After months of waiting without an update, Google has finally started updating its latest flagship Nexus 9 tablet. This guide will show you how to install the brand new Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update so you can try the latest Android version from Google right now on your Nexus 9 before the OTA update.
Back in October, Google finally released Android 5.0 Lollipop, and since then we’ve seen countless quick and minor updates aimed at fixing many critical bugs and issues in the version. In March, Android 5.1 arrived to fix the problems with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop and after weeks of rumors Google has released Android 5.1.1 Lollipop for Nexus 9. The tablets were updated for the first time since November, it was sorely needed.
Last week, Google confirmed the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update for the Nexus 7 in the form of factory images, and then this week announced it’s headed to the Nexus 9. like this. You will need the newly updated factory images provided by Google to install on your device. Additionally, you will need to install the Android SDK or at least ADB and Fastboot. For those who want to try Android 5.1.1 Lollipop on their tablet right away, we will simply cover all the details below.
Android 5.1 Lollipop promised to offer tons of under-the-hood tweaks that completely enhanced the Android Lollipop experience, and it did exactly that, but didn’t fix the famous memory leak bug. The first Lollipop release was full of minor issues, app crashes and instability, and Google has gradually made it a better experience. Android 5.1 saved the original Nexus 7 and 5.1.1 should make things even better. The Nexus 9 is, for whatever reason, the only Nexus device that is still on Android 5.0.
The Android 5.1.1 Lollipop System Image is a download that contains all the files needed to install the stock version of Android Lollipop on the Nexus 9. 5.1.1 images are not available on all devices, but more will be released in the coming days. This is essentially everything you would download as an over-the-air update for regular Android updates. However, this ensures that the phone is stock out-of-the-box (also known as a factory image) and wipes all user data and settings. I repeat, this will happen.
If you don’t want to wait for the official update for your device in the coming weeks, you can get it right now by following the steps below. It’s worth the wait for average users, but if you’re up for the challenge, here are all the details. This guide will show you how to install the latest Nexus Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update early. This is something you can do from Windows, Mac, Linux or ChromeOS.
How to Install ADB on Windows, Mac, Ubuntu and ChromeOS
Before installing Android 5.1.1 Lollipop on Nexus devices, you need to install ADB and Fastboot on your computer. This is a program that runs on your PC/Mac to connect to your Android device via a USB cable and install Android software on your device.
Installing ADB and Fastboot is one of the most annoying parts of installing Android factory images, but a few new tools make it incredibly easy.
How to Install ADB on Windows
If you are using a Windows machine up to Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, you can use the 15 second adb installer to make the process easier.
Download ADB installer for Windows. Locate the file, right-click on it and choose Run as Administrator. When prompted, you must grant access to the application to run as administrator. Once the application is started type a Y and enter to Install ADB & Fastboot, select yes to install system-wide ADB/Fastboot intsll and Drivers. When a new window opens, follow the steps to install the drivers.
Once this is installed, you should be ready to install the Android 5.1.1 update on your Nexus smartphone or tablet.
How to Install ADB on Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS
Nexus Tools makes it easy to install ADB on a Mac, Linux, or even ChromeOS. All you have to do is open Terminal on your computer and code from xda. Open terminal by going to search and typing Terminal and opening the program.
This will install ADB and Fastboot on Mac, Linux and Chrome OS without you needing to do anything else. It’s extremely easy and avoids all the ADB package mess, which usually takes much longer to complete.
After the script is complete, you can type ADB or Fastboot to start running any program. You need to be here to flash the new Android 5.1.1 image to your device. Don’t forget to go into settings > developer options and enable USB Debugging first.
How to Install Android 5.1 Right Now
The first thing you need to do is to download the latest Android 5.1.1 Lollipop that has just been released. System Images. You can find them at the links below. Only a few Nexus devices have been released, but we expect Google to release release updates and release more factory images soon. Hopefully 5.1.1 is coming soon for smartphones, currently only tablets have received the latest software upgrade.
Google hasn’t released Nexus 4, Nexus 5, or Nexus 6 images yet, but we expect them to arrive soon. The Nexus 9 is the only device released in the last two years that has yet to see an update after Android 5.0.1, so users are extremely excited and want this update right now.
You will need to unzip these files to a folder you can access, we just unzipped them to our Mac desktop. After extracting the Android 5.1.1 system image, you will need to find this folder and type cmd in the address bar on Windows or open the terminal and change the folder to this folder on Mac, Linux or Chrome OS. Reminder, if you are using a MAC, you need to make sure the terminal is running inside the folder you just opened.
If your Nexus 9 is not bootloader unlocked, you should do this first. We couldn’t load the Android 5.1.1 System image while the device was locked. This will wipe your tablet and remove all user data, settings, pictures, etc. will delete it. Be sure to back up everything important before you begin.
Open a Terminal in the adb folder and type the following command and hit enter.
adb reboot bootloader
In fastboot type:
fastboot oem unlock
Then press enter. Follow the onscreen instructions and choose to wipe the device. Wait a minute or so to unlock. This removes everything from your device.
Flash the Picture
Now open the folder containing the uncompressed Nexus 9 Android 5.1.1 System Image file you downloaded. Type cmd in the address bar. Type the commands below and press enter. On Mac, you can open Terminal in folder by enabling terminal shortcuts in settings. This is key for Mac users. Go to System Preferences and select Keyboard > Shortcuts > Services. Find “New Terminal in Folder” in settings and click the box. Now while in Finder, right-click on a folder and it will show Terminal open for you to open. Or do this from the desktop where you opened the Factory image as shown below.
Once in the terminal, simply copy and paste the commands below to install the Android 5.1.1 update on your Nexus 9. These same steps apply to all Nexus devices as long as you have the correct system image.
flash-all.bat
This will flash all the necessary files. If you’re on a Mac or other computer, you’ll have to type;
sudo ./flash-all.sh
This will send all the files to your Nexus 9. The files will start to be pushed and uploaded and your Nexus may reboot and you will see an Android figure followed by an animated Android logo. The logo screen may stay for a long time. . This may take 10 minutes or longer. You can unplug the Nexus when Android prompts you to complete the setup. It took less than three minutes for us.
Once the device is finished, you can enter your information and start using Android 5.1.1 Lollipop on your N9 today. Try to automatically restore all apps, settings, accounts and more from another device using the new Tap & Go (auto restore) NFC. It works great.
For those who don’t prefer to play with all that, the over-the-air (OTA) update can start at any time. Google claimed it launched on May 7, but we haven’t seen it coming yet. If that’s all a little daunting, expect over-the-air notification in the coming days or weeks. As a reminder, the above action will erase all data on your device. So, waiting for the over-the-air update can be a good way for average users. Also, this will be a phased rollout, so the over-the-air update may not reach all devices right away. Be patient, it will come soon and hopefully fix all our Nexus 9 issues.
