How to Install OTA Updates on Unlocked Verizon Pixel 6/6 Pro

In this guide, we will show you the steps to install the OTA updates onto your Unlocked Verizon Pixel 6/6 Pro device. One of the biggest perks of owning a Pixel device is the guaranteed day one Android upgrades. However, the latest iteration of the Pixel series doesn’t seem to be in line with this notion. The 6 and 6 Pro were the first Pixel devices in this lineup when they weren’t the first in line in adopting the latest OS build. And now, the misery seems to be piling up even further.

All the users who had bought the Google Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro via Verizon were slated to receive the day-one update with the software version day 1 update (SD1A.210817.036). The update was scheduled to start rolling out by 28th October and by 30th October all the devices should have been blessed with that update. Unfortunately, that was far from the case. Most of the users having an unlocked Pixel 6/Pro on Verizon didn’t receive any update as such, even to this day.

Why Unlocked Verizon Pixel 6/6 Pro users Are Not Receiving OTA Updates

This issue has affected two sets of users- who are using an unlocked phone on Verizon Wireless or a Verizon Wireless phone on another carrier and the builds are different. So both these sets of users would be having a different build number than their global counterparts. As for this issue, the Pixel 6/Pro unlocked variant is on the Global build (SD1A.210817.019.C2), and when on VZW, it would check for the Verizon Wireless build (SD1A.210817.036.A8).

But since one is a Global Build and the other one is the Verizon Wireless, you cannot simply flash one build on top of the other. In other words, there’s no upgrade path that would allow you to upgrade from the Global  SD1A.210817.019.C2 to Verizon Wireless SD1A.210817.036.A8. In order to have a proper working path, your device needs to be on the proper build for that carrier.

So if you are on Verizon and are looking to get OTA updates for the month of November (SD1A.210817.036.A8), then you will first need to be on the October build. However, you wouldn’t be getting the October OTA in the first place due to the difference in the builds. All in all, users are stuck in a vicious cycle with no fault of their own. The only silver lining is the fact that you could still ‘manually’ install the OTA updates onto your Unlocked Verizon Pixel 6/6 Pro device. And this guide shall show you how to do just that. Follow along.

How to Manually Install OTA Updates on Unlocked Verizon Pixel 6/6 Pro

To manually apply the updates, we would be taking the ADB Sideload method. Although this is still an official method and doesn’t result in data loss, yet it is highly recommended to take a backup beforehand. Moreover, there are two different approaches that you take. The first one is to install the October update via the ADB Sideload and wait for the November update to arrive which you could then install from the Settings menu.

Or opt for the second method and directly flash the November update via the ADB Sideload. As for this guide, we will be going ahead with the latter method (November). This is because there’s no point in installing the October update and then waiting for the November one to arrive, when you could directly hold of the latest one. So with that in mind, let’s proceed ahead with the steps to install the November OTA update onto your Unlocked Verizon Pixel 6/6 Pro device.

Install November OTA update on Unlocked Verizon Pixel 6/6 Pro

The below instructions are listed under separate sections for ease of understanding. Make sure to follow in the exact same sequence as mentioned. Droidwin and its members wouldn’t be held responsible in case of a thermonuclear war, your alarm doesn’t wake you up, or if anything happens to your device and data by performing the below steps.

STEP 1: Install Android SDK

First and foremost, you will have to install the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC. This is the official ADB and Fastboot binary provided by Google and is the only recommended one. So download it and then extract it to any convenient location on your PC. Doing so will give you the platform-tools folder, which will be used throughout this guide.

STEP 2: Enable USB Debugging on Pixel 6/6 Pro

Next up, you will also have to enable USB Debugging so that your device is recognizable by the PC in ADB mode. This will then allow you to boot your device to the Recovery Mode for the ADB Sideload process. So head over to Settings > About Phone > Tap on Build Number 7 times > Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging.

STEP 3: Download Pixel 6/Pro OTA File

1. You may now grab the latest OTA file for your device from the below official links:
   • OTA for Pixel 6 (codenamed oriole): Download Link
   • OTA for Pixel 6 Pro (codenamed raven): Download Link
2. Once you have downloaded the OTA ZIP file, transfer it to the platform-tools folder on your PC.
3. Then rename it to OTA, so that it becomes easier to type in the command window later on.

STEP 4: Boot your Device to Recovery Mode

1. Connect your device to the PC via USB cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
2. Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
   
3. Now type in the following command in the CMD window to boot your device to the Recovery Mode

   adb reboot recovery

   

4. If you are taken to the No Command screen, then press and hold the Power Button. While having the Power key pressed, press and release the Volume Up key once and then release the Power key as well.
   
5. You shall now be taken to the Recovery Mode. Use the Volume keys to select the “Apply Update from ADB” option and press the Power key to confirm it.
   
6. Moreover, at the bottom of the screen, you should see the message “Now send the package that you want to apply”, confirming that the device is ready for the Sideload.
   

STEP 5: Install OTA via ADB Sideload

1. Make sure that you have transferred the ota.zip file to the platform-tools folder and the Command Prompt window is opened inside this folder itself.
2. If that’s well and good, then copy-paste the below command in the CMD window to flash the November OTA update onto your Unlocked Pixel 6/Pro device

   adb sideload ota.zip

3. The flashing process will now begin and could take a couple of minutes. Once done, use the Volume keys to select the Reboot System Now option and press the Power key to confirm it.
   
4. Your device shall now boot to the newly updated November build. From now on, you will receive the OTA updates directly onto your device which you could download and install from the Settings menu as before.

Concluding Remarks

So with this, we round off the guide on how you could install the OTA updates onto your Unlocked Verizon Pixel 6/6 Pro device. It’s really not a good site to see when a general user has to dig so deep down into the custom development and execute a bunch of codes just for the sake of installing an OTA update. But this is how things stand as of now, and we don’t have much say in this either. On that note, we round off this guide. All your queries are welcomed in the comments section below.

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