On February 8, 2023, Google officially launched the first developer preview of Android 14. Over the next few months, Google will allow developers and the general public to test this software as it gears up for the formal launch. If you want to give it a shot, you might be wondering how to install Android 14 on your smartphone. This guide can give you all the info you need!
WARNING: As it stands today, Android 14 is unstable software that should not be used on your primary phone. There will be a lot of bugs and other problems, and certain features you rely on might not work correctly or at all. We recommend only installing this on a secondary phone at this stage, just to be safe. Proceed at your own risk.
Should I install Android 14?
At this stage of the game, Android 14 exists in a very raw state. The Developer Preview launches are specifically designed for developers. Google pushes these launches to give devs plenty of time to test the new Android, learn about new features and restrictions, and prepare their apps for the future launch. It is not designed for the general public to use on their primary phone.
That all being said, there are no restrictions to using this on your phone if that’s what you want to do. You will invariably face bugs, broken/missing features, and could even face bizarre problems like spontaneous shutdowns. If you’re OK with all that, you should feel free to install it on your daily driver. We advise not doing so and instead to install Android 14 on a secondary device. The choice is yours.
What devices can install Android 14 today?
Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Currently, only recent Google Pixel devices can use Android 14. Below, you’ll find the list of supported phones:
- Google Pixel 7 Pro
- Google Pixel 7
- Google Pixel 6a
- Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Google Pixel 6
- Google Pixel 5a
- Google Pixel 5
- Google Pixel 4a 5G
Unfortunately, if you have a Pixel phone launched before the Google Pixel 4a 5G — including the earlier, non-5G Google Pixel 4a — you will not be able to install Android 14. This is because all older Pixels will not receive Android 14 when it goes stable, as they have reached or will reach the end of their software support commitment before Android 14 launches.
How do I install Android 14 DP1?
There are two ways to install Android 14: manually and assisted. Manually installing is for advanced users only, while the assisted method is easy enough that pretty much anyone can do it. We go over both methods below, but we highly encourage everyone to use the assisted method as there is less room for error.
Regardless of which methodology you choose, installing Android 14 will require you to unlock the phone’s bootloader, which completely erases the phone. There is no way around this. Keep this in mind if you’re thinking about installing Android 14 on your main device!
However, once you install Android 14 as a Developer Preview (or future Beta), you will not need to factory reset again. Once you’re in, you’ll get future updates automatically as an over-the-air (OTA) update. In other words, you only need to factory reset once to get in on Android 14.
Prepare to install Android 14
You will need the following materials and prerequisites to get started:
- A Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, or Linux computer with access to the internet and the latest Chrome browser.
- A short, thick USB cable for connecting your phone to the computer. The original USB cable that came with the phone is best for this.
Before you move on to the next steps, double-check that you have everything you need. You don’t want to get into the process of installing Android 14 and discover you aren’t fully prepared! Once you’re ready, continue on by using either the assisted or manual installation methods below.
Install Android 14 using the assisted method
Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
FINAL WARNING: This process will unlock your bootloader and completely erase all your phone’s data.
- Ensure your computer has the proper drivers for your phone, which you can grab from Google’s Pixel drivers page. This is an essential step — if you skip this, flashing will not work!
- Plug your phone into your computer using the USB cable.
- In your phone’s Settings, go to System > Developer options. If you don’t see Developer options, go to Settings > About phone and scroll all the way down to the Build number. Tap on the Build number seven times until your phone says you are a developer. Developer options should be available now.
- In Developer options, enable OEM unlocking and USB debugging.
- Visit the Android Flash Tool page for installing Android 14.
- Select the version of Android 14 you’d like to install. For some models, there’s a 64-bit-only version and a version that also supports 32-bit software. Either one works. If you don’t know which one to pick, choose the one that just says “(signed),” which supports both 64-bit and 32-bit software.
- Follow along as the flashing tool takes care of everything for you. Simply follow the instructions and remember not to touch your phone unless specifically instructed to do so by the flashing tool.
That’s it! You should now have Android 14 installed on your Pixel smartphone.
Install Android 14 using the manual method
Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
FINAL WARNING: This process will unlock your bootloader and completely erase all your phone’s data.
- Ensure the Android SDK is installed on your computer with ADB and Fastboot commands successfully working. Also, ensure your computer has the proper drivers for your phone, which you can grab from Google’s Pixel drivers page.
- Download the appropriate version of Android 14 for your phone. Do this from your computer, not your smartphone. You can find all the available builds at Google’s Android 14 installation site. Take extra care to ensure you download the correct factory image! Installing a Pixel 5 image on a Pixel 6, for example, could have catastrophic consequences. Once downloaded, unzip the file and place it in a directory on your computer you can easily access.
- In your phone’s Settings, go to System > Developer options and enable OEM unlocking and USB debugging. If you don’t see Developer options, go to Settings > About phone and scroll all the way down to the Build number. Tap on the Build number seven times until your phone says you are a developer. Developer options should be available now.
- Triple-check to make sure your phone is properly connected to your PC. Test out both ADB and Fastboot commands to ensure they work.
- Start the device in Fastboot mode by pushing the ADB command
adb reboot bootloader. - Unlock the phone’s bootloader by using the Fastboot command
fastboot flashing unlock. This erases all data on the device. - Open a terminal/command prompt and use the appropriate navigation commands to navigate to the directory where you have downloaded your phone’s factory image.
- Execute the
flash-allscript. This installs everything you need with an automated process. - When the
flash-allscript finishes, your phone will reboot itself. - Start the device in Fastboot mode again and relock the bootloader using the Fastboot command
fastboot flashing lock.
That’s it! You should now have Android 14 installed on your Pixel smartphone.
Frequently asked questions
When will Android 14 release as stable?
Google is shooting for a stable launch of Android 14 in the late summer of 2023. We expect to see it in August, but that could change.
When will my phone get stable Android 14?
If you own a Pixel, you should expect a stable release to come to your phone around August 2023, give or take. If you have a phone from another manufacturer, stable Android 14 will probably come to you in Fall 2023 or Winter 2024.
Can I install early versions of Android 14 on a non-Pixel?
Certain manufacturers might roll out their own early Android 14 releases. However, that is up to the manufacturers to decide, so you’ll need to wait until they announce something. To be clear, you cannot install early versions of Android 14 on a non-Pixel phone unless that release comes directly from your phone’s manufacturer.
Will installing Android 14 erase my phone?
As of right now, yes: installing Android 14 will factory reset your phone. Eventually, Google will release a public beta of Android 14 that you can install without wiping your device. For now, though, a factory reset is necessary.
Can I force Android 14 to update on my phone?
Once you are in the Developer Preview or Beta program, your phone will automatically get new over-the-air (OTA) updates. When Android 14 lands as a stable release, you will also automatically get that update. There is no way to get the Android 14 update before the stable launch without joining the DP/Beta programs.