How to roll back an Android update to a previous version

Subject: How to roll back the Android system to the old version after the latest update.

Android developers periodically roll out updates for their brainchild that are designed to improve the functionality of the operating system. Mobile device manufacturers are trying to keep up with the times and are introducing these updates, while adding their own shells with various functions and capabilities. And it would seem that everyone wants to do everything better, but this does not always work out. You can't please everyone. There will always be users who do not like the innovations, and they will want to cancel everything and roll back the Android update, returning back to the previous version of the operating system to which they are accustomed.

In this article, we will look at how to roll back an Android update and return the previous version of the system on smartphones and tablets from popular manufacturers.

Why do a rollback on Android?

The software of the phone is important, as is its technical content. The fresher the software is on it, the faster and more stable it works. With the OS update, developers will improve their gadgets (expand functionality, improve their performance, interface, etc.), and also eliminate previously made shortcomings. But sometimes after installing a new version of Android OS the following problems arise:

the device startup time increases;
performance drops (sometimes the smartphone just starts freezing);
the touch screen does not respond to user actions;
Shortcuts disappear from the home screen;
Some applications won't launch.

To fix all these bugs, you have to roll back the OS version.

Experts do not advise installing new firmware on old gadgets, because this often ends in serious problems.

Using the command line

The second way to get rid of updates is to use the command line. To carry out the process, the following actions will be required:

Developers update apps to add new features and fix bugs. But sometimes unpleasant surprises happen: after an update, you don’t like the application, won’t launch, or work incorrectly.

To fix this, the application version is returned to the factory version - updates are removed

Updates can only be removed from system applications—those that were installed at the factory. You cannot remove updates from downloaded applications - those that you downloaded yourself.

When can you roll back an Android update?

Manufacturers optimize almost all new generation digital devices for specific OS versions. For example, if a laptop runs on Windows 10, then even an advanced user can hardly install Windows 7 on it. To do this you will have to configure Bios.

The same thing happens in the production of cell phones. They only work normally with certain driver versions. Manufacturers do not want to make universal devices that can work normally on any version of Android. Therefore, modern gadgets will not work on old Android 2, 3 and 4.

Accordingly, a rollback can only be performed to the firmware that was updated on the smartphone. The truth is that not everything is so rosy. You can easily roll back if a copy of the firmware is stored in the device’s memory. After the upgrade, the archive with the old firmware is erased from the phone’s memory, so it cannot be restored using standard system tools. To install the previous version of OS on it, you need to reflash it. To do this, you need to download the required firmware version and a special firmware program. It is worth noting that if this procedure is performed incorrectly, the mobile phone may become a brick.

Preparing to perform a rollback

Before flashing the gadget's firmware, you need to make a backup copy of the current OS. The fact is that the new firmware may turn out to be “crooked”, so using a backup it will be possible to restore the operation of the device. In addition, you need to make a copy of important data (contacts, documents, files, etc.).

It is also necessary to charge the smartphone, since during the firmware it can be completely discharged, and this sometimes leads to serious damage.

For example, a backup can be made using the Titanium Backup program.

This is done this way:

You need to obtain Root rights on the gadget for the Titanium Backup utility to work.
Next, you need to insert a flash drive of a suitable size into your phone, onto which the backup copy will be written.
Then you need to open the application and select the “Backup” tab in it, and then select the required action. For example, “Back up all software and system data.”
Then you need to click “Start”.

To restore the OS from a backup, you need to open the “Recovery” tab, then select the “Restore all software with data” option to roll back to the previous system state or restore any individual utilities.

You can also back up important data (contacts, media files, documents, etc.) using the Google Drive utility. Manufacturers often embed this program into the system, but if it is not available on your smartphone, you need to download it from the Play Market.

In this case, to backup data you need:

Launch the utility.
Click on the image of 3 horizontal lines in the upper left corner of the application.
Select the “Backups” tab. If the automatic backup option was activated on the gadget, information about the backup copy will be displayed in the program.
If there is no backup, then you need to make one. To do this, select the “Start Copying” tab.
Most of your data, files, and phone settings will then be stored on Google's server.

Periodically make backups of contacts, documents and other important data, since problems with your phone can arise at any time (it can simply break, get lost, etc.). It is not always possible to restore or find lost information, so it is better to take care of its safety in advance.

If something went wrong

Typically, updating the Android operating system occurs automatically, and if done manually, it occurs without incident. But in rare cases, something can go wrong during the procedure. Problems may also arise when you roll back to an older version of the software, but this does not mean that you need to immediately rush to buy a new gadget. Here are the most common ways to solve typical situations.

Vyacheslav

For several years he worked in mobile phone stores of two large operators. I understand tariffs well and see all the pitfalls. I love gadgets, especially Android ones.

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Question to the expert

In the middle of the process, the smartphone was discharged and went out. After connecting to the network, a logo with a green man appeared and froze on the screen.

You need to continue charging the phone, but if nothing has changed, reboot it (you can do it twice).

Where can I find the TWRP program to update in Recovery mode?

All applications can be downloaded from the Google Play store

After connecting the smartphone to the computer, the PC system does not find it

You need to check the condition of the connectors, the integrity of the cable, and the serviceability of the installed drivers.

What to do if the device hangs when replacing the firmware?

You need to reboot and then roll back the device to factory settings using Recovery Mode.

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How to downgrade Android version

There are many ways to roll back the OS to a previous version, so the user can choose the most suitable one for himself. But before performing this procedure, you need to study the instructions for the chosen method.

Via PC

Many inexpensive phones run on an MTK processor, so let’s look at the firmware of such a device using an example.

It is stitched as follows:

The firmware of the required version is downloaded to the PC (it comes as a Rar archive).
The mtk_driver_auto_installer_v5.1453 driver is installed on the phone.
The SP Flash Tool Windows flasher is downloaded to the computer.
The smartphone is completely turned off, and then connected to the computer using the original USB cable. If you use a third-party cable, then most likely the phone will not be able to be flashed.
Then the flasher program is launched, in the menu of which the scatter firmware file is selected (located in the folder with the firmware). After which the firmware files will be automatically registered in the application.
Next, in the program, click the Download tab, after which the process of flashing the smartphone will start. After completing the procedure, you need to disconnect the device from the PC, start it and configure it.

Via the update menu

This method is suitable for those users who do not want to bother with wires.

To do this you need:

Download the required firmware version to the gadget.
Open settings on the device.
Select the “About phone” item there.
Select the “System Update” tab.
Click the icon with three vertical dots in the upper right corner of the display.
Find and select the line “Select firmware file” and specify the path to the software.
Then you need to wait for the procedure to complete, after which you can start the device.

Through custom Recover

You can also flash your Android gadget using cwm recovery, which you need to install yourself.

This requires:

Create a separate folder on your PC.
Download a custom recovery file for your phone model into it.
Be sure to rename it to recovery and place the scatter file from any firmware for your phone in the same folder.
Launch the SP Flash Tool Windows flasher.
Select the scatter file, after which the recovery file to be flashed will automatically appear in the utility.
Next, you need to connect the gadget using a USB cable to the PC. In this case, it must be turned off.
Then you need to click the “Download” tab in the application.
Next, custom recovery will quickly be uploaded to the device.
Now you need to launch Recovery. To do this, with the gadget turned off, simultaneously press the “Volume Down + Power” or “Volume Up + Power” keys.
Then in the recovery menu you need to select “Wipe” and clear the device’s file system.
Then you need to select the “Install” line, select the firmware file and click “Ok”.
Then the smartphone firmware process will start, after which you need to reboot the gadget. To do this, go to the main menu of the utility and select the “Reboot System” item there.

To navigate through the Recovery items, you need to use the phone’s volume buttons, and confirm the selection with the power button.

With ROOT rights granted

When using a more advanced method of custom flashing a smartphone, you will need ROOT rights, standard Recovery and firmware in the gadget’s memory.

Then you need to do the following:

Download and install the Android ROM Manager utility on your device.
To select the “Flash Clockwork Mod Recovery” function in it.
Then click the “Reboot into Recovery” tab and run the utility.
Then, as in the previous case, you need to clear the gadget of old data and install new firmware on it.

How to get ROOT rights

To get ROOT you can use the following applications:

Kingo Root;
Root Dashi;
Baidu Root;
superuser;
DingDong Root.

There are many such applications, so if you can’t get root access using one utility, try others.

Almost all steps to obtain Root come down to installing the application and activating it. The utility will perform the rest of the actions on its own, after which you only need to periodically give it permissions.

Each program is supported by certain models of smartphones, so you need to install only the one intended for it on your gadget.

Contact the service center

If you are not confident in your abilities and knowledge, then it is best to contact a specialized repair center, where they will quickly roll back the system for you. You just need to take into account that if you installed a new version of Android using something other than the phone’s standard tools, the repair warranty will be void. That is, you will have to pay money for this procedure, and you will need to pay a considerable amount to repair an expensive gadget.

Disabling auto-updates for apps and games

By default, Google Play offers to automatically update every app you install. But, as mentioned above, this causes certain problems when using a budget device with slow memory. On such devices, auto-update should be disabled. But how to do that? You probably remember that you were asked about automatic updates only when you first used Google Play. Later, this item magically disappeared from the pages of games and programs. All this is for the sake of speeding up the download and installation process, as well as to make each page easier and, accordingly, speed up its loading. You can now find this item in another way:

Step 1

. Open Play Store.

Step 2

.
Pull out the curtain with the main menu from the left edge, then click on the “ Settings
” item.

Step 3

.
Click on " Auto-update apps
".

Step
4
.
Here you can disable this feature by checking the box next to “ Never
”.

Step 5

.
If you do not want to receive notifications about updates, then a corresponding subsection has been created for you in “ Settings
”.
Available updates
checkbox .

This is how easy it is to disable updates on Android. But do not forget that from time to time you need to install new versions of programs and games, as developers regularly improve their stability and functionality.

The Android operating system and all programs downloaded to Samsung from Google Play are configured by default in such a way that when updates are released, they are immediately installed on mobile devices. This has not only positive, but also negative aspects, since downloading new files bypassing the user can lead to a high consumption of Internet traffic. And the latest versions of software do not always work stably. Therefore, let's look at how to disable automatic application updates on Samsung Galaxy.

How to disable Android update

To prevent your gadget from automatically updating, you need to deactivate this function in the settings.

To do this you need to do the following:

Open device settings;
Select the “About phone” tab there;
Then select “Update Center”;
Then click on the “Software Update” line.
Next, open the “Download updates automatically” item and uncheck the “Download updates automatically” option.

Thanks to these steps, you will be able to protect yourself from unexpected problems that may arise as a result of automatic OS updates.

Will clearing the cache work?

Clearing the cache will free up disk space, but will not delete update files that were downloaded but not installed. Even third-party utilities do not perceive software update files as garbage.

A standard cache clearing is unlikely to bring the desired result, and certainly will not roll back the application to its normal state.

But you can always remove patches yourself by doing it manually.