How to Update Google Pixel 3a

Usually, smartphone manufacturers support their devices in terms of software for a few years from their date of release. During this time, users regularly receive updates that add new features to an operating system. To update Android on your Google Pixel 3a, you need to follow a few simple steps, but before that, prepare for the process.

How to check the current Android version on Google Pixel 3a

Please check your current software version before installing updates. If your Android is already up to date, you don’t need to reinstall it.

See which Android version you have:

Open your phone’s settings.
Press “About phone”.
Find the item “Android version”.

This is where the current software version will be indicated. At the beginning of 2021, it is Android 11, but Google is going to release another update to Android 12 soon.

Preparatory phase

Each new version of software contains many new functions, but after installing them, there may be problems in the operation of some smartphones. This happens when users ignore the preparatory phase.

Before updating your Google Pixel 3a, you need to follow 2 basic requirements:

make sure the device has at least a 30% charge;
reset your device to factory default settings.

The first point is clear, but the second requires explanation. Resetting to factory settings means deleting all files from your device's memory. It helps you to avoid errors when installing updates.

Of course, no one wants to lose their personal data, that is why you need to create a backup before resetting:

Open the settings.
Go to the “Accounts and backup” section.
Select Google Drive.
Back up your data.

These steps will help you move your data to cloud storage. You can restore it after upgrading your operating system.

If there is not enough space on Google Drive to save all the information, you can create a backup copy using the "Backup & Restore" option. Move the resulting file to another device (for example, a computer), and after the updates are installed, return it to your smartphone's memory.

After creating a backup, you can start resetting your phone to factory settings:

Open the settings.
Go to the “Backup and reset” section.
Choose “Factory data reset”.
Click “Reset device”.
Confirm the operation.

Now reboot your smartphone and then go directly to the process of installing the new software.

Ways of updating Android on Google Pixel 3a

There are different ways of updating the Android OS, including both classic and alternative options. We recommend that you consider the upgrade methods in the order that is presented in this article.

Over-the-air update

This is the easiest and most common way to update your smartphone. The main condition here is to complete the preparatory steps and have an Internet connection.

To update Android on your phone you need to:

Open the settings.
Press "System" or "About phone".
Go to "System update".
Click “Update”.

If there are updates available, you will be prompted to download the firmware file and click "Install". After that, your device will restart and be ready for further use.

Manual update via settings

This option is for those cases when your device cannot find an update over the air. To install the latest firmware version, download the installation file from the manufacturer’s official website. After placing the zip file in the device's memory, follow these steps:

Open your device settings.
Go to the System update section.
Press the three-dots button, and then click the “Select firmware file” button.
Select the folder where the zip filе was saved.
Confirm the installation of updates.

The further process is the same that was presented earlier in the over-the-air updates. That is, your phone will restart, and after installing the firmware, you will be able to use it.

Manual update via Recovery Mode

This method is similar to the previous one because here you also need to download the firmware file to your phone first, but the rest of the process is very different. To install updates, you need to go to the engineering menu (Recovery Mode).

First of all, turn off your smartphone and hold down both the Power button and the Volume Up button for a few seconds. If nothing happens, change the combination to the Power button and the Volume Down button.

If everything is done correctly, the recovery menu will appear on the screen. Use the Volume keys to navigate, and the Power button to confirm actions.

If you want to perform an over-the-air update, select “Reboot system now”. The "Apply update from ADB" option is needed to install the firmware from the internal storage, and "Apply update from SD card" is for installing from the memory card. After selecting the desired option, confirm the operation and wait for the end of the process.

What to do after installing updates

When the updating is completed, turn on your smartphone and check how stable it works. If everything is fine, you can restore your backed-up information.

If the backup was uploaded to Google Drive, all you need is to log into your Google account, and the data will be restored automatically. If the backup file was placed on another device, you need to upload it back to your smartphone.

If the backup was not restored automatically, try to operate manually. To do this, open the settings, go to the "System" section and restore the data.

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