If you haven’t yet received the December update/Feature Drop on your Pixel device yet, then this guide will show you the steps to force install it right away. There is always an eagerness to install the latest monthly updates, and this time around the anticipation was even higher. After all, when you are getting a slew of goodies in the form of Clear Calling, Google VPN, and a unified Settings and privacy page, then the hype is totally justified. However, not everyone is able to join this bandwagon yet.
There are many Pixel users who are yet to receive the said update, more than a week after it was first made available. The update started rolling out on the 5th of December and even on the 16th, many Pixel 5/6/7 series users have voiced their concern that they are yet to receive the December update/Feature Drop on their device. if you are also in the same boat, then this guide will make you aware of a nifty workaround through which you could welcome this update right away.
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Not received the December update/Feature Drop on your Pixel? Try this tweak!
In order to install the update, we will be manually installing the update onto your device using the ADB Sideload feature. The process will not wipe off data from your device, but still take a backup, just to be on the safer side. 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: Download Pixel OTA Image
- Next up, download the OTA Image for your Pixel Device (and not the Factory Image).
- Once you have downloaded the firmware, transfer it to the platform-tools folder on your PC.
- Likewise, rename the file to update, so that the complete name becomes update.zip.
- This renaming is done just to make the file name easier to type in Command Prompt.
STEP 3: Enable USB Debugging
Next up, you will 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 Recovery Mode. 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 4: Boot to Stock Recovery
- Connect your device to the PC via a USB cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
- Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
- After that, type in the following command in the CMD window to boot your device to the stock recovery
adb reboot recovery
- Your Pixel might now boot to the No Command screen.
- To exit this screen, press and hold the Power Button and while doing, so press and release the Volume Up key and then release the Power key as well. You will now be taken to the stock recovery.
STEP 5: Install December Update/Feature Drop on Pixel Via ADB Sideload
- Use the Volume keys to highlight the “Apply Update from ADB” option and press the Power key to confirm it.
- You should now see a message along the following lines on your device.
- Now head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
- Type in the following command in the CMD window to verify the ADB Sideload connection:
adb devices
- If you get the sideload keyword in the Command Prompt, then the connection stands successful and you may proceed ahead.
- So go to the CMD window (that you have opened inside platform-tools) and type in the below command to install the OTA file:
adb sideload update.zip
- The installation process will now begin and could take a few minutes. Once done, use the Volume keys to select the Reboot System Now option and press the Power key to confirm it.
That’s it. These were the steps to install the December update/Feature Drop on your Pixel device if Google hasn’t rolled out vis the OTA channel. 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.
