Why flash smartphones. What is firmware and how to flash your phone What is scary about flashing a smartphone

Greetings to all readers of the computer blog site! The other day, a friend of mine contacted me with a request to unlock the iPhone 5s. According to him, being drunk, he put the password on the phone (from his girlfriend), and in the morning he could not remember it. After several unsuccessful attempts to enter the password, the iPhone was automatically locked.

When turned on, the inscription “ iPhone is disabled! Connect to iTunes. " When connected to a computer, the problem was not solved - a password was still required.

In this article, I will show you how to unblock any Apple device- iPhone 4, 4s, 5s, 5, 6, 6s, 7, iPad, etc. We will remove the lock by flashing, ie full reset of the phone to the "factory" state. Flashing an iPhone is only seemingly complicated, but in reality it is quite simple, so do not rush to carry your phone to the service, but first try to do everything yourself.

The firmware will help solve any software problems with your phone. Basically, we will do full reset iPhone to factory condition as if we just bought it. I will warn you right away, we will need Internet access.

I unlocked iPhone 5, model a1429, but the firmware method is universal, and will work for all Apple devices - iPhone 4,5,6,7, and iPad.

Most often, this article is read by people who forgot the password on your phone... In such cases, iPhone / iPad displays messages like: “ iPhone is disabled. Connect to iTunes " or “Repeat after 24,000,000 minutes«.

However, you can try to flash your phone in case of any problems with your iPhone. For example, if your iPhone glitches, restarts, or won't boot or turn on at all- iPhone flashing can help you!

Alarm! Using this method will erase all information on your Apple device. Be careful, and if you are still hoping to remember your password, look for other unlocking methods.

You do all the actions described below at your own peril and risk, and I am not responsible for the damaged phone. Fortunately, the procedure is standard, invented by Apple itself, so go ahead! 😉

I will immediately grieve those whose iPhone is tied to iCloud.

If you don't have access to this iCloud, this method won't help you anyway. After flashing the phone will start asking for a password from iCloud. In this case, you can restore access to the phone only if you have the original box from this phone, as well as a cashier's receipt for it. All this will need to be sent to Apple, they will check the information and restore access to you.

If you do not have a password or a receipt, alas, you have a brick. Well, you can change motherboard, or sell the phone for spare parts, which is basically the same.

How to flash any Apple device - iPhone 4, 5s, 5, 6, 6s, 7, iPad? Step-by-step instruction.

First, you need download and install iTunes from the official apple website: apple.com/ru/itunes/download/

Installing iTunes shouldn't give you any trouble, but just in case, it's detailed in video at the end of the article.

So, we have the program installed.

First, we need to put the iPhone into recovery mode. It is very easy to do this:

Congratulations! You are logged in Recovery Mode!

Now let's turn our attention to the laptop screen. ITunes should start automatically. If it doesn't, start it manually. You will see a window asking you to restore or update your iPhone:

We press the button " Restore«.

Next, most likely, a window will pop up asking you to install the latest iOS version... After clicking the "Restore and Update" button all data on your iPhone will be erased, then the new iPhone software is downloaded and installed. Think, then click this button.

A window like this may pop up:

The download of the firmware for the iPhone from the Apple website will begin. The download time depends on the speed of your internet connection. Download progress can be seen by clicking on the icon in the upper right corner:

After passing all the stages, you will see a welcome screen on your iPhone:

Hooray, our iPhone 5 is unlocked! All that remains is to insert a SIM card and set it up as if you just bought it in a store!

iPhone is disabled. Connect to iTunes - How to Unblock? [VIDEO]

I advise you to watch the short video below. In it I talk about the process unlock iPhone 5 in as much detail as possible:

Do not forget subscribe to my YouTube channel!

Error 4013 when restoring iPhone.

If you read on, and are not happy with your "resurrected" telephone, then something did not work out for you. Honestly, I didn’t go smoothly the first time. At the first attempt to restore an iPhone by flashing, at the "Waiting for iPhone" stage An unknown error occurred (4013):

"B .. well, what the fuck ..?!" … "Fine!" - I thought. "Faced with a problem - I can warn my subscribers about it!" I started looking for a solution. The forums were full of advice of various kinds. The option “ Put the iPhone in the freezer, and then flash it«:

I did not resort to such radical solutions as freezing someone else's device, and decided to first follow the recommendations from the official Apple website.

When these errors appeared, Apple technical support recommended 3 options for actions - install the latest windows updates or Mac, change the USB cable (also, I advise you to try plugging the device into a different USB port), or try restoring your iPhone on another computer:

Since I have many different laptops at hand (), I decided to go the third way, especially since on the first laptop due to the small volume hard disk there was a "stripped-down" Windows 7. Of course, without any updates.

What do you think - after starting the recovery procedure on another laptop, everything went well!

If you get any other errors while restoring your iPhone, take a look.

If you still have questions or you just liked the article - leave a comment below it.

And also join

To my great regret, such a huge stratum of geek culture, like the firmware of smartphones, is very little reviewed on IT sites. But I bet everyone who reads this article has a friend who knows how to flash smartphones, does it for money, or for fun. But have you ever wondered why he needs it? But there are a lot of reasons: a software update, an urgent need, and sometimes a banal excess of free time. Let's figure out, once and for all, why people are flashing smartphones, what problems they can face and whether the game is worth the candle.

There is an opinion that you can buy a cheaper phone, but in the end you get the same thing as the flagship, but for less money. This is certainly not the case. Phone makers are not altruists and philanthropists - they make money. Therefore, if a smartphone costs $ 650, and $ 150, then there is a difference between them, believe me. Yes, not as big as marketers are trying to convince us, but still significant. The obvious differences between the state employee and the flagship are the build quality and budget components. With this everything is clear, we will not stop. But besides that, there are other expenses - for software, for example. And first of all, on its optimization. It is very expensive to keep a large staff of testers, which leads to problems with the smoothness of the interface, launching applications, and so on. But on the other hand, it comes out cheaper!

This is the basis of the philosophy of the Xiaomi brand, successfully played in the advertising of Citrus stores. "I removed all unnecessary, removed all the husk and all the pathos - I said" fuck "to the brands!" - as Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, would tell us in an advertisement for smartphones of his own production. We all understand that Mr. Jun didn’t say that, but those on whom this advertisement is oriented will quite believe the words of the rich Chinese. “My boyfriend went against the system, made normal phones at a normal price, for ordinary people from the area” - such thoughts arise after such an advertisement. Sounds very attractive, agree.

From the mouths of the owners of budget Chinese gadgets, you can often hear the expressions “cheated the system, bought a smartphone three times cheaper smartphone name but got the same thing. " It’s a pity that it’s not true. There is a big difference between a cheap and an expensive smartphone, but it can be reduced. Add to him those functions that he did not get due to the artificial deterioration of the budget line. Or just make the interface smooth.

Let's take a look at seven reasons to flash a smartphone.

Need

Every year the smartphone works worse and worse. This is primarily due to the software, which must be periodically cleaned and reset to factory settings. Do you often restore your smartphone as new? But it should be. Due to the garbage accumulated over the years, all these freezes appear. The firmware avoids all of this. The smartphone simply does not have time to clog up in a couple of months that you are using a specific firmware. And then flashing again and the phone is ready to work, as on the first day. Of course, there is no objective need to reflash a smartphone once a month. But the more often the better, right?)

Another problem is poor firmware optimization. Some manufacturers treat firmware testing in bad faith. Xiaomi is a prime example. It’s no longer surprising when even the flagships come out with raw software. Either the fingerprint scanner will not be brought to mind, or the screen somehow does not work well. I am silent about the camera: it almost never works normally for the first six months. And if a smartphone for $ 100-200 can be forgiven for this (although you don't really want to), then a smartphone for $ 700 with six gigabytes random access memory and the braking shell raises many questions. Hi Samsung. Therefore, go ahead to get rid of the brakes with the help of a clean, like a tear, android!

Discarding garbage

In flagship smartphones the price of pre-installed software sometimes reached half the cost of the smartphone itself. But let's face it - do you need a pro-version of some office suite, if you have enough Google Docs? And all this goodness not only takes up the memory of the device, but also slows down the system. If the pre-installed Facebook is still useful, then non-working applications in Chinese firmware are completely unnecessary. Down with! We put pure Android with a Pixel-like launcher and live in peace.

Update

We all know updates are not that important. If you buy a device and the software suits you at the time of purchase, why do you need updates? But you still want something new. And buying a new flagship every year or six months is almost unrealistic. Flashing your phone is the cheapest way to get a fresh experience with your device and try a fresh version of Android. For example, Xiaomi basically updates the version of its own MIUI firmware(even on smartphones in 2012!), while keeping the Android version the same. Yes, of course, some of the functions from new versions of Android appear in new versions of MIUI, but will we agree to half measures? If your smartphone has simply ceased to be supported, there are options to stay on old version Software, or buy a new device. But don't be in a hurry. Take a look at the w3bsit3-dns.com branch, or XDA with your device. Suddenly flashing it is as easy as shelling pears.

Xiaomi MI 2 will receive an update to MIUI 9 this year, although it was released in 2012.

Applied interest

Choosing a smartphone today, buyers are choosing between two operating systems: iOS and Android. But there are a lot of other, less popular, but more interesting projects from this. Sailfish OS, Firefox OS, Ubuntu Mobile, Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile. Most of these operating systems are already dead, but I once installed all of this on smartphones for them that were not officially intended. Today, you can only put Sailfish OS and Windows 10 Mobile on the Chinese version of Xiaomi Mi4 (for those who really know a lot about perversions). The rest of the firmware is dead and nobody misses it.

If you still want to try something like that, but before Sailfish OS the roof has not moved down yet - welcome to the world of firmware from manufacturers. MIUI, Flyme, ColorOS, OxygenOS and many others you can install yourself right now. It is quite possible that you will even like it, and you will use this firmware on an ongoing basis. Which will lead to the purchase of a device where this OS is available out of the box.

The battle between the Xiaomi and Meizu brands, for example, is primarily in terms of firmware. And users often buy this or that smartphone focusing on the desktop shell. No wonder - in the budget segment the devices of both manufacturers have long ago become equal in hardware.

HTC HD2 stands apart. Smartphone legend, about which hundreds of materials have been written. Everything is ported to it! And in the past five years, the developer community has been making firmware for the HD2 purely for nothing. "Look, I was able to run Android 8.0 on the old man!" - the developer proudly declares. And nothing that, apart from actually launching the desktop and opening the "About phone" item in the settings, the firmware can do nothing more. Not ported for work, but for the glory of the author!

Yes, 7.0 Nougat is there too.

Functions

With the help of the firmware, you can not only release the smartphone from the brakes, but also provide new opportunities. I am reminded of the Moto G4 smartphone. Two versions were released on the market - with one and two SIM cards. But the point is that in fact it was one phone. In order to "unlock" the operation of the second SIM card, you just need to remove the plug in the second slot and reflash the smartphone with the correct firmware, which adds the functions of calls to two SIM cards. Easier than ever, isn't it?

Friend's help

It's nice when you can flash a broken phone to a friend. If you agree to help, everyone wins: you have the opportunity to practice flashing a new device, turn around a hitherto unknown gadget, and at the same time get respect points from a friend. In return, your friend will receive a completely working phone (in most cases, of course).

Free time

The main reason for the firmware is time. How many times have you heard from iOS smartphone users that they don't have time to flash their phones. But this person probably has time to watch TV shows) Firmware is primarily a hobby and you should not take seriously the attacks of some and the arguments of others.

After flashing, a large number of problems with the device can arise. Let's briefly list what enthusiasts can face after flashing their device.

Lack of features

It should be understood that in most cases, custom firmware is developed by users like us. So don't be surprised if early alpha builds won't be able to make calls and connect to Wi-Fi. Of course, over time, most of the functions will still work. But it is not at all necessary that everything is downright. All users of smartphones from Xiaomi know the fingerprint sensor from the manufacturer Goodix, because it does not work on custom. And about some trifles, like not displaying the occupied space when connecting a smartphone to a PC, it is usually customary not to talk. Like, all this is not important, the main thing is the cherished Oreo!

Unstable work

Increased battery discharge, spontaneous reboots are just the tip of the iceberg. Anything can happen to a smartphone on an unsuccessful custom. What to do? Sew again, hoping the next firmware is better.

Bad translation

Often refers to Chinese firmware like MIUI, Flyme and other less popular ones. Most recently, Meizu boasted that their Flyme firmware is running on nearly five million third-party smartphones! Moreover, 60 million users use the Meizu shell. But, unfortunately, this does not eliminate minor bugs and low-quality translation.

The risk of turning your smartphone into a brick

Loss of warranty

A point that follows from the previous one. Everything you do with software your smartphone will inevitably void the warranty. Is it worth it or not - it's up to you to decide. However, a scratch on the screen on the first day of use also deprives you of the right to return the phone back to the store and get your hard-earned money.

Pay attention to the firmware

Let's talk separately about the choice of custom. You should be very careful when choosing a firmware - manufacturers are still inventors in the naming of their smartphones. Let's take a very revealing example, this year's flagship from LG - the G6. In addition to the standard G6, there is also a G6 + version. It is no different except for the increased memory size. In total, there are six models with different indexes, they are sold in different countries: H870, H870DS, H871, H872, H873, US997.

The first, the H870, is the international version. It is the most versatile, the best flashing, but also the most expensive. The rest are sold in different countries, have minor differences from the international version, or are made specifically for some operator. Most importantly, each version of the G6 needs its own firmware! Therefore, you should be very careful when choosing a device and firmware for it. Like you bought a G6 and heard that it has a lot of firmware. But when it comes down to it, it turns out that you have a Russian version without the ability to even unlock the bootloader, not just flash it with custom.

I will quote the most famous Russian-language forum for fans of flashing - w3bsit3-dns.com:

At the moment, unlocking the bootloader and, as a result, getting ROOT is possible only on the European version with one SIM - H870 and the American - S997. The H870DS version, which is sold in Russia and some Asian countries, cannot be unlocked! Firmware can be sewn from other regions, but only if they are for one model (for example, on the H870DS model for Singapore, you can flash the firmware from the H870DS, released for Russia and the CIS countries). In this case, the region of the firmware will change to an abstract one and updates will no longer arrive over the air.

I especially like about the firmware for different regions of the same device and the "abstract" region. It is worth noting that a similar confusion with models has existed since 2014 and the second version of the flagship - LG G2.

All the problems listed above may not necessarily be with your device. Quite often on the contrary - firmware improves those flaws that the manufacturer made.

What to buy to flash?

Get all the features of the brand-new Google Pixel 2 just days after it was unveiled without buying the $ 800 pixel itself? Easily! The main thing is not to make a mistake in choosing a device. And how to do it, read on.

Smartphones from Google have always been ideal purchase candidates for subsequent experiments with firmware. The Nexus line had no problems with unlocking the bootloader, was relatively inexpensive and was always on productive hardware. This also includes the Pixel line of smartphones. Of course, the cost of pixels is out of the paradigm of economy, but if you're wealthy and adventurous - why not!

With smartphones from other manufacturers, it is much more difficult. To begin with, it is worth remembering that smartphones are flashed only on processors from Qualcomm. Memorized and deleted from here Meizu, Huawei and Asus almost completely. More precisely, all models from these manufacturers are not based on Snapdragon processors. Smartphones from Sony and HTC and Samsung often have problems with the lack of custom firmware. But this does not mean that they do not exist at all. Look for details about a specific model on w3bsit3-dns.com, or XDA. Good purchase candidates for custom installations are LeEco, LG, Motorola (Lenovo), OnePlus, OPPO, Wileyfox, Xiaomi, and ZTE.

A few words about the aforementioned brands. At LeEco and Xiaomi, make sure that the model you choose has a Snapdragon processor. It happens that in the same line there are smartphones on different processors. If you are going to buy LG for flashing, make sure that you have exactly the international version of the flagship. No carrier models from Verizon, or Sprint, which are inundated with the aftermarket. Such models will have problems with the firmware process itself, and with the presence of custom roms. Although their price will be very attractive. Motorola is easier to flash than Lenovo, of course. Despite my prejudice against the Wileyfox brand, I have to give it credit, these smartphones do have firmware up to Android 8 Oreo.

Users of this or that brand value the support of the developers very much and often remain loyal to the brand for many years. Moto fans will prefer Motorola. Users of the "flagship killer" - OnePlus - stay with smartphones of this brand, sometimes turning a blind eye to some problems. Well, about the phrase "the best Xiaomi smartphones"Jokes are already circulating, but somehow it's not funny. It's a shame that such eccentric people represent the fans of this or that company. Correctly say - an adequate person does not write comments on the Internet, and even more so he does not read them.

In the dry residue

We will leave the question of whether smartphones need to be flashed at all. Of course, this is not 2011, easy to find good smartphone even within $ 100. Not to mention a bigger budget. The firmware is no longer urgently needed, as it was five years ago. Today, flashing smartphones has remained the lot of a group of enthusiasts, for whom the result is not as important as the process. In general, I went to flash another smartphone on Oreo, which is what I wish for you!

Functionality mobile device provided not only by its hardware, but also by the installed OS.

This software package is a virtual environment within which various applications can be launched. Open architecture of smartphones for Android allows you to make changes to its work. As a rule, the most radical measures for modifying an existing shell are achieved by installing a new firmware.

What is Firmware?

Manufacturers of modern Android smartphones (Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, Sony) create their own versions of the virtual environment for each device. Such software is usually called proprietary firmware, since it is initially present on the device. Despite the common mobile platform, the functionality and design of such skins can vary significantly between competing companies.

Main varieties

For some time, developers have been providing support for a gadget released to the market through system updates. Improved firmware versions allow smartphone users to get new features, as well as fix many bugs and optimization problems. Often, the process of installing fresh software requires only confirmation of the download and occurs in a semi-automatic mode - we are talking about (OTA).

Unfortunately, for many phones, official support from the manufacturer ends pretty quickly. This is often due to the release of new versions of Android, which, for some reason, old gadgets are unable to cope with. In this case, unofficial or "custom" firmware from third-party developers come to the rescue. Their installation allows not only to optimize the operation of weak devices, but also to significantly expand the functionality of still current models.

Popular samples

Today, there are two main types mobile firmware: official and unofficial. As a rule, when it comes to such a phenomenon, most often we mean the second type of shells for the system. To install them, you need to perform a number of manipulations on the gadget. We recommend that you entrust this business to professionals by contacting a specialized service center.

"Custom" Android modifications are created by all kinds of people. They can be ordinary craftsmen or professional development teams with extensive experience. The most famous firmwares are MIUI, Illusion ROMS, Paranoid Android, PAC ROM. All of them provide ample opportunities for personalizing the device and increasing the stability of its operation.

Pros and cons of firmware

Finishing the conversation about the firmware, it is necessary to note their positive and negative sides. The indisputable advantages of "custom" modifications of the system include:

• Receiving latest version Android OS on an old device.
• Adding new features missing from the official firmware.
• Increased productivity through better optimization.
• Correction of errors made by the developers of the original software.
• Change of the external design of the entire system interface.
• Removing preinstalled software from the device manufacturer.
• Increase security by disabling tracking functions.

Despite all the advantages that a user of a smartphone with firmware can get, there are some problems that he may face:

• Discharges the battery quickly due to increased power consumption.
• Incompatibility with individual hardware components.
• Loss of the right to warranty repairs in the event of a device breakdown.
• Chance of device failure due to unexplained reasons.

That is why you should not commit rash acts, immediately installing the first available modification of the system. Before taking such a step, you need to make sure of the quality of the software and its compatibility with the device. You can find the necessary information about the firmware on the developers website or technical forums (w3bsit3-dns.com).

Users have the opportunity to modify and alter the software of the devices, adjust it to their taste. Re-flashing allows you to expand the functionality of the device, remove defects and fix bugs, and make it more convenient. In some cases, flashing a smartphone is the only way to bring it back to life. Whether it is worth reflashing a smartphone - let's try to figure it out below.

Flashing a smartphone is a process of changing software ( operating system), under the control of which the device operates. The process of uploading software to the device and the image file containing this very software are called firmware. The software can be changed with the participation of the smartphone itself, with the help of a computer - at home or a special device-programmer - in a service center.

Why do I need to flash an Android smartphone

There are only three reasons why there is a need to flash a smartphone:

• It is necessary to flash a different version of the firmware, more convenient, stable, free from flaws.
• There is a need for localization of the apparatus brought from abroad and deprived of the support of the Russian / Ukrainian language.
• Due to software corruption, not all smartphone functions work, or the OS will not start at all.

Is it worth reflashing the phone yourself

Whether it is worth reflashing an android on your own depends on the level of computer skills and understanding of how the software works. If they are not enough, and there is no desire / opportunity / time to study the topic, it is better to entrust this task to a specialist so as not to make a “brick” out of the smartphone.

Brick is a term that, in common parlance, refers to a device that refuses to turn on. Its appearance is caused by the fact that a non-working phone has the same functionality as the building material of the same name.

If you are ready to accept all the risks and start experimenting, you can flash your smartphone yourself. To do this, it is recommended to study all the nuances of the firmware of your specific smartphone on a special resource, for example, w3bsit3-dns.com. It contains all the necessary software, the firmware itself and instructions for flashing it.

There are three ways to reflash an Android phone:

• Via the software update menu.
• Using the recovery menu or TWRP Recovery.
• With a computer and USB cable.

Software Update

You can reflash your smartphone without a computer through the built-in system update menu. It is located in the "Settings" menu, its submenu "About device". Below you can see what this item looks like in MIUI8 (left) and clean Android version 5.1 (right).

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to reflash a smartphone through an update in the menu. To do this, the following conditions must be met:

1. The device is charged 50% or more.
2. It is functional, and the user has the opportunity to get into the settings menu, being sure that the smartphone will not suddenly turn off.
3. A flashing is performed from an older one - to new version Software (not necessarily the Andriod version).
4. The firmware image is official and signed with the key of the smartphone manufacturer (not always relevant, but some devices, for example Xiaomi, do not support the recording of non-certified, modified or self-made firmware).

In order to reflash a smartphone through the built-in update, you need to search the network and download the firmware file. Then it should be copied to the smartphone's memory or to a memory card. In the update menu, you need to click the button with the ellipsis in the upper right corner of the screen and select the item responsible for selecting the firmware file from the memory card. After choosing, if the firmware file is suitable, the smartphone will reboot and a warning will appear on the screen that the firmware is in progress and the device cannot be turned off. The process can take from several minutes - up to one hour.

Through the Recovery menu

Another way to reflash a smartphone without a computer is through the built-in recovery menu or its alternative, TWRP.The second option is preferable because it allows you to install any firmware without restrictions. Built-in Recovery sometimes does not allow installing third-party software builds.

Recovery is a special smartphone service menu designed for operations with software (reset, flash, update).

To reflash a smartphone without a computer through the native recovery menu, you need to download the firmware and put it on the memory card. The further procedure is as follows:

1. Turn off your smartphone.
2. Hold down the combination of buttons to enter Recovery. For most devices, these are "power" and "sound +", for Samsung you also need to hold down the "home" button, simultaneously with these two.
3. Find the item containing the word "Backup" and do backup firmware to the memory card.
4. In the menu that opens, select the item containing the item "install update from sdcard", "apply update from sdcard" or another, similar in meaning (it all depends on the translation ".
5. Select the firmware file on the flash drive and agree to install it.
6. After flashing, select the item containing "factory reset". This is necessary to clear the memory of traces of the old firmware. If the official software is being updated to a newer, also official, version, the reset can be omitted.

The question of how to flash a smartphone on Android is capable of confusing a novice user who does not yet know how to cope with this task. This article is intended to help you so that you can carry out the firmware of the phone on your own, and not overpay for the services of the masters in service centers, who are asking for 1000 rubles or more for this work.

The main thing is to follow exactly according to the instructions indicated by us, because a mistake can lead to very disastrous consequences. The question of how to flash an Android smartphone with a computer often begins to bother users when the system is clogged with files and there are various glitches in it. This will help to restore the former performance, in general, improve the stability and quality of the system. First of all, you can try to perform a factory reset, but if this does not help, then all that remains is a flashing.

• Figuring out how to flash a Chinese smartphone yourself, you need to carefully prepare for this process. The first step is to make sure that the phone has at least 50% charge, and it is better to charge it fully. This is necessary in order to exclude the possibility of disconnection. During the procedure, you can connect the device to the charger. If the smartphone turns off during the procedure, then you will lose all data and it may turn into a useless brick, so do not neglect this rule;
• Find out which version of the operating system is relevant for your phone and which one is now. You can find out by going to the settings menu and select the "About phone" section there. Look at the Android version, kernel version, and build number.

It's time to figure out how to flash an Android smartphone through a computer. Based on the information that you received using the above method, we find the latest firmware created specifically for the model of your device. It is also better to make the systems in advance, so that if something happens to be able to recover to the previous version of the firmware. We have already described how to do this in the article.

Flashing Android using a computer

The first and perhaps the most popular way- flash Samsung smartphone, ZTE or another manufacturer using special software. There are many applications for this, but the best and easiest to use in our opinion is Fastboot. The advantages of the application include safety of use, comfort and reliability. Follow the further instructions to understand how to flash your smartphone yourself via Flashtool.

The program for the firmware must be selected depending on the manufacturer of your device:

• Samsung - Odin;
• HTC - Flash Tool;
• Xiaomi - Fastboot;
• HTC - Fastboot;
• Sony - Flashboot;
• LG - KDZ Updater.

Download a suitable application and install it on your computer. It is better to do it on the C drive, so that the path to it is as follows: C: \ Android.

Understanding how to flash a Flashtool smartphone, pay attention to the “Tools” folder, which contains all the necessary utilities, and in “Driver” you will find drivers. We connect the phone to the PC, after which the drivers for it should be automatically installed. If this did not happen, then go to the manufacturer's website and download the drivers from there. It is important that the firmware is for the version of your phone. As a rule, it is downloaded in a Zip archive, which must be moved to the address: C: \ Android.

Now we need to unlock the bootloader on our Android smartphone. To do this, open the "Start" menu on the PC and in search bar enter the command “CMD” and select cmd.exe. Click on the icon with the right mouse button and select "run as administrator".

In the appeared before us command line enter C: \ Android \ Tools. We confirm the command by pressing the Enter key. Then you will find yourself in the “Tools” directory.

The next step is to enter the fastboot devices command.

If fastboot correctly recognized your gadget, then its code will appear. This means that you can start the firmware procedure. If the message “waiting for device” is displayed, then you need to turn off the phone, install the drivers and repeat the above manipulations.

We enter the command “fastboot update firmware file name.zip”, after which the firmware of the Android smartphone starts. Upon completion of this process, you need to restart the device.

How to reflash an Android smartphone using RECOVERY?

This method assumes the use of custom or standard recovery. The former are unofficial firmware, in which users often add many interesting functions that are not in the official ones. We find the firmware file, download it and transfer it to the root file system phone.

When deciding how to flash a smartphone through Recovery, you need to restart it and enter this mode. This can usually be done by pressing the Power and Volume Down key. Recovery mode is controlled using the up and down keys. We need to find the section with the firmware and select the file downloaded earlier there. Usually this item is called “apply update from externel storage”, “Install ZIP” or “apply update from sdcard”.

After that, the firmware process begins, after which you need to restart the device.

The method of flashing the phone via ROM MANAGER

The question is how to flash Android smartphone, can be solved in this simple way, although it is not so popular. But there is one significant drawback - ROM Manager will refuse to function if you do not have Root rights. Another requirement is that custom recovery must be used. Formally, the firmware will proceed through recovery, but only you will work with an interface that is easier to learn.

Download the ROM Manager utility and the appropriate firmware for your Android phone. We open the program, after which we perform the following manipulations.