How to update Android if the manufacturer abandoned your mobile

actualizar android manualmente

Who does not like to have the latest version of Android on their mobile? Doing so gives you access to new features, increased security and privacy , as well as higher performance (in theory), so it makes all the sense in the world.

However, the time has come for all smartphones to no longer receive updates, being left adrift by the manufacturers. Does this spell the end for that device? Not at all, since you could change it for a newer one, but in many occasions you can extend its useful life. Do you want to know how? Learn how to update your Android if the manufacturer won’t do it anymore .

How to keep your mobile Android updated with firmware from other regions

actualizar firmware android manualmente

Although you probably thought of custom ROMs as the only solution to keep your mobile updated, the truth is that there is another way out before them. This option is the regional firmware released by manufacturers for many phones that sometimes vary in the version of Android.

For example, your Xiaomi mobile purchased in Spain (Global) may have originally arrived with Android 10 and stayed on Android 11, but the Chinese version did update to Android 12. This is something uncommon today, although what it does It happens quite often that an update arrives much earlier in one region than in others.

Whatever the case, venturing to update your device with an official firmware from another region can help you to have the latest version of Android . What is it you should do? The process is, in general, the same for all mobiles:

  1. Know the model of your mobile .
  2. Find regional firmwares for your device.
  3. Choose and download the latest firmware .
  4. Force update manually.

Yes, it is a process that looks quite simple, but the steps to follow and the tools to use are very different. We are not going to mention all of them because it would be too long an article, but we will give you an example and we will leave you with many links to help you.

Where to find and download the firmwares available for your mobile

descargar firmware regional android

In order to update your phone you will need the firmware with the most recent version of Android that is available from the manufacturer. The first thing you should know is that the firmware must be exactly for the model of your mobile (even if it is from another region), because you could make it unusable if you make a mistake.

Knowing that, on the Internet there are multiple repositories of official mobile firmware, some managed by the same companies and others by the community. Each database tends to specialize in one or two manufacturers only, but these are the most used repositories for this task:

How to manually install an official firmware on your Android smartphone

cómo instalar firmware regional móvil android

Here is the complicated part of the matter. While downloading is all about identifying your device model and getting the correct update package, the installation process is different for each manufacturer .

For example, Google Pixels are updated manually using ADB; ASUS mobiles do the same by copying the package to the internal storage and installing from the recovery; some Samsung need Odin to install from your computer, some don’t. And so with every manufacturer you find.

What can you do about it? It is best to look for the instructions for your mobile , either here on Androidphoria, on YouTube or on specialized portals such as XDA-Developers . Why? Because you can earn a new paperweight if you do the process wrong. We leave you some links of ours with these steps:

  • How to manually install updates on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO.
  • How to update Samsung mobiles using Odin.
  • How to update your mobile using ADB.
  • Manually update your OnePlus with a local installation.

Keep Android updated on your mobile using custom ROMs

instalar rom personalizada android actualizado

The other alternative to update your smartphone to the latest version of Android is by using a ROM created by the community. This option is the most durable in terms of time , since even a mobile as old as the Galaxy S2 could receive Android 12 in this way.

Anything you should know about this method? The development of a ROM takes time , it is generally carried out by small groups of users and sometimes they find many obstacles (especially as far as drivers are concerned). This can have an impact on the final performance of the ROM you choose to install, but if you have patience and know how to choose, you will surely find a custom ROM that is ideal for your needs.

There are many types of ROMs, select the one that suits you

Anything else? As with the installation of official firmware, the process to follow for one mobile can be very different from that of another, even within the same brand. Even so, the generalities that tend to be present are:

  1. You will need to root your smartphone : although this is not always the case, a good part of the custom ROMs need to have the device rooted. We recently made an article about the most common methods to root your phone, but you can find specific tutorials on XDA or other forums.
  2. Unlock the bootloader : this is an almost mandatory requirement, as it is the first thing that your smartphone loads when you turn it on (similar to the BIOS on computers). Some manufacturers leave this system enabled on their devices, but in most cases you will have to unlock the bootloader manually.
  3. Install a custom recovery : Recovery is an emergency system that allows you to make some changes to Android when it doesn’t work. All mobiles have one, but it tends to have very limited functions, so it is necessary to install a custom recovery such as TWRP.
  4. Download the ROM and copy it to the storage of your smartphone : once you have all of the above, it is time to choose the ROM that you are going to install on your mobile. There are plenty for each device, each focused on a specific aspect like performance, fluidity, privacy, customization, or more. Here you can check out the best custom ROMs that are still alive in 2022.
  5. Install the ROM from the custom recovery : with the ROM in the storage, it’s time to proceed to the installation process. Generally, you will have to clear the cache and reset the system of your mobile, so remember to make a backup of your data because your data will be lost. Once ready, the new ROM will be installed on the system partition where the old one was.
  6. Reboot your smartphone and start enjoying your new updated custom ROM. The first reboot takes a long time because Android needs to be configured, but if all went well you should be logging in within a few minutes.

Why do manufacturers stop updating mobiles?

fabricantes no actualizan android

Finally, we want to touch on a topic that is closely related to the rest of this article, why don’t manufacturers update mobile phones for longer? There are a couple of reasons:

  • Requires time and resources – This is definitely the biggest reason for what happens, as developing an updated firmware is not an easy task. It requires work teams, many days of development adapting the software to each type of hardware and an amount of resources that companies are not willing to invest just like that. Can they be blamed for it? In most cases, no.
  • Money and cannibalization of their own market : the other reason for not updating a mobile phone so many times is that manufacturers could fall into a process of cannibalization. Why do we say it? Because there are very powerful terminals that a user would hardly change for a newer one if it is always up to date. And without new sales, obviously the profits are reduced. Planned obsolescence? Completely.

Even so, as a general rule, manufacturers tend to ensure at least one Android update for each mobile (usually two). These will be applied against the original version of Android that the device was released with, so you do not necessarily have to update to the latest version of Android.

Are there cases where this changes? Yes, for example: Samsung promises three years of Android updates for its top of the range; the Xiaomi 11T will reach Android 14; and Google Pixels tend to update Android up to 3 times.

With all that said, we hope this article has been helpful to you. If you have any questions or comments, we are waiting for you in the section below.