Last week, Google released the updated developer preview of Android 5.0 for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 device. Which most of the user already install on their device and testing the same. If you want to enjoy the same then read our guide here how to install Android L on Nexus 5 and 7, and Install Android 5.0 Lollipop for Nexus 4. As these are the developer version and to update you device with the final and official version of the Android 5.0 Lollipop you have to downgrade back to Android 4.4 KitKat or directly flash the final Android 5.0 Lollipop factory image on your device. Very soon the new version of Android 5 will be released and to install the same you have to downgrade your nexus. So today in this guide we’ll show you how to Downgrade Your Nexus from Lollipop to KitKat.
Before following this guide do take the backup of you phone and check out the steps below. Read all the instruction very carefully.
Step 1. Download the ADB and fastboot files on your desktop and extract the folder on your desktop.
Step 2. Now download the Android 5.0 Lollipop Preview for Nexus 4, 5 & 7 from the below mention links and extract the tgz file on your desktop once. Here we are using the Nexus 5 image.
Nexus 5 Download Link
Nexus 7 2013 WiFi Download link
Nexus 4 Download Link
Step 3. Now copy all the extracted and paste them into the ADB folder that you saved on your desktop in Step 1.
Step 4. Now enable the USB debugging mode on your Nexus device. On your phone or tablet, head to Settings, and scroll down to About phone at the bottom. Scroll down to Build number and tap it 7 times. This unhides the developer options, which aren’t displayed in Android 4.2 and later. In the Developer options menu, enable USB debugging.
Step 5. Now connect your device to the PC with USB cable.
Step 6. Now open a command prompt window on the ADB folder. Hold Shift button and Right click on the White space of the folder and click on “Open Command Window here”.
Step 7. Now enter the following command to boot your device in fastboot mode.
adb reboot bootloader
Step 8. Now your nexus device will boot in Fastboot mode. Now go to the ADB folder and click on the “flash-all” file to start the installation process.
Step 9. Now the process will begin. You will see alternating downloading… writing…. erasing… on your device’s screen.
Once the factory image has been flashed, your device will then automatically reboot into Android. The first boot, however, will take a significant amount of time so be patient.
This article is about “How to downgrade Your Nexus from Lollipop to KitKat”.
But in Step 2 we are told: “download the Android 5.0 Lollipop Preview for Nexus 4, 5 & 7”.
Are you sure?!
This guide is the exact opposite of what the title says! It’s not for how to downgrade to KitKat, it’s for how to upgrade to lollipop!
Hello Arun,
You’ve explained the process very well. It will be highly useful for users who are not satisfied with the Lollipop update.
To downgrade my device, I followed the guide and it worked thanks..