How to Install OTA Updates on Rooted Pixel [5 Methods]

In this guide, we will show you five different methods to install OTA updates on your rooted Pixel. The seventh iteration of the devices from the Silicon Valley giant has just made its way, with the likes of second generation Tensor chipset, Face Unlock, and a few camera goodies [such as Unblur] taking way all the limelight. For the tech enthusiast though, gaining administrative privileges by rooting the device via Magisk is usually at the top of their priority queue.

While rooting is still a fairly easy process [the only difference is that you will have to patch and flash init_boot rather than boot], however, the major issue arises when your device gets an update. In such cases, you wouldn’t be able to directly install the OTA update onto your rooted Pixel, rather there are some under-the-hood changes that you need to carry out first. And in this guide, we will make you aware of just that. So without further ado, let’s get started.

How to Install OTA Updates on Rooted Pixel

We have listed three different methods to get this job done, you may try out the one that is in sync with your requirements. Moreover, take a complete device backup beforehand as well. Likewise, disable all the modules beforehand via the Magisk App > Modules section and turn off the toggle next to every module.

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.

METHOD 1: Via Pixel Updater Tool

Pixel Updater is an open-source tool [Credits: Developer badabing2005] that allows you to install OTA updates on any rooted Pixel device that has an A/B partition scheme [which covers all recent Pixel devices]. Here are some of the noteworthy features as well as a few limitations of this tool that deserve your attention:

Features of Pixel Updater App

• Supports Android 13 and newer OS versions.
• It also supports pausing, resuming, and canceling of the updates.
• Supports skipping optional post-install scripts to speed up the update process.
• Never communicates with any server besides Google’s OTA server.
• Patches with Magisk after an OTA by default.
• Syncs the verity and verification flags after an OTA by default.

Limitations of Pixel Updater

While the app beholds a slew of intriguing features, it does have its fair share of limitations as well, namely:

• The device must be rooted with Magisk. KernelSU/APatch is not supported.
• The device must be a Google Pixel and support A/B updates.
• Incremental updates are not supported.
• Pre-downloading an update to install later is not supported. This is because Pixel Updater runs update_engine in streaming mode, which downloads and installs OTAs at the same time.
• The stock OS’ Settings app on Pixel devices always launches the built-in OTA updater.

How to Install and Use Pixel Updater App

1. To begin with, download the Pixel Updater Tool from GitHub.
2. Now launch Magisk > go to Modules > tap Install from Storage.
3. Select the Pixel Updater Tool ZIP file and hit OK in the prompt.
4. The file will now be flashed. Once done, hit the Reboot button.
5. Now launch the tool and you’ll get a SuperUser request, hit Grant.
6. The tool will automatically search for updates at regular intervals.

METHOD 2: Manually Flash Patched Init_boot [Recommended]

This is the lengthiest of the four methods but is also the most safest one, so let’s start off with this method.

1. To begin with, download a text editor like Notepad++ on your PC.
2. Then download and extract the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
3. Now download the factory image for your device and extract it inside the platform-tools folder.
   
4. Then go to the images-codename-filename.zip folder and extract the init_boot.img file.
5. Now transfer this init_boot.img file to your device and launch the Magisk App.
6. Then tap on Install next to Magisk and tap on Select and Patch a File.
7. Now select init_boot.img file and hit the Let’s Go button situated at the top right.
8. The file will now be patched and placed in the Downloads folder on your phone.
9. Transfer it to the platform-tools folder on your PC and rename it to magisk_patched_boot.
10. Now enable USB Debugging on your device and connect it to your PC via a USB cable.
11. Then launch CMD inside the platform-tools folder and type in the below command to boot your device to Fastboot Mode:

    adb reboot bootloader

    

12. Now go to the extracted firmware folder, right-click on the flash-all.bat file, and select More Options > Edit with Notepad++.
13. Move your cursor over to the fastboot -w update image-filename.zip and delete the -w keyword. Now hit the Ctrl+S to save the changes. The line should now look something like this:

    fastboot update image-filename.zip

    

14. So run this flash-all.bat file. The flashing will now start and during the process, your device will automatically reboot to Fastboot and FastbootD Modes, that’s completely normal.
15. Once done, your device will boot to the OS. So enable USB Debugging and execute the below command to boot your device to Fastboot Mode:

    adb reboot bootloader

    

16. Now execute the below command to flash the patched init_boot:

    fastboot flash init_boot magisk_patched_boot.img

17. Finally, execute the below command to boot your device to the OS:

    fastboot reboot

18. Once your device boots to the OS, you could now verify root via Magisk and then re-enable all the disabled modules [do so one module at a time].

METHOD 3: Using Fastboot Commands

1. To begin with, download and extract the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
2. Now download the factory image for your device from below and extract it inside the platform-tools folder.
3. Then, rename the bootloader, image, and radio files as instructed below so that it becomes easier to type in the CMD window:

   bootloader-codename-codename-x.x-xxxxxxx.img to bootloader.img
   image-codename-xxxx.xxxxxx.xxx.xx.zip to image.zip
   radio-codename-xxxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-x-xxxxxxx to radio.img

4. Then go to the images-codename-filename.zip folder and extract the init_boot.img file.
5. Now transfer this init_boot.img file to your device and launch the Magisk App.
6. Then tap on Install next to Magisk and tap on Select and Patch a File.
7. Now select init_boot.img file and hit the Let’s Go button situated at the top right.
8. The file will now be patched and placed in the Downloads folder on your phone.
9. Transfer it to the platform-tools folder on your PC and rename it to magisk_patched_boot.
10. Now enable USB Debugging on your device and connect it to your PC via a USB cable.
11. Then launch CMD inside the platform-tools folder and type in the below command to boot your device to Fastboot Mode:

    adb reboot bootloader

    

12. Now just execute the following commands one at a time [your device will reboot to Fastboot Mode during the process, this is completely normal]:

    fastboot flash bootloader bootloader.img
    fastboot reboot-bootloader
    fastboot flash radio radio.img
    fastboot reboot-bootloader
    fastboot update --skip -reboot image.zip 
    fastboot flash init_boot magisk_patched_boot.img 
    fastboot reboot

13. As soon as you execute the last command, your device will now boot to the rooted OS. You may now re-enable the modules as well.

So this was the second method to install OTA updates on your rooted Pixel. Let’s now make you aware of the other two.

METHOD 4: Flashing Pathed Init_boot via Script

1. To begin with, download a text editor like Notepad++ on your PC.
2. Then download and extract the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
3. Now download the factory image for your device from below and extract it inside the platform-tools folder.

   Pixel 7 Pro [cheetah]: Download Link
   Pixel 7 [panther]: Download Link

   

4. Then go to the images-codename-filename.zip folder and extract the init_boot.img file.
5. Now transfer this init_boot.img file to your device and launch the Magisk App.
6. Then tap on Install next to Magisk and tap on Select and Patch a File.
7. Now select init_boot.img file and hit the Let’s Go button situated at the top right.
8. The file will now be patched and placed in the Downloads folder on your phone.
9. Transfer it to the platform-tools folder on your PC and rename it to magisk_patched_boot.
10. Now go to the extracted firmware folder, right-click on the flash-all.bat file and select More Options > Edit with Notepad++.
11. Move your cursor over to the fastboot -w update image-filename.zip, delete that line and instead add the following lines [replace filename accordingly]:

    fastboot update --skip -reboot image-filename.zip
    fastboot flash init_boot magisk_patched_boot.img
    fastboot reboot

    

12. Then hit Ctrl+S to save the changes. Once done, enable USB Debugging on your device and connect it to your PC via a USB cable.
13. Then launch Command Prompt inside the platform-tools folder and type in the below command to boot your device to Fastboot Mode:

    adb reboot bootloader

    

14. Finally, launch the modified flash-all.bat file and it will flash the latest firmware along with the patched init_boot.
15. Once done, your device will automatically boot to the rooted OS. You may now re-enable the modules as well.

That’s it. This was the third method through which you could install OTA updates on your rooted Pixel. Let’s now check out the fourth and final method that will help us get this job done. 

METHOD 5: Using Magisk Install to Inactive Slot

UPDATE: This issue has now been fixed.

As of now, if you use the Install to Inactive Slot method, then it will restore the stock boot.img, instead of the stock init_boot.img. So the OTA will try and install in a rooted environment, which will ultimately fail and you will be greeted with the “Your device is corrupt” error message. So as of now, you should skip this method and use one of the three listed above.

Once the Magisk app makes the necessary changes, we will update this post accordingly and only then you should use the Install to Inactive Slot method. However, if you have already tried out that method and are currently getting bugged with this error, then fret not. Just refer to this guide and the error would be fixed right away: Fix Pixel 7 Pro: Your Device is corrupt Install to inactive slot Magisk.

1. Launch the Magisk app and tap on Uninstall Magisk > Restore Images.
2. Then go to  Settings > System > System Update and download the available update.
3. Once downloaded, do not reboot your device. Rather, launch the Magisk App.
4. Then tap on Install next to Magisk. After that, select Install to Inactive Slot.
5. You will now get a prompt, tap OK. Magisk will now be installed in the inactive slot.
6. Once done, your device will restart to the updated and rooted OS! You may now re-enable all the modules.

These were the four different methods to install OTA updates on your rooted Pixel. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.

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