How to install Android Lollipop now: a beginner’s step-by-step guide
Try out the new features of Android Lollipop right now on your Nexus smartphone or tablet
Google has announced the final version of Android L, now officially called Lollipop. Anyone can install the final preview on their Nexus 5 or Nexus 7, but it’s unwise to do so if it’s your main smartphone or tablet. See also: Android Lollipop vs iOS 8 comparison preview.
UPDATE: Google has made the Android 5.0 SDK available for the Nexus 7 and Nexus 7, so head to developer.android.com/preview
to download the appropriate file. This is how owners of these devices
can get the latest (BUT NOT FINAL) build of Lollipop today instead of
waiting for the over-the-air update in the "coming weeks". You can
follow the instructions below which explain how to install Lollipop.
Don't forget, this method is not recommended for regular users: it will
ERASE your device and you will lose ALL your data.
So, you have been warned, but the good news is that you can uninstall
the Android Lollipop preview and revert to factory settings. Just make
sure you have backed up everything that you can’t afford to lose before
you install Android Lollipop, since the process will wipe your device.
We’ll explain step by step how to install the preview on a Nexus 5,
using Windows 7 or 8, and also how to go back to the original software
that your device shipped with. The process is effectively the same on
the 2013 Nexus 7.
How to install Android Lollipop
NOTE: If you've already installed a preview of Android, skip to step 2.
Step 1. Download the minimal 2MB installer from this XDA thread this XDA thread which includes the Android ADB and fastboot tools.
You need these to install the Android L image, and this is the
quickest and easiest way to install the tools without downloading the
entire Android SDK, which is huge and contains stuff you don’t need to
get Android L.
Follow the instructions (don’t change the installation path when
asked where to install it) and you should end up with a command prompt
window:
Step 2. Download the appropriate file for your device:
You will also need a utility such as 7-zip which
can extract the files from the .tgz archive. In fact, you’ll need to
unzip the files twice, as there’s a .tar file inside the .tgz file.
Extract the files to the same folder as the Minimal ADB and Fastboot,
which is c:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot.
Once extracted you should have a list of files as per the image
below. (Note you do NOT need to unzip the zip file. Leave this as it
is).
Step 3. On your phone or tablet, head to Settings,
and scroll down to About phone at the bottom. Scroll down to Build
number and tap it 7 times. This unhides the developer options, which
aren’t displayed in Android 4.2 and later. In the Developer options
menu, enable USB debugging.
You'll need to do this even if you are running the preview version of Android L. And if you are, now skip to step 6.
Step 4. Download the Google USB driver from here here and extract the zip file somewhere.
Step 5. With your Nexus connected via USB and
powered on, go to the Control Panel and click Devices and Printers. You
should see your device in the list. On our Windows 8 machine, it was
listed as ‘MTP’ under Multimedia devices. Right-click on it, and choose
properties. Click on the Hardware tab, then select the Nexus 5 in the
list, and click Properties. Now update the driver, pointing Windows to
the folder where you extracted the Google USB driver. Once done, it
should report the device as Android Composite ADB interface. Plus, you
should get a prompt on your device’s screen asking “Allow USB
debugging?”. Tick Always allow from this computer and tap OK.
Step 6. Now, Power off your device, and leave it
connected to your computer’s USB port. Now start it using the
appropriate key combination to put it in “fastboot” mode.
For the Nexus 5, that’s by holding down the volume up, volume down
and power buttons simultaneously. You should see a screen like the one
below. Press power and volume down on the Nexus 7.
Alternatively, you can leave your device on and type adb reboot-bootloader to restart in fastboot mode.
Step 7. If the LOCK STATE says locked (which it
should) then type ‘fastboot oem unlock’ at the command prompt, without
the quotes, and press Enter. (If it's still unlocked, skip to step 8).
You’ll see a screen like the one below. To change from no to yes, use
the volume rocker, and to select the option, press the power button.
This WILL erase your device, so make sure you’ve backed everything up first.
Step 8. With the bootloader unlocked, you can now install the Android Lollipop firmware. Simply type
flash-all
and the process will begin. You will see alternating downloading… writing…. erasing… on your device’s screen.
Step 9. When the process finished, you should lock
the bootloader again for security. Start the device in fastboot mode (as
in Step 6), and then type fastboot oem lock
Locking the bootloader won’t wipe any data, but if you unlock it again, it will erase the device of all user data and settings.
How to uninstall Android Lollipop and return to factory settings
Reverting to the version of Android you had before installing Android
L is pretty much the same process as you’ve just completed.
Step 10. First, download the correct version of Android KitKat for your device from Google's images page
You can choose which version of KitKat you want.
Step 11. Then, extract it as in Step 2 above. You’ll
need to delete the Android L files from the c:\Program Files
(x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot folder before copying the extracted files
there. These are the files to remove (in case you forgot which were
which).
Step 12. Repeat step 6 to 8, and you'll have a box fresh Nexus 5 (or 7).
How to install Android L: Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 2012
Although Google has published the source code for Android L on many
Nexus devices, the developer preview is only available for the Nexus 5
and 2013 edition of the Nexus 7. However, if you're super keen, you can
get Android L for your Nexus 4 and the original Nexus 7 from 2012.
The developers over on XDA have managed to port Android L to both of the older devices. If you own a Nexus 4, check out this thread on getting the new Android and this thread if you have the original Nexus 7.
Be warned that these are beta versions and as such many things are
not working on a basic level and apps are likely to not work. A list of
issues can be found on GitHub
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