the Kies program.
Installing third-party, custom firmware
If none of the methods worked, and you are unable to install the official firmware on your mobile phone, then download a custom one. True, in this case you will need to root the device and say goodbye to the manufacturer’s warranty. If this is not critical, then we recommend paying attention to Cyanogen. This firmware is very popular and supports many functions that are not available in official versions of Android.
Installation of third-party firmware is possible both through the recovery menu and using special programs. If system failures or software problems occur, in this case it is easy to make a backup or reset to factory settings.
