The process to update a mobile , whether on Android or an iPhone, is really simple. In fact, in most cases it is usually relatively fast and does not cause problems. But, as you already know if you are reading this, problems can occur due to different factors that, luckily, you can control yourself.
Connection failures, lack of battery, incompatibility, problems with the internal processes of the mobile… There may be several causes for this type of failure when updating the software. For this reason, in this post we review the main ones and how you can fix it to have your mobile ready in its latest version of Android or iOS.
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First of all, always make a backup
It is possible that at this point, if you are already experiencing a failure, this advice will be of little use to you. However, if you have not yet proceeded to update the mobile, we will tell you that it is convenient to always make a backup of your data so that, in case of problems, you can restore the mobile without difficulty .
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How to make a complete backup of your data on iOS and Android
Make sure the software is compatible
If the update appears in the mobile settings, there is no doubt that it is a version compatible with your mobile. However, if you are proceeding to install it through other methods, it may even let you start the process without being compatible. Compatibility usually appears in the update information itself .
In the event that it does not appear there, it is convenient that you visit the Android/Apple website, access the information on said software version and check the compatibility provided by the company itself. And it is that, although the update can be forced on Android mobiles , it is not usually advisable if your mobile is not on the list .
Check that you have enough space
In the update information you will see that its weight is reflected in ‘MB’ or ‘GB’, this being the free space that the mobile needs to be able to update. Although the truth is that they always usually need more space than they mark in order to fully optimize the device.
In the mobile settings, searching for “Storage” you can access a panel that reflects the available free space . If you do not have enough storage left, you will have to resort to the classic methods with which to free up space in the phone’s memory . If you accept our advice here, tell you that WhatsApp is one of the apps that consumes the most , so deleting files from it can be very useful.
Check your internet connection
Although it is obvious that an Internet connection is needed to download the software, this need is perhaps less evident during the installation process. However, it is completely necessary precisely to avoid problems during the process, so that the mobile can connect to the servers without difficulty.
At this point, you should not only make sure you have a connection, but also prioritize WiFi . And it is that, no matter how fast your mobile data connection is, there may be a small cut that prevents the process or even manufacturers that prevent the update in this way.
You have to have a sufficient battery level
It will be rare that during an update you are going to run out of battery having at least 10%, since it is not usually something that consumes excessive battery (although consumption does rise). However, for safety reasons, the download is prevented if there is not at least 50% of the battery at the time of starting the process.
Some manufacturers may even require that the mobile be connected to power , even if it is 100%. Therefore, as a general advice, we will tell you to try to have the highest possible battery percentage and to keep the mobile connected to the power. And by cable, since wireless charging could be incompatible for it.
Do a hard-reset if the mobile has been ‘frozen’
It is normal for the mobile to seem paralyzed at certain times, but if this takes several minutes and the process does not progress on its own, it is very likely that the mobile will have to be restarted. First of all, it would be convenient to try to turn it off with the button manually, leaving this button pressed for several seconds until the screen goes black.
If this doesn’t work for you, you’ll need to do a hard-reset . Unfortunately, this method will erase all the data on your mobile , but it is the best remedy in situations like this, since otherwise it could remain in the update process indefinitely.
Recovery mode on Android
The generic way to do it on Android is by holding down the power button and the volume up button. So for several seconds until the mobile turns off and turns on again showing a screen something like what you see in the previous image, which is nothing more than access to recovery mode (recovery mode, in Spanish).
In the event that you have an iPhone , tell you that it depends on the model you will have to do one combination of buttons or another.\
- iPhone 8 and later (including 2nd and 3rd gen ‘SE’):Press and release the volume up button, press and release the volume down button, then press and hold the power button until the logo appears on the screen from Apple.
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus:Press and hold the volume down button and the side button until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and SE (1st gen):Press and hold the Lock button and the Home button until the Apple logo appears.
It should be said that, whether on an Android or an iPhone, after this you will have to configure the device again and install the relevant software. To do this , you will need to connect it to a computer and make use of tools designed for this, such as the ones that we tell you about in this post .
Update iPhone using iTunes/Finder
Following the thread of the previous section, tell you that to proceed with an iPhone you must connect it to a computer and follow certain steps. For this you will need iTunes or Finder, depending on which computer you have .
- Windows computers:you must use iTunes, being able to download it for free from the Apple website .
- Mac with macOS 10.15 or later:You must use Finder, the native file manager of the Mac, in which there is a section to manage the iPhone when connected by cable.
- Mac with macOS 10.14.6 or earlier: Youmust use iTunes, a program that is already installed as standard on the computer.
Now, regardless of which tool you have to use, the procedure is similar. You must have the iPhone in the previously mentioned recovery mode and, on the computer, access the device management section and click on “Check for update” .
If it is necessary to download the IPSW , which is what the files that contain the iPhone software are called, you can use the IPSW.me website . On this website you must choose your iPhone model, download the latest iOS version and, in iTunes or Finder, click on the “Check for update” option while pressing the ALT key.
Particular cases for Android mobiles
On an iPhone, what we have mentioned above will suffice, while on Android you can still carry out other steps to fix the problem with the update . We tell you below.
Boot the phone in safe mode
If it is an Android mobile that gives you problems updating, proceeding to turn it on in safe mode is a way to find out what problems it has, since with this boot the device starts at minimum and allows actions such as updating the software.
If the mobile is on , you should proceed to turn it off normally, keeping the corresponding button pressed. Although in this case, when the options of “Shutdown”, “Restart” and others appear on the screen, you must press and hold the “Shutdown” option on the screen so that an option of “Reboot in safe mode” is given.
If the device is turned off , accessing this safe mode is also possible. To do this, you simply have to press the power button and the volume down button simultaneously, keeping it even when the power-on animation comes out. It should be said that in some layers of Android such as EMUI the process changes, having to hold down the volume up and down button.
Reinstall firmware manually
First, we must tell you that this is a process only recommended for advanced users , since it can be dangerous for the device as it can become completely unusable. If you take the risk and have knowledge of the necessary tools, tell you first that you will have to download the firmware or ROM from different places, depending on the manufacturer.
- ASUS
- Black Shark
- LG
- Google Pixel
- Huawei
- HTC
- Motorola
- Nokia
- OnePlus
- OPPO
- POCO, Redmi and Xiaomi
- realme
- Samsung
- Sony
- vivo
Once you have downloaded it, you will need to flash it . Once again, the procedure to follow depends on the manufacturer, always having to have the developer options active and following these guidelines:
- In Google Pixelyou must connect the mobile to a computer through a command console in Fastboot mode and execute the flash.all command.
- On Samsungyou will need to restart it, put it in Download mode and use Odin from a Windows PC.
- In other manufacturers (most)it can be done by copying the firmware to the phone’s memory, restarting and searching for it through the settings in the normal way.
