Our phones usually have the latest version of the operating system available for it, since it is normal that we automatically update the phone through an OTA. But it is not always the best option, as new versions can cause some stability problems. To avoid them, we can choose to go back to a previous version of Android , so we can do it.
Like any operating system, it is possible to install a different version of the operating system on our mobile, and also even if it is earlier than the one we have installed. It is a similar process in most Android phones, and in all cases it has some pros and cons.
Why downgrade?
It is something very common when we talk about devices that operate with an operating system. If an operating system, such as Android, is giving us problems of any kind that cannot be solved by restarting or deleting apps, we always have two options. The most common is to update the system so that a new version solves existing problems.
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But if that option does not exist because there is not an update directly, we can always go back to a previous version of the system. And it is a very similar process to installing a different ROM on our phone . Depending on the manufacturer, it is possible to do the installation from the phone’s own recovery, which we access with a combination of keys. Or it will be necessary to connect the phone to a PC so that with a manufacturer’s program we can install the new version.
Things to keep in mind when reverting to a previous version
Keep in mind that it is not always possible to install a previous version of the system on your mobile. This is something that largely depends on the manufacturer, since not all of them offer us the possibility of doing it, since they may have blocked the bootloader depending on what functionalities.
Keep in mind that for performance purposes, restoring the phone’s factory data can be just as efficient as reverting to a previous version of the operating system. Unless the problem is located in a specific version of Android, the downgrade should always be the last option. In addition, in the case of doing so, you will lose all the data stored on your phone , both the configuration and the storage of the terminal will be completely erased, so you will have to configure everything again. There is no way to go back as if nothing had happened, so this is something to keep in mind.
How to roll back to a previous version
Xiaomi
Here we must bear in mind that it is not so easy to access an old version of MIUI depending on the version. It is possible that if it is a variant within the same version of MIUI, it will work, for example from 12.5 to 12. But if we want to go from MIUI 12 to 11, or from MIUI 11 to 10, it is most likely that it does not work for us, and even if we do the update, it does not have any effect on our phone. So you shouldn’t be too aggressive going back, as for obvious compatibility reasons it might not work.
In case of choosing a version that is compatible we must do the following. Download the version of MIUI that you want to install on your mobile. Move it to the direct root and rename it “update.zip” without the quotes. Now go to Settings, click on ” My device ” and select “System update “. Select the three vertical dots at the top right, and click on ” Select update package “. Click on the file you have downloaded to install the new version.
Huawei
In this case you will need to install the specific Huawei app for these cases. It’s called HiSuite and you must install it on your PC. In order for it to work, you must look in the settings of your Huawei ” HDB ” to access the function that allows us to control the phone from HiSuite. Once we have done so, we connect the mobile to the PC using a USB cable and run the application.
Once inside we must click on the ” Update ” button and then select ” Switch to other version ” if our mobile is compatible. We select the new version that we want to install and wait for the progress to be completed in order to have a previous version of EMUI.
Realme
In this case, the Chinese firm makes it quite simple for us, since we have the possibility of accessing the Recovery menu , from which we can install the version of the system that we want. First download the ROM and copy it to a folder on the phone that can be easily identified.
To do this we must turn off the phone, and turn it on again by pressing the power button at the same time as the volume down. Once we have started in the recovery we must choose to install from storage. There we will choose the ROM previously downloaded in the phone storage or the microSD card.
OPPO
In the mobile phones of the Chinese firm we can also install the new version from the phone’s own recovery menu. We can access it by turning on the phone by pressing the power button and volume down at the same time. First download the ROM and copy it to a folder on the phone that can be easily identified.
Once we do, we will enter the recovery menu, where we must click on the option ” install from storage ” and choose the ROM previously downloaded from both the internal memory of the phone and from the microSD card.
Samsung
In the case of phones from the Korean firm, it is necessary to use Odin to update the firmware, and in this case install a previous version. We will have to first download the version that we want to install.
Then open Odin on the PC, connect the Samsung mobile to it, and turn it on by pressing the power button and volume down simultaneously. The mobile will now be ready to overwrite the system. Now select the new firmware in Odin and click on Start to begin the “flashing”.
Oneplus
This manufacturer makes things much easier, and allows you to easily install an older version of the operating system, in the same way as any other alternative version for the phone. You just have to download the ROM in the internal memory of the phone.
Once copied, we turn off the phone, and restart by pressing the power button and volume down to enter Recovery mode. Once we enter we must click on ” Install from internal memory ” choosing the file of the new version, either from the internal memory or from a microSD card.