Here’s how to sideload OTA updates to your Google Pixel [Video]

There are several ways to update your Google Pixel smartphone to the latest patch or operating system available. If you’re ready to take matters into your own hands, you can skip the wait by downloading an OTA update to your Google Pixel. We’ll show you how to do it.

Luckily, the entire process is pretty simple. While many hardcore Android fans know exactly what to do, not everyone is as adept at updating their phone. First, there are some differences in the types of updates you can install on your Android phone.

The difference between Android updates

Monthly or periodic updates are incremental, with full updates reserved for major releases – they are typically released close to the release of the next new Pixel. In this case, an OTA or “over-the-air” update can be flashed relatively easily and will not restore any of your app or system settings when applied. To revert to a previous version of Android, you will need a “factory” image. We have a dedicated guide to downgrading your Pixel that explains this process:

To recap, there are several ways to update your Pixel to the latest official Google OTA update – you can wait until your phone receives a notification asking you to download any waiting updates to your phone. This is usually the slowest method.

You can also force your phone to get all pending updates by going to Settings > System > System update > Check for updates. This process is slightly faster and can be done as soon as an announcement confirms that an update is available. However, as with the OTA notification method, it may take a while for files to become available.

The fastest way to get the latest update on your Google Pixel is to sideload the official OTA zip file. Google offers several ways to do this, but both require access to a PC, Mac, or laptop.

It is also worth noting that this process works for almost all Android devices. You must obtain the official OTA files for your specific device manufacturer before attempting to sideload using this method. There may also be limitations for devices from manufacturers such as Xiaomi that have an active SIM card and device account active for a preset period of time before sideloading is enabled.

You’ll need to use ADB or Android Debug Bridge to load an OTA update to your Pixel. We recommend installing the unpacked Platform Tools package on your desktop for quick access when running commands. You can download the latest platform-tools zip file here. ClockWorkMod’s universal ADB drivers also make the process much easier if you’re using a Windows computer, compared to the drivers already on your computer.

Alternatively, Corbin Davenport’s Nexus Tools provide a very easy way to ensure you always have the latest version of Platform tools on your Windows, Mac or Linux machine. Nexus Tools is written in Dart and runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Windows Subsystem for Linux, and Chrome OS. Once Nexus Tools is ready, you can run it adb, fastbootand other commands without any problems or problems.

Enable USB debugging

First, make sure your Pixel has Developer Options turned on. You can do this by going to your device’s Settings > About Phone and now tap on “Build Number” until a message confirms that you have turned on Developer Options.

Now you need to go to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options (you may need to expand a hidden menu for this). Scroll down to “Debug” section and tap “Allow USB debugging” Option. It’s also worth noting that if you want to downgrade again at any point, you may want to enable “OEM Unlocking.” However, note that you can still download OTA updates to your Pixel without this option enabled.

Download the latest OTA file for your device

You’ll need a few things before attempting to sideload an OTA file onto your Google Pixel. First, we need the latest OTA update available for your specific Pixel device. Google hosts the official builds for each Pixel on the dedicated developer page.

It is important to select the correct OTA file for your device as this method will fail if you try to install the wrong build for your device. With 4 years of security patches, the “Made by Google” smartphone series is guaranteed to receive three full operating system upgrades for models before Pixel 6. This means that many Pixel series from Google no longer receive official updates. Below are the currently supported hardware roadmaps:

The Pixel 6 will stop receiving “full” system updates starting November 2024, but according to official update schedules, it’s due for another two years of monthly patches. Below you can see which device is no longer supported:

Here you will find the OTA files required for page loading with the corresponding data and vendor-specific builds for each released Google Pixel. Alternatively, you can use the following direct links for each device (with associated codenames):

Please note: If there are regional builds for your device, it is important to sideload the correct OTA for your specific Google Pixel. This ensures you have access to all features available in your global market. However, you can restore your device if any problems arise or occur.

Boot your Pixel into recovery mode

To start the process, you need to boot your Pixel into recovery mode, which allows sideloading. To access recovery mode, turn off your phone completely. Then press and hold the button Performance And Volume down buttons exactly the same time until you get to the bootloader page.

Navigate down to using the physical volume buttons Recovery mode. To select this option, simply click the power button. Alternatively, if you have connected your smartphone to a computer via USB-C, you can use that Restart recovery Command or start bootloader and use volume keys to enter recovery mode:

Windows: adb reboot bootloader

or Windows: adb reboot recovery

Mac: ./adb reboot bootloader

or Mac: ./adb reboot recovery

You should see a smaller Android device with an exclamation mark above it. When this screen appears, press the button Power button and the Volume up button for about a second to fully enter recovery mode. Release of the Increase volume The button will take you directly to recovery mode.

Navigate to the ADB sideload

Use the volume buttons to scroll down again “Apply update from ADB” and select this option using the power button. This will open a mostly blank screen with text at the bottom telling you how to sideload an OTA.

Assuming you’ve followed the initial steps to install the ADB tools on your computer and placed them in an easily accessible folder or drive, you can connect your smartphone to your computer if you haven’t already. You need to open a command prompt or terminal window in the directory or folder where you saved the Platform Tools file.

A quick method is to find the correct folder and type “cmd” in the address bar on Windows, or Shift-tap “Open PowerShell window here.” PowerShell is practically the same as Command Prompt. So don’t worry too much because it works the same way but you have to use the Mac specific commands here.

If you’re using a Mac and have the Platform-Tools folder on your desktop, type “./cd Desktop,” press Enter, then “./cd Platform-Tools.” Alternatively, you can right-click the location of the unzipped folder and select “New Terminal in Folder” to quickly open exactly where you need to be.

On Mac OS, you sometimes need to reconnect the USB-C cable after starting recovery because Macs sometimes don’t recognize your device until you do this.

To check if your Pixel is detected and connected, type the following and press the “Enter” or “Return” key:

Windows: adb devices

Mac/Powershell: ./adb deviceS

Assuming you have connected your smartphone correctly, a random serial number will appear with further details to confirm that it has been connected securely. You may see an “Allow USB Debugging” prompt on your Pixel’s screen. If you are using a trusted PC, turn on the “Always allow from this computer” option to seamlessly enable future updates.

Enter the sideload command

As long as everything is in place, you can now sideload the OTA file. On Windows, make sure your command prompt points to the ADB tools folder and type:

Windows: adb sideload

Mac/Powershell: ./adb sideload

Then you need to enter the file name of the original ZIP folder that you downloaded from Google and press Enter to start the OTA sideloading process on your Pixel. If everything is working properly, you should see a dialog box showing the sideload and installation process on your computer and mobile device. This may take a while and in some rare cases the process may fail. If this is the case, simply start the process again, as multiple attempts may be required for reasons we do not yet fully understand.

note: Another easy method is to drag and drop the ZIP folder into the Command Prompt or Terminal window after entering the sideload command. This ensures that you don’t make any typos or errors in the file name/structure. Press the “Enter” or “Return” key. This should initiate the page loading process on your device.

Restart your phone

Once the OTA installation is complete, return to recovery mode. The final step to jump into the new update is to select the Restart now option with your power switch. Once your phone restarts you should be sure to be updated with the latest OTA.

An easy way to check that you have followed all of these steps correctly and sideload the OTA file is to go to Settings > About Phone > Android Version. This should be exactly on the patch you sideloaded, indicating you have successfully completed the process.

Note: This process will not erase your device, but it is a good idea to back up any irreplaceable data in the rare event that something goes wrong.

If you have any questions, be sure to leave them in the comments section below.