How to install Android P on your device

Google unveiled Android P during their I/O 2018 developer conference, showcasing many of the new features headed to their mobile operating system later this year. Developers and enthusiasts who want to test the new platform, can do so by downloading the Developer Preview on their devices

Unfortunately the Android P Developer Preview is only available for a limited for devices, so if you own of these handsets you can try Android P on your device right now:

• Google Pixel | Google Pixel XL 
• Google Pixel 2 | Google Pixel 2 XL
• Nokia 7 Plus
• Essential Phone
• Oppo R15 Pro
• Sony Xperia XZ2
• Vivo X21UD | Vivo X21
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
• One Plus 6 (coming soon)

Previously Google would limit the Android updates to their own devices, but thanks to their efforts with Project Treble, Android can now be easily ported to other manufacturer handsets much faster, allowing a wider range of users to test out the latest version of Android.

Google's Pixel phones still have the easiest access to the updates. You will simply have to head over to Android Beta Program website, and sign up for access to the pre-release versions of Android P. From then on, you will continue to receive the latest releases of Android P. Just make sure you are signed into the same account on your Pixel phone.

After you register, you should get a notification on your device about a system update being available almost immediately. Keep in mind that since a ton of people will be rushing to install the new update, it may not appear instantly. Once you have installed the update, you should be running Android P.

Installing Android P on a non-Pixel device

non-Google devices don't have the luxury of having the update sent over to them over-the-air. Instead users will have to flash the beta build on their smartphones. As long as you follow the steps, this shouldn't be too complicated, but you do run the risk of messing up something.

While installing the Android P beta build wont void your warranty, companies wont be offering customer support in case something goes wrong. You will have to find a way to solve the issue yourself or flash Android Oreo back on your device.

Nokia 7 Plus

Factory reset your device before installing Android P

Before you can install the Android P Beta, you'll have to factory reset your Nokia 7 Plus. But there's one step that comes before this, and that's enabling USB debugging from the developer options. Head to Settings -> System -> About phone and tap on the build number seven times. Enter your PIN or passcode to enable developer options.

Go to the previous menu (System) and you'll see the developer options listed. Tap the menu, scroll down, and toggle USB debugging to enabled. This will allow you to sideload the beta build.

Nokia's beta labs page specifically states that you'll have to clear the data via recovery mode and not from the phone's settings, so you'll have to boot into recovery first. Here's how you can do so:

• Power off your device and connect it to your computer.
• Press the Power and Volume Up keys simultaneously for 10 seconds.
• Release the keys once you see the Android One boot screen.
• You'll now see a screen with the Android robot and a red exclamation mark with "no command" written underneath.
• Hold the Power button and then press the Volume Up key once to see the recovery mode menu.
• Select factory reset to reset your device (scroll through the menu with the volume buttons, and use the power button to make a selection).
• At the next screen, hit Yes to confirm the factory reset.

Prepare for Android P

Next you will have to get things ready for the Android P installation

• Install Minimal ADB and Fastboot or the Android SDK on your computer
• Head over to the Nokia Developer Preview page and sign in
• Read the instructions and warnings on the page carefully before you proceed
• Add your device by entering the IMEI number of your Nokia 7 Plus. (open the dialer and enter *#06#) on the page, as well as the carrier your SIM card is registered to, and the country. Then hit Register and your device will be validated and ready to install the Android P Beta.

Install Android P Beta on the Nokia 7 Plus

Once your device has been reset, you will be able to install the Android P build via ADB:

• In recovery mode, scroll to the "Apply update from ADB" option.
• Open up a command prompt on your computer and navigate to the folder where you downloaded the beta build.
• Enter adb devices. You should be able to see sideload on the device screen.
• Enter the following command: adb sideload filename.zip (switch out filename with the filename on your build).
• You should see a progress bar indicating the status of the installation.
• Once the installation is complete, select "Reboot system now".

Once your device reboots, you'll be able to set it up from scratch and start using Android P.

Share your feedback with the community

Being one of the first devices in the beta program means you'll be able to share your feedback and provide suggestions on areas of improvements. To do so, you can hit up the link below to head to Nokia's community page for the beta program.

Nokia 7 Plus Android P Beta community

For now, the Nokia 7 Plus is the only device from HMD Global to be eligible for the Android P Beta program, but there's a possibility that could change in the coming weeks and months.


Essential Phone - Click Here for Instructions

Oppo R15 Pro - Click Here for Instructions

Sony Xperia XZ2 - Click Here for Instructions

Vivo X21UD | Vivo X21 - Click Here for Instructions

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 - Click Here for Instructions

One Plus 6 (coming soon) - Click Here for Instructions