How to Install Android N Developer Preview on Your Nexus Phone or Tablet

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Google today quietly released a preview of Android N. If you are one of the lucky few with a Nexus 6, 5X, 6P, 9, Nexus Player, or Pixel C, here’s how to install it and try out the new possibilities.

First you need to unlock your device. You don’t need root, but you can read more on how to unlock your device in our rooting guide here . You will also need ADB and fastboot installed on your computer and have at least a vague working knowledge of them . Then follow these steps:

  1. Download the factory image for your device here .
  2. Unzip the file and save it in a searchable location.
  3. Connect your device to your computer using a USB cable and make sure debug mode is enabled.
  4. Open ADB Command Prompt.
  5. Enter adb reboot bootloader to access your device’s adb reboot bootloader . (OS X users should add ./ in front of this command.)
  6. Go to the folder containing the factory image.
  7. Enter flash-all to run the installation script. (OS X users, same caveat as in step 5.)

The script will take a few minutes. Usually, devices will delay the boot animation for a few minutes before launching, so if it takes you a while , don’t panic . Once the device boots up, login and have fun!

Warning: This will erase data from your device. Google mentions this on several of its download pages, but in case you missed it, flashing will completely wipe your device and wipe all your data . Be sure to make a backup before proceeding, and don’t try it on a device you absolutely need to work.

This year you have an alternative too! You can join the Android beta testing program. Once Google launches the program today, you can follow this link and sign up to receive updates for Android N over the air. You don’t need to download or flash anything. It can be slower than installing factory images yourself, but it is also much easier.

To learn more about Android N and how to install it, visit the link below. If you do not have a device on which you can try it, be sure to follow our news to learn about all the interesting news that we find.

Android N First Preview: APIs and Developer Tools | Google Developers Blog

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