Last Updated on April 9, 2017 by Mathew Diekhake
Owners of the 2013 Google Nexus 7 WiFi tablet are finding a new update rolling out over the air that boosts the OS to the latest Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. The new build number is LRXCC2 and most users only have to lift two fingers to tap “download,” followed by “install now” before they are installing the file. However, that situation isn’t suitable for all users and many prefer updating via the manual method. If you want to learn how to install the same manually, all you must do is follow the correct procedure below.
The latest version of Android we have here is installing bug fixes and slight performance tweaks that make it better than the last Android 5.0 Lollipop. However, it’s the original that’s possessing all the features making it greater than KitKat. Lollipop comes with a new Easter Egg that reminds us of Flappy Bird, new Material Design, Material Design in the app drawer, smart notifications with a “do not disturb” feature, Tap and Go for restoring, ambient display, powerful Android Beam, screen pinning, new print user interface and more.
You know how much we love Android Easter Eggs, so make sure you check out the new version. It comes with a Lollipop from the first screen which changes colors after tapping the display. From there you can play a game that’s like the 2013 hit mobile game, Flappy Bird.
Use backup applications if you don’t want to use the stock backup utility from the device settings. You can find apps available from Google Play which come at a premium price. Nonetheless, they let users schedule the backups if they forget. It saves them the trouble of having to do it manually. There are loads of great apps if you search hard enough including AirDroid, SMS backup and restore, SMS backup plus, call logs backup and restore, Helium and more.
- You can back up using the internal SD card or external SD card for devices that have the external option. Only the ROM is wiped during a factory reset and not the internal storage. That’s why it’s always safe backing up to the standard memory. You don’t need the external SD card.
- The official 5.0.1 firmware should only be applied over the last 5.0.0 version of Lollipop. You should update the software from KitKat or Jelly Bean to Lollipop first.
- Upgrading the official firmware coming from Google and the phone carrier networks does not void the manufacturer’s warranty.
- The following does remove the root access you might have on your device. Don’t accept any OTA update or update the software manually unless you are prepared to lose the root access. The third-party developers will eventually crack the new version. However, sometimes it takes extra time.
- The USB charging feature that comes stock on most modern-day smartphones and tablets takes care of your battery when it’s plugged into the computer. It charges the battery as it would plugged into the phone charger, but at a slower rate.
- Make sure you have at least 50% power remaining if you don’t have USB charging working.
- You can use a Windows PC, notebook or laptop of any size as long as it has a working USB slot mounted in the side. You must connect the phone to the slot on the computer.
- If the notebook or laptop isn’t plugged into the wall outlet the battery on the machine drains and the USB charging feature isn’t working. Make sure the smartphone doesn’t turn off until after the flashing finishes. Plan the computer and phone accordingly.
- Install the up to date USB drivers. If you are connecting the tablet to the computer and accessing the data you know they are working. Others can download them from here.
- You must use a Windows PC to download the Android Art studio. You will find the requirements from the official page before clicking the file.
- Allow USB Debugging permissions from the Developer Options menu. You find the menu from the Settings application.
- The Nexus 7 comes in two models. Make sure you are downloading the files on the 2013 edition. That’s last years model.
- You should never use the files for any other device other than the one intended. In most cases it’s stated in the post you are looking at. never risk installing a file you don’t know will work for a different tablet. You can brick the device.
Reset your Nexus device to factory settings if you find trouble after updating.
- Turn off the tablet.
- Hold in the volume down key, followed by the power button.
- Hold both them buttons down at the same time.
- Press volume Down once more to select the recovery mode from the options.
- You are now in recovery.
- press the power button and hold the volume up button.
- Scroll until you find “wipe data/factory reset.”
- Confirm and apply the command.
Setup Android SDK and fastboot on your computer, or install the minimal ADb/fastboot tool.
- Download the SDK file here.
- Extract the files from the SDK folder.
- Launch the SDK Manager file.
- Make sure you have the SDK drivers working.
If you already have SDK setup on your computer you can skip that part. You don’t have to install it twice. Now it’s time to start flashing the official firmware.
- Down load the Lollipop zip file here.
- Change the file name to “update.zip”
- Transfer the zip file to the ‘platform-tools’ folder.
- Turn off the tablet.
- Boot the tablet in recovery mode.
– you may use the manual process as I wrote above or try using this app from Google Play. - Pick the ‘apply update from adb’ from recovery.
- Connect the Nexus 7 to the computer with the USB wire.
– check the phone charger for the wire if you cannot find it. - Navigate to the platform tools folder.
- Right-click the mouse while holding the Shift key on any blank space in the platform tools folder.
- Select the option to open the command prompt: “open command window here.”
- You can test if it’s reading the tablet by entering the following command: “adb devices.”
- Type adb sideload update.zip as the command.
– you don’t change the file name to the original because we changed it to “update.” - Wait for the flashing.
- Reboot and it’s running the latest software update Android is offering on any device.