Android 7.0 aka Nougat has been around for a while and it seems like a good update so far. However, unless you’re using a Nexus device like the Nexus 5X or Google Pixel and Pixel XL, you probably haven’t received the update. If you enjoy using the latest and greatest Google has to offer, don’t worry. We will tell you how you can install Android Nougat on almost any Android smartphone.
Note:
Installing Android Nougat requires an unlocked bootloader or root access and a custom recovery (TWRP or CWM). Make sure you unlock your device’s bootloader before trying to install Android Nougat. Many manufacturers offer steps to unlock bootloaders officially, so you should check this out. If not, you will always find the steps for your device on XDA. Also, flashing custom ROMs can result in data loss and your device getting blocked if you take one wrong step, so make sure you understand the risks and make a backup of your data. We will not be responsible if you cover your device or anything.
We installed Android Nougat 7.0 on our Moto G3. You can search for the custom ROM for your device in XDA Developers and follow the guide.
Getting Custom ROM
Custom ROMs are nothing but custom builds of Android’s Source Code that Google has made public. Custom ROMs are custom built for each device and should only be used with the devices they are intended for. XDA Developers is the best place to search for custom ROMs for your Android device.
XDA Developers maintains a page with all Android Nougat ROMs for various popular devices. you can check here. You can also have a look at: Unofficial Cyanogenmod page to see if they have a ROM for your device. If your device has an Android Nougat custom ROM, download it but be sure to check for any fatal errors.
We use a custom ROM called AOSPextendedBuilt by for Moto G3. ishubhamsingh.
Always downloading a ROM from XDA Developers download the appropriate GApps package, additionally. In this case, we will be downloading the GApps Nano package for Android 7.0 to the ARM architecture. Most Android devices have an ARM chipset, but you should check to be sure.
After downloading both the ROM and the GApps package for your device, transfer them to your phone, so you can “flash” them. You can use ADB for this or connect your Android smartphone to your PC and copy the files. You can even connect your smartphone through the custom recovery you have installed and then copy the files.
Flashing the ROM
After copying all the files to your device, you can proceed to flashing both ROM and GApps. Turn off your deviceand then boot into recovery mode. This is usually done by holding down the power and volume up buttons together. Once you get to custom recovery (our Moto G3 has TWRP), you can follow these steps:
1. Tap on it first. “Wiping it out”, and then “Advanced Erase”.
2. Select the partitions shown in the screenshot below, and then swipe to delete.
3. Once done, go to the TWRP home screen and tap on it. To organise. Scroll down the list and tap on the ROM zip file you downloaded from XDA.
4. Swipe to confirm flash.
5. Now, GApps zipand flash the same.
6. Now you can Restart your device. Don’t worry if your device takes a long time to boot up, it can do so on the first boot after a ROM flash.
After the device starts, you need to set it up just like when you set up a new device. Once you have it set up, you are ready to use Android Nougat on your Android smartphone.
note: Custom ROMs may have some bugs (or many), make sure you read the “Known Issues” in the title of the ROM correctly and then decide if you can use it on your device. Also, if you’re using an older recovery version, the options may only be slightly different so you shouldn’t have any issues.
After installing the custom ROM, you can also get root access by flashing the superuser zip file. You can find the superuser zip file specific to your device from XDA. We will recommend rooting your device as it gives you access to a number of great apps and some really cool mods exclusive to root.
SEE ALSO: Android 7.1 Changes: What Does the New Update Bring?
Ready to install Android 7.1 on your device?
Custom ROMs are your best bet to get Android Nougat running on your Android device, even if your device’s manufacturer isn’t ready to support it. Android Nougat brings a host of features that will definitely help you make better use of your device. As always, if you run into any issues or have any questions regarding the entire process of installing Android Nougat custom ROMs on your Android device, feel free to drop us a line in the comments section below. We are happy to help.
Featured Image Courtesy: flickr
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