How to Install Android 15 on any Android Device [All OEMs]

Sadique Hassan•Updated May 24, 2024

In this guide, we will show you two different methods through which you can install the latest Android 15 build onto your device. It’s that time of the year when we are about to be treated with a new set from the Silicon Valley giant. This time around, it’s the Vanilla Ice Cream that has been served to us, although a tad bit later than the previous iterations [Android 14’s Preview was released on February 8, 2023].

With that said, there are still plenty of reasons to get your hands on this iteration, among which, the Private Space has been the talk of the town. Apart from that, there is a slew of other noteworthy features as well, including Notification Cooldown, Lock Screen widgets, Battery Health Percentage, App Archive, Bluetooth Quick Settings menu, the ability to Save App Pair, and a new “Security State” API which will further enhance the security of the OS.

So without any further ado, let’s dive deep into the ingredients [feature list] for the Vanilla Ice Cream, after which we will show you the first-hand impressions [aka the installation steps] to create this ice cream for yourself. Follow along.

Table of Contents

Android 15 Vanilla Ice Cream Features

Here are all the noteworthy and intriguing features that you would come across on the fifteenth iteration of the OS build. [NOTE: Since we are currently in the developer preview phase, there are a few features that are yet to be confirmed/officially announced, but they have been found in the leaks so they will make their presence felt sooner than later (maybe further down the lines of Beta or directly to the stable builds, or even via a Feature Drop. Anyways, till they get the stamp of authority from Google, they will have to wear the badge of uncertainty].

Partial Screen Sharing

This feature will allow you to share your screen just inside an app window instead of the entire device [NOTE: it first made its way to Pixel with Android 14 QPR 2 and is widely available across non-Pixel devices with Android 15].

Notification Cooldown

It will gradually lower down the notification volume when you keep on getting the alerts from the same app.

*Lock Screen Widgets

We first saw a glimpse of Lock Screen widgets all the way back in Android 4.2 but for some reason, Google decided to remove it from Android 5. And now that Apple has added it, how could the Silicon Valley giant be left far behind? As of now, all speculations point towards the ability to add widgets in the lock screen either on the Communal Space or via the At a Glance widget.

*Battery Health Percentage

Another feature taken from the iPhone’s book, it will let you know how far your battery has degraded with time. Or to put it the other way around, the remaining battery health in percentage.

*App Archive

Sorry, but we cannot stop mentioning iPhones in this list. Akin to iOS’s Offload Apps feature that allows you to uninstall the app but keep its user data intact. So when you reinstall that app, you could start from that left-off position, instead of starting from scratch. We are now witnessing a similar in Android 15.

Titled App Archive, it will remove most of the app data from your device and will only hold down to the most crucial ones. You will still get its icon in the app drawer though, clicking on it will take you to the Play Store where you can unarchive it if required. Apart from that, the Archive and Restore options will also be present on the App Info page of each individual app.

*Bluetooth Menu

Till Android 14, when you tap on the Bluetooth Quick Setting tile, then it will simply enable it. However, if you frequently interact with numerous Bluetoo devices, then you’ll have to long press on that tile to open the Bluetooth menu and then choose the desired device.

This is about to change in Android 15 wherein if you tap on the Bluetooth Quick Setting tile, then it will bring up a list of Bluetooth devices right then and there, from where you can directly choose the device that you wish to connect [similar to how the WiFi Quick Setting tile].

*Private Space

Similar to Samsung’s Secure Folder, Private Space will create a locked secure environment wherein you can hide your apps and data. This space could only be unlocked via the password that you had initially set up. Furthermore, you can access it from the Settings > Security & privacy > Private Space menu.

*Save App Pair

The App Pair feature which allows you to couple two apps together in the split screen mode was present in the earlier OS builds as well. However, up until now, you had to manually create the pairs each time you wished to use them in the multi-screen window. With Android 15, this process has been streamlined as it allows you to save those pairs on the home screen. You could then just tap on that icon and it will launch the app pair in one go.

Privacy Sandbox

This feature will limit the sharing of user data with third parties with the major objective being a privacy-enhancing advertising solution where user information is protected.

Other Features

There’s an update to the Health Connect by Android platform. This will add support for new data types across fitness, nutrition, and other related domains.
The OS adds a new Android Dynamic Performance Framework capability, including a power efficiency mode wherein the CPU will prefer power > performance.

Android 15 Supported Device List

Android 15 is supported across all the Pixel devices running the Tensor chipset, namely:

Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
Pixel 6a
Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
Pixel 7a
Pixel Fold
Pixel Tablet
Pixel 8 and 8 Pro

Android 15 Release Schedule

Here’s the timeline for the Android 15 release starting from the first Developer Preview up to the latest stable build:

February till Mid March: Android 15 Developer Previews
Mid-March till September [tentative]: Android 15 Beta Builds
June onwards: Platform Stability [Usable Beta Builds]
October [tentative]: Android 15 Stable Builds.

Now that you are aware of the Android 15 features, supported devices, and its release date, let’s get you acquainted with the steps to install this build onto your device. So get yourself ready for some tasty Vanilla treats!

How to Install Android 15 on Pixel Devices

The below process will wipe off all the data from your device, so take a complete device backup beforehand. 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 in this guide.

STEP 2: Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking

Next up, you will have to enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking on your device. The former will make your device recognizable by the PC in ADB mode. This will then allow you to boot your device to Fastboot Mode. On the other hand, OEM Unlocking is required to carry out the bootloader unlocking 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 and OEM Unlocking.

STEP 3: Unlock Bootloader

Next up, you will also have to unlock the device’s bootloader. If you had performed the update via Flash Tool or Fastboot, then the bootloader would already be unlocked. However, if you had performed the upgrade via ADB sideload, then would you need to carry out this task? Do keep in mind that doing so will wipe off all the data from your device and could nullify its warranty as well. So if that’s all well and good, then please refer to our detailed guide on How to Unlock the Bootloader on any Android Device.

UPDATE 1: We are unlocking the bootloader because as of now we won’t be getting the OTA updates for Android 15 till the initial few Developer Preview builds. Once it reaches the beta stage, you can enroll as a beta tester and get the latest Android 15 as an OTA update without the need to unlock the bootloader. [With that said, if you are planning to install it via Android Flash Tool or Fastboot Script, then unlocking the bootloader is a must, irrespective of the fact whether it’s Developer Preview, Beta, or Stable].

UPDATE 2: At the time of writing, the Developer Preview OTA updates are not working, so you have no other option but to opt for AFT or Fastboot Script. So keeping that in mind, you can now choose either STEP 4A or STEP 4B from below to carry out the update process. The 4A method is mainly automated whereas the 4B method requires you to manually carry out most of the process. With that said, go through each of these methods once and then try out the one that is in sync with your requirements.

UPDATE 3: Devices running Android 15 DP1 (build AP31.240119.016) or Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 (build AP21.240119.009) are not able to sideload the images of the Android 15 Beta 1 build (build AP31.240322.018) due to a bug in the installed build. If you would like to sideload Android 15 Beta 1, first take the OTA update to Android 15 DP2 (build AP31.240223.016.A3) or Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 (build AP21.240305.005).

STEP 4A: Install Android 15 Android Flash Tool

To begin with, connect your device to the PC via a USB cable.
Then head over to the Android Flash Tool website and click on Allow ADB Access.
Now click on Add new device, select your device from the pop-up, and hit Connect
You will get a Debugging prompt on your device, click Allow.
Now select the desired Android 14 build from the list [the latest one is usually recommended]
Now click on the pencil (edit) icon next to Selected build and you should see Wipe Device, Lock Bootloader, and Force Flash All Partitions being enabled by default.
In this regard, Wipe Device and Force Flash All Partitions are compulsory, so leave those boxes checked.
On the other hand, the bootloader option depends on your personal preference. I wish to have it unlocked even after the flashing is complete, so I have unchecked the Lock Bootloader option.
Once you have made the selection, click on Install Build. The tool will now show you the selected build and your device name if it’s all well and good, then click on Confirm.
The tool will now start downloading and subsequently flash the Android 14 build onto your device.
During the flashing process, your device will automatically boot to Fastboot and FastbootD Modes.
Once the flashing is done, you will be notified of the same. You may now unplug your device and boot it to the OS [if it doesn’t boot up automatically].

STEP 4B: Install Android 15 via Fastboot Script

To begin with, download the Android 15 factory image for your device (not the OTA).
Once downloaded, extract it inside the platform tools folder.
Now head over to this platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
Then type in the following command in the CMD window to boot your device to Fastboot Mode
```
adb reboot bootloader
```
Now double-click on the flash-all batch file and the flashing process will now begin.
While it’s going on, your device will automatically boot to Fastboot and FastbootD Modes, which is completely normal.
Once the process is complete, you will be notified of the same. Likewise, your device will automatically boot to the updated OS.

So with this, we round off the guide on how you could install the latest Android 15 Vanilla Ice Cream. We have listed three different methods for the same. 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 as soon as possible.

STEP 4C: Via ADB Sideload

Note: Devices running Android 15 DP1 (build AP31.240119.016) or Android 14 QPR3 Beta 1 (build AP21.240119.009) are not able to sideload the images of the Android 15 Beta 1 build (build AP31.240322.018) due to a bug in the installed build. If you would like to sideload Android 15 Beta 1, first take the OTA update to Android 15 DP2 (build AP31.240223.016.A3) or Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 (build AP21.240305.005).

How to Install OTA Updates via ADB Sideload on Pixel Devices

How to Install Android 15 on Xiaomi

Probably the worst way of updating the device, Xiaomi requires you to unlock the bootloader on your device before you can install the Android 15 update. Do note that doing so will wipe off all the data from your device and might make the warranty null and void. Likewise, you might also face issues with banking apps as well as Netflix. If that’s well and good, then let’s get started with the process.

First off, download the Android 15 for your device from below:

Xiaomi 14

VERSION: ANDROID 15 BETA 1
DOWNLOAD LINK

Xiaomi 13T Pro

VERSION: ANDROID 15 BETA 1
DOWNLOAD LINK

Pad 6S Pro 12.4

VERSION: ANDROID 15 BETA 1
DOWNLOAD LINK

Next up, unlock the bootloader on your device via the Mi Unlock Tool.
Then download and extract the Mi Flash Tool on your PC.
Now download and extract the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
Then enable USB Debugging and connect your device to a PC via a USB.
Then type in CMD in the platform-tools folder address bar and hit Enter.
This will open the Command Prompt. So type in the below command to boot to Fastboot Mode.
```
adb reboot bootloader
```
Now launch the Mi Flash Tool and click the Refresh button at the top right.
Your device should be listed under the Device section with a unique serial ID.
Now click Select, navigate to the Android 15 firmware, select it, and click OK.
Make sure to select the folder that is just above the Images folder.
Now select Clean All present at the bottom right and click on Flash.
The flashing will now start and could take a few minutes to complete.
Once done, your device will automatically boot to the updated OS!
So these were the steps to install Android 15 on your Xiaomi device.

How to Install Android 15 on OnePlus

OnePlus devices have a slightly lengthier approach when it comes to installing updates, therefore, we decided to create a separate standalone guide for the same. So do check out the below-linked post to know more on how you could download and install Android 15 on your OnePlus device.

How to Download and Install Android 15 OxygenOS 15 on OnePlus

How to Install Android 15 on Nothing Phones

To begin with, create a folder named “ota” in your device’s Internal Storage.
Then download the Android 15 firmware from below and transfer it to the ota folder.
Nothing Phone 2A
```
VERSION: ANDROID 15 BETA 1
DOWNLOAD LINK
```
Now open the dialer/phone app and type in the below code:
```
*#*#682#*#*
```
Credits: Nothing
It will launch the Local Update Tool. Select the Android 15 package from the drop-down.
If the Android 15 file is not shown in the ota folder, then tap on the Reload button.
Credits: Nothing
You may also tap on “Browse”, select the “ota” folder, and then select the Android 15 package.

Once done, tap on “Directly apply OTA from selection” to initiate the update.

NOTE: It is advised that you do not close the app from the background during the update process as this may cause issues with the updating process. 
So keep the local update tool open until the update is completed.

Once the update is done, tap on “Confirm” in the Reboot dialog box that appears.
Your device will now reboot to the newly updated Android 15 OS.
That’s it. These are the steps to install Android 15 OS on your Nothing Phone.
Credits: Nothing

How to Install Android 15 on Honor Devices

Honor seems to have made the matter all the more complicated when it comes to installing updates as you have to install Python and then run a script to carry out the update process. On the plus side though, it has incorporated the DSU Sideloader technique into this process. For the unaware, this process is also used while installing GSI ROMs.

As a result of this, you’ll have two separate data partitions- the user data stored in GSI wouldn’t be accessible in stock firmware and vice versa. Moreover, one system partition will have the latest Android 15 whereas the other will still have the older Android 14. So you just need to do a restart to switch between two OS builds. Among all the OEMs out there, it has probably the easiest downgrade method!

To begin with, download and install Python on your PC.
Then launch it and checkmark Add Python to Path.
Now proceed with the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
Once done, download and install the Honor PC Suite on your PC.
Now download and extract Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
Then go to Settings > About phone > tap on Build number 7 times.
Now go to System & updates > Developer options > Enable USB Debugging.
Then connect your device to your PC via a USB cable.
Now extract the Android 15 firmware and run the “python dsu_tool_for_win.py” script.
The installation will now begin and will take a while. Once done, tap Reboot.
Your device will restart to the newly updated OS.
That’s it. These were the steps to install Android 15 on your Honor device.

How to Install Android 15 on Vivo and iQOO

iQOO and its parent company Vivo follow the same procedure when it comes to installing the fifteenth iteration of the OS, and is pretty straightforward. Here’s what needs to be done:

First off, download the Android 15 firmware on your device from below.

Vivo X100

VERSION: Android 15 Beta 1

REGIONS: Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan
DOWNLOAD LINK

REGION: INDIA
DOWNLOAD LINK

iQOO 12

VERSION: Android 15 Beta 1

REGIONS: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia
DOWNLOAD LINK

REGION: INDIA
DOWNLOAD LINK

Then transfer it to Internal Storage but not inside any folder.
Now connect your device to your PC using a USB cable.
Then change the USB Setting of your phone to Transfer Files.
Now head over to Settings > System update > Local update.
Then navigate to the Android 15 firmware file and select it.
Now wait for the verification as well as the update to complete.
Once done, your device will boot to the newly updated OS.
These were the steps to install Android 15 on Vivo and iQOO.

How to Install Android 15 on Lenovo

In the case of Lenovo, you’ll have to take the help of the popular SP Flash Tool to flash the latest OS build. Here’s how it could be done:

First off, download the Android 15 firmware for your device from below.
Lenovo Tab Extreme Beta 1
```
VERSION: Android 15 Beta 1
DOWNLOAD LINK
```
Then download and extract the SW Flashing Packages and go to your OS folder.
Then go to the Driver folder and install both the drivers:
```
Android USB Drivers and DriverInstall
```
Now download and extract Android SDK Platform Tools.
Then go to the SP_Flash_Tool_V6 folder and launch it via its EXE file.
You’ll get a prompt that Open Flash XML File does not exist, click OK.
Now select Auto Detect under Battery and checkmark Auo Reboot.
Then click on Download-XML and load the following XML file to it
```
\TB570FU_ROW_OPEN_USER_V1457.5_T_ZUI_15.0.437_ST_230215_flash\download_agent\flash.xml
```
Credits: Lenovo
Now select Firmware Upgrade under Flash Mode. Finally, click Download.
Then connect your device to the PC via USB cable and the flashing will start.
Once complete, your device will automatically reboot to the new updated OS!
So these were the steps to install the latest Android 15 on your Lenovo device.

How to Install Android 15 on Realme

Realme follows a pretty straightforward approach when it comes to installing the latest OS build- just do a local install directly from the device itself.

First off, download the Android 15 firmware for your device from below.
Realme 12 Pro+ 5G
```
VERSION: Android 15 Beta 1
DOWNLOAD LINK
```
Then enable Developer Mode on your device from the Settings menu.
Now go to Settings > Software Update > tap on Settings at the top right.
Manually select the installation package and select the Android 15 firmware.
Now hit Install. Verification will now start. Once done, the system will restart.
That’s it. Your Realme device will now reboot to the updated Android 15 OS.

How to Install Android 15 on Oppo

Similar to Realme, Oppo’s installation is pretty straightforward as well- a direct Local Install is all that is needed is to welcome abode the latest OS build on your device.

First off, download the Android 15 package for your device from below:

Oppo Find N3

VERSION: Android 15 Beta 1

Singapore version: DOWNLOAD LINK
Indonesia version: DOWNLOAD LINK

Then transfer it to your device’s Internal Storage but not inside any folder.
Then go to Settings > About device > Version > Tap Build number 7 times.
Now go to Settings > About device > Click the top card > Click the top right button.
Choose Local install -> Select the Android 15 update ZIP file -> select Extract.
Wait for the extraction to complete. Once done, hit Install and then Restart.
That’s it. The latest Android 15 is now installed on your Oppo device.

How to Install Android 15 on Sharp

Sharp has taken a page or two out of Honor’s book [or maybe vice versa?] when it comes to installing the latest OS build. In this regard, it has opted to take the route of DSU Sideloader which is generally used to sideload a generic system image on your device. The best part about this process is that it wouldn’t replace the existing Android 14 OS, instead, the Android 15 will be installed in a separate partition, with each OS having its separate data partition.

Another interesting aspect about this entire DSU is the fact that you could easily switch between the Android 14 and 15 OS upon just a single reboot of the device- thereby making downgrade a breeze. So with that in mind, let’s make you aware of the installation steps.

First off, download the Android 15 firmware for your device from below
AQUOS Sense 8 Beta 1
```
VERSION: Android 15 Beta 1
DOWNLOAD LINK [APK]
```
Download and install the JoinDeveloperPreviewProgram APK on your device.

Launch the app, check the privacy policy, as well as the following statement:

"I agree to the privacy policy to participate in the Android Developer Preview Program"

Finally, tap Join. Now click on Load and select the Android 15 firmware file.
The installation will now start. Its status is displayed in Notification under Dynamic System Updates.
Once done, hit Restart. Your Sharp device will reboot to the newly flashed Android 15 OS.

How to Install Android 15 on Tecno

First off, download the Android 15 firmware for your device from below:
Tecno Camon 30 Pro 5G
```
VERSION: Android 15 Beta 1
DOWNLOAD LINK
```
Next up, download and extract the Carlcare_FlashTool on your PC.
Then double-click to launch the GetFeatureCode.exe file.
You’ll now get a code in the pop-up box, click on Copy it.
Then mail this code to [email protected].
Transsion will whitelist this code and your PC in a few days.
Once that happens, download the Driver_Auto_Installer_EXE.
Now launch it and proceed with the instructions to install it. Once done, restart your PC.
Then power off your device and connect it to PC via USB. Now open the Device Manager.
Expand the COM section and make sure that your device is listed there.
If that’s well and good, then unplug your device from the USB cable.
Now launch the tool via SWD_AfterSales.exe. Then click on Settings > Loading File.
If you have a MediaTek device, then select the download_agent/flash.xml file.
If the said file is missing, then select the Android_Scatter.txt file.
For Unisoc devices, you’ll have to select the PAC file [instead of XML or TXT].
Once the file is loaded, select Firmware Upgrade and checkmark Ignore Build Vernon.
Now, click Confirm. Connect your device [which should be powered off] to your PC via USB.
Finally, wait till you get the Download Complete message.
Once that happens, your Tecno device will boot to the latest Android 15 OS!

Tags:

Android 15Android Flash ToolFastboot Commands