The Android 4.4 KitKat update will arrive on the Nexus 7 tablet for most users next week, but those of us who are a bit impatient can manually install the update using a computer connected to the tablet via USB. People who don’t want to open a Terminal or Command Prompt window on a Mac or Windows machine should wait until the over-the-air update arrives.
Owners will see the update download over the air when they see a notification in their notification area on the Nexus 7. It’s also possible to manually control it from the About screen in Settings.
This Android 4.4 Kit Kat Update file is only for Nexus 7 2013 model with WiFi.
We share the instructions and download links to get the right files so that everything happens on both Mac and Windows PC. These steps are a Publish to Phandroid it covers Windows only and assumes the updater knows some advanced steps.
Checking Android Version Number
First, make sure the Nexus 7 that will receive the update is running Android 4.3 in stock mode, so it’s not rooted. Swipe from the top of the screen on the right to Settings and then select . Scroll down the screen and then search for . If 4.3 is running, continue. If not, tap on it from the screen. Update to 4.3 or 4.4 if you’re lucky. If so, that’s all. The tablet probably won’t show up as available until you run 4.3. Once the 4.3 update is complete, proceed to the next step.
File Retrieval
Download Android SDK files and open them. Download updated version Android 4.4 by Google however DON’T DO THAT open the zipper. Right click on the file and rename the file to KitKat.zip. Select the rename option from the drop-down menu. Move it to the folder where the previously downloaded Android SDK files are located. Put it in the folder inside the folder.
Flash Nexus 7
Now it’s time to flash the tablet. Prepare by entering the Nexus 7 first. Enable Developer Mode by opening the section and tap on it 7 times. Go back to the main Settings screen and open it and put a checkmark in it.
Turn off the tablet by holding down the button until the menu appears. Choose . The table is closed.
Turn the tablet back on by holding the button and the button. This puts the tablet into fastboot mode. Press the button until you see it at the top of the screen. Press the button and it will enter Recovery mode. You will see a small Android icon and an exclamation point. Press the button that shows the options menu.
Plug the Nexus 7 tablet into the computer using a USB cable. Now use the button to select the option and press the button to select it.
On PC, open a command prompt by pressing the button on the screen or by pressing the key on the keyboard and type. Press to open command prompt. Open from Applications/Utilities folder on Mac or use them together to open more easily. type and hit.
Now open Finder on Mac or Explorer on Windows and switch to platform-tools folder. Drag the folder to the Terminal prompt on Mac or Command prompt on Windows. This will prevent users from having to type the full path to the KitKat.zip file in the next step.
In the command prompt add the following after the above folder path. Users should add this to the end of the path on the same line, so don’t hit enter without entering the correct command below.
Unless you have changed the name of the KitKat update file downloaded from Google, do so before pressing enter after typing the commands.
Press Enter and the file will be transferred to the tablet and run the update. When the Nexus 7 finishes updating it will look like the screen above. Select the reboot option from the menu on the tablet at the top of the screen using the volume keys. The tablet will reboot into the new KitKat OS and will update apps and files after booting.
