How to Install the Pixel 7 Monthly Security OTA Update while Keeping Your Data

[@Barnone_]

Coming back to this video for a third month running. I find this is a great method to follow and it has never once let me down, perfectly explained and easy to understand. Thanks man

[@ExplainingAndroid]

that's awesome to hear! thanks for taking the time to leave a comment :) If you're able to, please consider becoming a KZbin channel member here - www.youtube.com/@ExplainingAndroid/join

[@YoannDP]

For anyone wondering, I just tested this on my Google Pixel 7 upgrading from Android 13 to Android 14, and it still works flawlessly without any data loss. I would advise you to back up your data just in case, although you shouldn't encounter any problems !

[@maximeg3659]

I just noticed it has been 3 weeks since you posted. How is the long term stability so far ?

[@YoannDP]

No issues detected; everything is operating seamlessly 👍

[@oscar_dl]

This worked like a charm on my device, thank you so much for this OTA update tutorial man!! Cannot thank you enough 🙏 Definitely subscribing, you've got too much useful content.

[@ExplainingAndroid]

thanks so much! you're very welcome, and I'm happy that this video was of help :)

[@eduardohernandez2046]

Can confirm that it works on the pixel 6, my firmware was the "boot.img" updated to the 2023 APRIL update without data loss thanks for the vid!!😄

[@maximeg3659]

Awesome video, worked well, thanks !

[@ziozvevo9751]

You are amazing, the perfect video i was looking for. This was the only reason I was doubting whether I should root it or not

[@ExplainingAndroid]

thanks for the kind words :) hopefully this video will give you the confidence to let you enjoy rooting your phone

[@ziozvevo9751]

@@ExplainingAndroid 🥳🥳, I think I'll be rooting my phone this upcoming weekend or sometime during Thanksgiving break, i feel like it's the perfect time to do it and explore everything I can do with it.

[@JakePimental]

This worked awesome. Great video, thank you for your prompt upload regarding this!

[@ExplainingAndroid]

thanks so much for the kind words :) I'm happy to see the video has been so helpful

[@Wolf-3.5.9]

Thanks!

[@ExplainingAndroid]

thank you so much! I truely appreciate it

[@jerryhernandez96]

worked for my pixel 5, my firmware file was the boot.img, and after patching, I had to enter the command "fastboot flash boot_a .\magisk_patched-26100_t46m2.img" since I was in slot a, afterwards rebooted and was rooted again thanks. updated from the feb 23 build to the april 23.

[@vampire-gu2iw]

Thanks for everything buddy 🌹 need to uninstall Magisk at start ?

[@nasser009988]

This method works with December update ? no need to Uninstall Magisk ?🌹

[@ExplainingAndroid]

correct, no need to update magisk ahead of time. this video will work the same

[@Rog3rGT_I]

Hey guys trying to flash latest factory via website android flash tool. But get stuck on PREPARING TO UPDATE. It reboots to fastboot mode but then nothing happens.. I'm still on Android 13

[@bclee__]

I just got an OTA update for April. I was wondering if this video is still up-to-date? This is my first pixel device but I had experience doing this on my previous oneplus phones

[@bclee__]

I can confirm that this works as of 4/21/2023. Although I was only able to load the new .img only with cmd instead of powershell or windows terminal.

[@drowmik]

Thank you for the video, but unfortunately I can't reselect device and my device stuck at "start" on fastboot mode.

[@ExplainingAndroid]

this sounds like a USB related issue. so maybe try using a different USB cable. . .or your other USB ports on the computer alternatively, it may be a USB driver related issue, so you could look into that as well

[@ziozvevo9751]

3:09 How does one know which one to actually get, as the build number changes every update??

[@NokNok_]

There is date after the version number so you should choose the newest one. You should also watch what is after the date for example "Verizon", "Telstra", "Telia", "O2", these are vendor specific OTA updates so if your Pixel wasn't bought through a vendor then you should choose the version that doesn't have anything after the date.

[@ziozvevo9751]

@@NokNok_ Thanks!!

[@ziozvevo9751]

Hello Explaining Android! Coming back to this video to do the May update on the Pixel 7!. I did notice however that at 3:46 there is an option to wipe the device, but there is also an option to lock the bootloader. If you lock the bootloader though, and your current bootloader is unlocked, wouldn't that wipe the device either way? Or would it return to normal automatically with all of the data restored? By normal, I mean, without root and with a locked bootloader?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

yes. any time you go from an unlocked bootloader to a locked one. . .or from a locked bootloader to an unlocked one, then everything will be erased (no data being restored except for what Google has backed up on your account)

[@ziozvevo9751]

@@ExplainingAndroid Yeah, thanks for confirming explaining android! You know, you are the only reason why I have rooted my phone in the first place - you make everything easier, giving proper directions to everything. Thanks!

[@Jamims06]

So I flashed the June security update and after I flashed the magisk patched file I've been stuck on a boot loop. My phone is in fastboot mode currently.

[@ExplainingAndroid]

this happened with the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro?

[@Jamims06]

@@ExplainingAndroid the pixel 7 pro. I flashed the init_boot.img and the boot.img and was able to start my phone without issue , but I've attempted a few more times to flash the magisk patch boot.img and I continue to have the same issues. So i'm now currently on the june update hoping to somehow root.

[@ExplainingAndroid]

@@Jamims06 I will be happy to research a solution to this issue, but I will need you to join the Direct Support tier of the KZbin membership system - www.youtube.com/@ExplainingAndroid/join

[@jatinahuja4748]

Hi I haven't rooted my pixel 7 yet, but I do have an unlocked bootloader. Should I just normally update the phone via OTA or are there different steps for it?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

if you haven't modified anything and have only unlocked the bootloader (which it sounds like you describe) then you can install OTA updates like you normally would

[@gabrieldaviedave7449]

I want to update to A14 on a rooted p7p with kirasakura kennel. how do i go about it. can you please make a video

[@shadoe1l0]

Is there a way to install a custom recovery in pixel 6?

[@ziozvevo9751]

Explaining Android, after flashing the update, is the device pretty much in stock form if you were to lock the bootloader?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

this video is for installing an OTA update on a rooted device and keeping your data intact. if your phone is rooted then you should not lock the bootloader. if you want to relock the bootloader, you'll want to follow this video first - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIvKgoGDncyKq68 which will get your phone back to stock Android and will be safe to lock the bootloader

[@ziozvevo9751]

@@ExplainingAndroid Lol! I did not see that video. This is super helpful oh my gosh. Thanks so much!!!

[@ExplainingAndroid]

@@ziozvevo9751 anytime :)

[@evanperry6879]

What if I am google locked in the privacy sandbox of someone else's Google account? But cant get sellers information

[@ExplainingAndroid]

I can't help you remove someone else's Google account from the phone

[@evanperry6879]

@@ExplainingAndroid it's my phone though

[@ExplainingAndroid]

@@evanperry6879 sorry for the confusion. but I still can't help you bypass the factory reset protection feature

[@mohamedmoselhy397]

What would happen if I have a custom kernel.

[@miltonx27]

Will this work for major updates like the upcoming Android 14?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

it should. but there are times when Magisk needs to be updated before it will work properly with newer updates. since they already pushed out an update for the android 14 beta, I don't see there being any issues with the stable update that gets released

[@miltonx27]

@@ExplainingAndroid Excellent, thanks for your content and for replying.

[@miltonx27]

@@ExplainingAndroid Brother i recently tried since Android 14 released yesterday however i get an error while trying to flash the patched boot.img i have even flashed from scratch but i still get the error i left a comment in one of your other videos, i'm begging your help.

[@ufoludek]

I've heard it's possible to install magisk to inactive slot again on Android 13, do you know if that works? It would save me quite some time each month.

[@maximeg3659]

Can I use the same method for major update, from android 13 to android 14 ? will it cause stability issue ?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

the process should work exactly the same

[@maximeg3659]

@@ExplainingAndroid thanks :)

[@randroyle]

I havent updated my p7 pro since December. Should I do the January and February updates, or am I good with just the March update?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

are you manually installing them? if not, just use the built-in updater within the Settings app

[@INPOWERS]

@@ExplainingAndroid So when you say use the built in updater your talking about the one under System/System update correct? As I have not updated since October as my phone has never asked to update. Always shows Your system is up to date. Do we still follow the above process? Thanks

[@hosamww2000]

Will this work when updating to android 14 ?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

Yes, the process will be exactly the same

[@mr.johnson460]

Can't we still do this the "traditional" adb way?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

yes, you can download the firmware, modify the init_boot.img file, replace the stock one with the patched version, and then remove the -w attribute in the flash_all.bat script (so that you retain your data) and then flashing it in fastboot mode manually

[@HaimPeretz]

@@ExplainingAndroid better and quicker mode

[@kaxxxxx]

@@ExplainingAndroid did you made a video of that method?

[@khavo3255]

hey bro, my pixel 6 pro had root and i flash Cleanstage kernel. Can i update OTA by this video

[@kiranyt775]

How can I remove root from my Pixel 7?

[@fadhlinafandi6077]

Helo bro.. thir method can use for android 14 pixel 7 pro?

[@gabrieldaviedave7449]

Was about to ask the same. Did you get any answer?

[@svenbjorn9700]

Uuuuhhh.... you didn't link to the flash tool...?

[@binoysankar2281]

Using PixelFlasher tool is easier and more convenient than this method IMO.

[@ExplainingAndroid]

I have heard good things about Pixel Flasher. Someone in the premiere chat asked about it as well. I usually don't recommend people use 'toolbox' solutions like that for a few reasons. 1) you should know the manual method so you know what needs to be done (and what is being done) to your phone to do certain things 2) if the developer fails to update the toolbox and google ends up changing something, then it could cause a bootloop or brick your phone entirely 3) it's much easier to help troubleshoot an issue if the user is able to describe all of the things they've done to a device. getting a comment saying 'i pressed this button in this toolbox program and it bricked my phone' doesn't help me to understand what went wrong and I won't be able to provide any suggestions about how to help fix the issue for them

[@binoysankar2281]

@@ExplainingAndroid yes i agree to your points. I was using the flash-all manual process. Gave a try yesterday with pixelflasher tool to update my pixel 7 pro and felt very convenient. But yes as you mentioned understand of manual process is very important. I run rooted and custom kernel btw on p7p.

[@ziozvevo9751]

Hello Explaining Android!! Before I go talking about my root experience, I'm just going to say, that I do have a couple questions. Question 1: I saw that you made a Pixel 6 OTA update video on the rooted device, and it seemed to be simpler, by just restoring the images.through magisk, etc. Why can't this be done in pixel 7, in the same way? Question 2 (The more important question): I see in this video you need to disable the magisk modules. That part, I understand fully. But what if one has a couple of LSposed mods, such as AOSP mods? Do you just disable that one in LSposed as well, and then disable LSposed in magisk, or do you disable LSposed from magisk without disabling the modules in LSposed? I am not sure if I am making myself clear, but i just want to know if I can still do this with LSposed. I am just confused on the part where I need to disable LSposed mods, whether I should disable the mods in LSposed first, reboot, and then disable them in magisk, or just disable all the mods (including LSposed) without touching the mods in LSposed. As far as rooting.... I LOVE IT!!! I don't think I could ever go back. It is super powerful and fun. Thank you!

[@YoannDP]

Thank you very much, it worked! I'm just wondering, in the title, you said “Monthly Security OTA Update”. Will this method work for other updates than the security update ?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

it should work for all android 13 updates. the possibility is likely that it will work for the big android 14 update (next year). but for that to work, magisk likely has to be updated to a newer version too. but we won't know that until the update is released

[@YoannDP]

@@ExplainingAndroid Alright, thank you for the additional informations

[@YoannDP]

Hello, back to this, did you already try to update the phone from 13 to 14 following this process? Did it work?

[@utubeisCensorred]

Will this work on pixel 6 pro?

[@ExplainingAndroid]

it will, BUT, I believe you need to patch the regular boot.img file and not the init_boot.img file that you extract from the firmware

[@NaturalReefing]

Thank you!

[@ExplainingAndroid]

happy to help :)