How to Install Android 14 on Pixel Phones

How to Install Android 14 on Pixel Phones

In February, Google released the first developer preview of Android 14, the next major update for Android devices. Although there are still devices that have yet to receive the Android 13 update, this is not Google’s fault, but rather the responsibility of their OEMs. Google has moved forward with the development of the upcoming Android version. The release date for Android 14 is expected to be in August, like last year, but there may be delays. From now until August, we can expect to receive a developer preview and several betas build for testing purposes.

The initial Android 14 build includes a few minor modifications that will contribute to the better performance of the Android OS. We anticipate more significant changes in future beta builds. In the current developer preview, some changes you may notice include a direct Extreme Battery Saver, an enhanced security and privacy dashboard, new color accents for Material You, and other small changes. You can learn more about the new features of Android 14 on this page.

The initial developer preview of Android 14 is now accessible for testing on eligible devices. The list of eligible Pixel phones has been revised by Google, and you can review it to determine which Pixel phones are eligible for the Android 14 update.

• Google Pixel 4a 5G
• Google Pixel 5
• Google Pixel 5a
• Google Pixel 6
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
• Google Pixel 6a
• Pixel 7
• Pixel 7 Pro

As a result, three phones from the previous year, namely Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, and Pixel 4a LTE, have been eliminated from the list of eligible devices. If your phone is included in the aforementioned list, you may follow the instructions to install Android 14 on your Pixel device.

How to Install Android 14 Developer Preview 1 on Google Pixel

There are multiple approaches to obtaining the Android 14 developer preview on your phone, and you can select the one that suits you best. If you have a phone that is not a Pixel or is not compatible, you may use GSI to install Android 14. A guide on this method will be available soon.

Before proceeding with the installation instructions, it is critical to adhere to these necessary prerequisites.

• Make sure to take a full backup of your phone
• Charge your phone to at least 50%
• There can be minor and even major bugs as this is the first developer preview (Not recommended for Primary phone)
• Install ADB & Fastboot drivers or download Android SDK Platform Tools folder

How to Install Android 14 using Android Flash Tool

This method requires an unlocked bootloader device, so make sure to first unlock the bootloader of your Google Pixel phone. And then proceed with the following steps.

1. Open Settings on your Google Pixel phone and go to About Phone. Tap seven times on Build Number to enable developer options.
   
2. Go back to main Settings and open Developer Options. And enable USB Debugging to use ADB.
   
3. Connect your Pixel to your PC directly using an original USB cable.
   • Open the Android Flash Tool page using this link. It will ask for ADB permission on your browser, allowing it to use ADB.
     
4. On the webpage click on Add New Device, then select the device model and click on Connect.
5. Also allow debugging on your phone, when a pop-up appears.
6. Now select your connected device on the browser.
7. Choose the latest Android 14 build from the list. Also, select the option to wipe data for clean flash.
8. Click on the Install button and just wait for the process to complete.
9. Once the flash completes, disconnect your phone and enjoy the latest Android 14 Developer Preview.

How to Install Android 14 using Full OTA Image

While unlocking the bootloader is not necessary for this method, Google strongly advises unlocking the bootloader for this process. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that your phone is running on the most recent Android 13 build.

1. Install ADB & Fastboot drivers on your PC or you can also use the Android SDK Platform tools folder.
2. Download the Android 14 OTA Image for your device from here. If the file name is big then rename the file (eg. Update.zip) for an easy process. Remember you must be on the latest Android 13 update to use this OTA.
3. Now enable USB Debugging on your Pixel phone. Check out the first method to know how to enable it.
4. Connect your Pixel phone to your PC. You will receive a prompt on your phone, click on Allow to grant debugging authorization. If you don’t receive the prompt enter ‘adb devices’ in CMD and it should show the connected device id.
5. Once your Pixel phone is connected to the computer enter the command below to boot the pixel phone into Recovery Mode.
   • adb reboot recovery
6. Once the phone boot into Recovery Mode, select the option ‘Apply Update from ADB’.
7. Now run the following command to install the latest Android 14 on your Pixel phone. Make sure to enter the correct file name that you renamed in the first step. Replace Update with the correct file name if it is different in your case.
   • adb sideload Update.zip
8. It will now install Android 14 on your Pixel phone. After installing the file select ‘Reboot system now’ to boot into the system.

How to Install Android 14 using Factory Image

1. We will be using adb and fastboot commands so first install the adb and fastboot drivers or download the Android sdk platform tools folder (in this case open cmd from platform tools folder whenever cmd is required).
2. Download the Android 14 Factory Image for your Pixel phone from here.
3. Extract the Factory Image on your computer.
4. Now connect your pixel phone to your pc using USB and open cmd (command prompt).
5. Enter the below adb command to boot your phone into fastboot mode.
   • adb reboot bootloader
6. Once your phone is in fastboot mode, enter the below command to unlock bootloader (It will wipe all the data from your phone).
   • fastboot flashing unlock
7. Navigate to the directory where extracted fastboot image is available. It will include flash-all bat and sh file.
8. In the case of Windows run the .bat file and in the case of Mac run the .sh file.
9. It will install Android 14 on your phone. Your phone will reboot into the system.
10. You can now relock the bootloader using the below command. Boot your phone to fastboot mode before using the given command.
    • Fastboot flashing lock

These are the three techniques you can utilize to install Android 14 on your Google Pixel. You may already be aware that testing builds may contain flaws, so be certain you understand the risks before upgrading your phone. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to inquire in the comments section.