Download Android O
Google has released the first preview for Android O and it is the eighth Operating System from the company. The Search Engine giant has unveiled additional features coming to the next iteration of the most used mobile Operating System. You can still get access to the codes and test Android O since there is time for its official launch.
As this Operating System has not met its official launch, it supports its download with only a few selected handsets. They are Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus Player, Pixel, Pixel XL, and Pixel C. Any of these smartphones will support the download of this Operating system on it. You can easily get the update with an Over-The-Air (OTA) update.
Here is how a regular Android user can download Android O on their smartphone.
Steps to download Android O:
1. Backup your device:
Backup has always been the best option to store a duplicate copy of all your files and documents in your smartphone to any other storage device like pen drives and SD cards. This will get you out of the risk of losing data unintentionally. Flashing the phone will make unlocking the boot-loader to wipe your device. And so, this made it easy to backup your Android smartphone.
For this, go to “Settings” and then to “Backup and Reset”. You may find it more easy to copy your photos and videos by simple drag and drop from the DCIM folder on your computer to a storage device. But it is still easier to backup photos and videos with Google Photos. There may be a problem with drag and drop that you have to click on each of the folders and drop them in any location on the storage device. Whereas with Google photos, it’s just a few steps ahead to duplicate your photos and videos.
2. Become a developer:
Since the Android O has now been released for developers, you need to be a developer. But is it possible? Yes! Moreover, it’s very simple to become a developer. But the thing is you have to cheat your smartphone. To become a developer, go to “About Phone” and scroll down for “Built number”. Tapping this option 7 times will easily make you a developer. One you are done with tapping on the build number, you are now a developer.
Now, a new option called “Developer options” will pop up. Click on that. Make sure that both “OEM unlocking” and “USB debugging” are set to ON position. This will allow both the boot-loaders to be unlocked with simple commands. It also allows your computer to send files to your device.
3. Download Android O:
Download the image made for your device. Google has prepared a list of all the supported devices. Simply clicking on the links given will let you easily download the image of the device. Downloading these images will take a lot of time. So while the images are being downloaded, you can continue with the next steps.
4. Download “15 Seconds ADB Installer”:
The 15 seconds ADB Installer is a light-weight app that installs all the required files to allow your computer to connect with your smartphone and send over the new Android O software. Download the program here and run the software. A window will appear asking if you want to install ADB and Fast boot. Type Y on the keyboard to agree. Press Y again when asked to Install ADB system-wide and if you want to install device drivers. A new window will open to start installing the drivers. Allow this, then click restart now to reboot your PC. After the program is installed to C:\adb, plug your smartphone into your computer.
5. Keep your system image files in order:
Once you download the Android O image for your device, you’ll need to shift it around to a different location on your hard drive. Right click it and unzip the .zip file using a program like 7Zip. If that’s your default drive letter, set it to extract in C:/adb.
Now power down your phone and ensure that it’s plugged into your computer. Then, start your phone in fast boot mode. To do this, press and hold the Volume Down and Power button on the handset from the off state. Once your device has booted into fast boot mode, open up the folder on your PC where you extracted the Android O image to. Click on the folder until you find a file called flash-all.bat. Double clicking this will begin installing the new software onto your device.
If you find any progress in the process, it will take about 5 minutes. If not, just trust that things are going well. You can watch the process unfold in the command prompt menu. If you’re experiencing an error due to a locked boot loader, you’ll need to unlock it. In the C:/adb folder, hold the shift button and right click in empty space. Select “open command window here”. Now, type the following commands.
- fastboot devices: This command will display your phone’s serial number
- fastboot flashing unlock: This command will unlock your bootloader and wipe everything on your phone in the process.
- fastboot flashing lock: To re-lock the bootloader after installing Android O.
If it is an unlocked bootloader, the Android will not ask for your PIN or fingerprint for authentication upon boot. Then in case of theft of your phone, this can be wiped off by the thief. So it’s best to opt for a locked bootloader.
That’s it! You are now done with downloading and installing the Android O on your smartphone. Now your device should reboot and run the latest software. This might not be one of the great releases by the Google but can do well.
You May Also Like: How To Create Google Form and Google Form Tips
