Most smartphones in the world are mainly based on the Android operating system. Android smartphones are highly customizable and equipped with tons of features. you can extract more functionalities after rooting your Android OS. However, updates are the only thing where Android falls behind iOS and other operating systems. Google is set to launch Android 13 and most Android users are still on Android 11 (29.7%), according to Statcounter Global Stats. In this tutorial, we will show you how to upgrade your Android device version non-officially.
Other Articles:
- 11 tips to boost Android smartphone Performance
- How to Change app icons on Android smartphones
- How to Enable Dark Mode in Android 10
How to Upgrade Android OS
There are mainly two ways to upgrade your Android smartphone to the latest operating system, official method & non-official method. In the first method, your device manufacturer will provide your smartphone an Android update via OTA which does not happen very often.
The non-official method is a bit tricky but fairly simple to do. It can be done by flashing the latest custom ROM through TWRP. Below, we have explained everything that you need to know.
Upgrade your Android through OTA
Most Android smartphones hardly get Android upgrades more than one or two times except flagship-grade smartphones for example Samsung Galaxy, Oneplus, etc. However, if an Android user officially receives an Android upgrade, he/she can check for it directly from the Android settings.
Here’s how:
- Open Android Phone’s Settings
- Tap About Phone
- Tap System Update or Update
Upgrade your Android OS Using Custom ROM
If you are not a technical person then this method is not for you. These steps are highly sensitive any mistakes could break your Android operating system.
Here’s how to upgrade Android OS using custom ROM
1. Unlock Bootloader
Nowadays, Android smartphones are released with a locked bootloader that does not allow you to flash any custom ROMs whatsoever. So, the first thing you need to do is unlock your Android bootloader before installing TWRP and custom ROMs. Here’s a tutorial on how to unlock the Bootloader on your Android smartphone. There, you can also read the pros and cons of unlocking the bootloader.
2. Install TWRP
Once the bootloader is unlocked, the next thing you need is a custom recovery or TWRP. TWRP stands for Team Win Recovery Project is a type of custom recovery for Android that provides a UI to flash custom ROMs, magisk, SU zip files, and other modules. Each Android smartphone has its own custom TWRP that you can find on Google by searching TWRP for your specific device model.
Here’s a tutorial on how to install TWRP on Android smartphones. Just follow the steps provided in the tutorials.
3. Flash Custom ROM
Lastly, download the latest custom ROM for your specific Android device model from XDA or Google. Once downloaded, just boot your Android into recovery mode by holding down the power key and volume down key for 10 seconds. In the recovery, just go to install > select the downloaded file > then, swipe to flash. Now just restart your device and enjoy the latest Android version.
Here’s a tutorial on how to Flash a Custom ROM in Android phone through TWRP recovery.
FAQ: Is Root required to Flash Custom ROM or TWRP
When installing custom ROM or TWRP, rooting is an exception. You can easily install custom ROM whether you have a rooted or non-rooted Android. But if you want to root your device you can simply flash Magisk/SU zip file through TWRP and access rooting features. You can tweak your Android performance using Greenify, SD Maid, Link2SD, and other apps.
Conclusion
This tutorial will help you to upgrade your Android OS using both methods officially and non-officially. If this was helpful don’t forget to share my work with friends. If you face any problem while installing custom ROM or TWRP, you can directly ask me through the comment section. We’ll try to solve your problem from there. Have a nice day:)
More articles in Rooting Guide: