Many users still use smartphones released in the heyday Android 4.x (KitKat, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean). Odnako sovremennyy tsifrovoy landshaft diktuet svoi usloviya: prilozheniya trebuyut bolee novye versii operating system, a brauzery perestayut podderzhivat starye protokoly bezopasnosti. A reasonable question arises: how to change Android from 4 to 5 in order to return functionality to the device?
The process of transition from the fourth to the fifth version (Lollipop) is one of the most difficult in the history of the Google ecosystem, since it was in this update that the architecture was changed to 64-bit and the introduction of a new management system pamyatyu ART. This means that old methods of “easy” updating often do not work, and the user has to resort to manual methods or a complete flashing.
Before taking active steps, you need to soberly assess the capabilities of your hardware. Not every device running on Android 4.4is physically capable of supporting the heavier interface of the fifth version. Next, we will look at all available ways to solve this problem: from official updates to installing custom firmware.
Checking compatibility and official methods
The first and safest step is to try to get an update over the air (OTA). Smartphone developers have often released patches that allow you to switch to Android 5.0 or 5.1 without user intervention. To do this, you need to go to the phone settings and find the section responsible for the system.
Click Settings → About phone → System update. If the manufacturer's server is still active and your model is supported, the system will prompt you to download the package. However, most often for devices from the 2013-2014 era, the servers are already down, and you will see the message “No updates found.”
In some cases, an update is available, but does not arrive automatically due to a Google services cache failure. Try clearing application data Google Play Services and Google Services Framework through the app menu. Sometimes this forces the phone to poll the update server again.
⚠️ Attention: If the manufacturer has officially stopped supporting your model, manually searching for an OTA update will not bring results. In this case, you will have to use third-party methods described below.
Before any manipulations, be sure to back up your contacts and photos to a computer or to the cloud, since the update process can lead to complete deletion of data.
Preparing the device for a manual update
If the official path is closed, the next step will be preparing to manually install the system image. This method requires the presence of a firmware file with the extension .zip, specially compiled for your device model or universal for the processor (which is less common and more dangerous).
A critical condition is the presence of custom recovery (Custom Recovery), such as TWRP or CWM. The standard recovery menu (Stock Recovery) will not allow you to install firmware that is not signed by the manufacturer. Installing recovery is usually done through a computer using the utility fastboot.
You also need to unlock the bootloader (Bootloader). On many devices this is done through the command on the computer command line: fastboot oem unlock. Please note that this procedure is guaranteed to erase all data from the internal memory of the phone.
☑️ Preparing for firmware
Search and download suitable firmware
The most difficult step is to find a working one image Android 5.1 Lollipop exactly for your processor and display model. Using firmware from another device with the same processor often leads to a “brick” (complete inoperability) due to differences in drivers for cameras, modems and sensors.
The main sources of firmware are specialized forums, such as 4PDA or XDA Developers. When searching, use the exact codename of your model (for example, mako for Nexus 4 or hammerhead for Nexus 5). Official firmware from Google for the Nexus line are the most stable.
There are also ports of firmware from other devices (GSI - Generic System Image), but for the architecture of that time they were unstable. It is better to look for a topic where enthusiasts have already adapted CyanogenMod 12 or LineageOS 12.1 to your device.
| Firmware type | Stability | Installation complexity | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official OTA | High | Low | No (usually) |
| Stock via Fastboot | High | Medium | Full |
| Custom (LineageOS) | Medium | High | Polnyy |
| GSI obraz | Nizkaya | Vysokaya | Polnyy |
Gde iskat drayvery?
Drayvery dlya vashego smartfona obychno mozhno nayti na ofitsialnom sayte proizvoditelya v razdele "Podderzhka" ili "Zagruzki". For Nexus devices, drivers are included in the Android SDK Platform Tools.
Installation process via Recovery Mode
After the firmware file has been downloaded and copied to the phone's internal memory (or SD card), you need to reboot into recovery mode. The key combination depends on the model, most often it is Volume Down + Power or Volume Up + Power.
In the menu TWRP First of all, perform a complete data reset (Wipe). Select sections Dalvik / ART Cache, System, Data and Cache. Ne formatiruyte vnutrennyuyu pamyat (Internal Storage), esli na ney lezhit fayl proshivki, inache ustanovka stanet nevozmozhnoy.
Dalee vyberite punkt Install, naydite skachannyy arkhiv s Android 5 i podtverdite ustanovku svaypom. The process may take from 5 to 15 minutes. V eto vremya na ekrane budut otobrazhatsya logi ustanovki.
⚠️ Vnimanie: Esli posle ustanovki sistema ne zagruzhaetsya (zatsiklivaetsya na logotipe), poprobuyte v tom zhe menyu Recovery vypolnit komandu
Wipe Cache / Dalvikeshche raz i perezagruzitsya. If it doesn’t help, you’ll have to look for another firmware version.
Solving problems with drivers and functionality
Often after switching from an old version to a new one, users are faced with the fact that the camera, Wi-Fi or touch screen does not work. Eto proiskhodit iz-za nesovmestimosti starykh drayverov (Blobs) s novoy versiey yadra Linux, na kotoroy baziruetsya Android 5.
V takikh sluchayakh pomogaet pereproshivka modema i radio (esli oni idut otdelnymi faylami) ili ustanovka paketov GApps (Google Apps), corresponding to Android 5.0 version. The package Pico or Nano from the project OpenGApps is the optimal choice for weak devices.
Sometimes manual adjustment of the screen resolution or pixel density (DPI) is required, since the Lollipop interface may look too small on old matrices. This is done through the engineering menu or ADB commands: adb shell wm density 240.
If the phone starts to get very hot or discharges quickly, the new kernel may not correctly control the processor frequencies. In this case, you will need to install applications to control frequencies (Kernel Adiutor), but this requires rights Superuser (Root).
Successful firmware installation is only half the battle. Korrektnaya rabota vsekh moduley (kamera, svyaz) zavisit ot sovmestimosti drayverov, kotorye dolzhny byt vshity v obraz sistemy.
Alternativy: stoit li ovchinka vydelki?
Prezhde chem tratit chasy na poisk proshivok, zadayte sebe vopros: a nuzhno li eto? Android 5.0 vyshel bolee 8 let nazad. Many modern applications (banks, instant messengers) already require a minimum Android 7.0 or 8.0. Perekhod s 4 na 5 mozhet dat lish kosmeticheskie uluchsheniya i neznachitelnyy prirost proizvoditelnosti.
Bolee razumnym resheniem dlya starogo ustroystva mozhet stat ustanovka oblegchennoy sborki LineageOS bolee svezhey versii (naprimer, 14.1 na baze Android 7), esli soobshchestvo razrabotchikov podderzhivaet vashu model. This will open up access to more applications.
However, if the device has less than 1 GB of RAM, any modern OS will run slowly. In this case, it is better to use the phone as a media player, navigator or photo frame, leaving it on the stable version Android 4.4.
⚠️ Attention: Flashing procedures will void the warranty (if it is still valid) and carry the risk of turning the device into an unrepairable “brick”. You perform all actions at your own peril and risk.
What are GApps?
GApps (Google Apps) is a package of Google applications and services that is not included in pure firmware (like LineageOS). Without it, you will not be able to log into the Play Market, use Gmail or synchronize contacts.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to update Android 4.4 to 5.0 without a computer?
Yes, this is possible, but only if you have a pre-installed custom recovery (TWRP/CWM) and downloaded ZIP archive with firmware to the memory card. Without recovery, it is impossible to update the system manually.
Will the update delete all my photos and contacts?
When moving between major versions of Android (from 4 to 5) via Recovery, it is recommended to do a full reset (Wipe Data), which will delete all user data. Be sure to make a backup before you begin.
Why does my phone run slower after updating?
Android 5 uses the new ART runtime, which takes up more space and requires more resources. On older processors, this may lead to lower performance compared to optimized Android 4.
What to do if the phone turns on only at the logo?
Try entering Recovery mode and doing Wipe Cache/Dalvik. If this does not help, the firmware may not be suitable for your model, and you will need to return the stock firmware via Fastboot or Download Mode.
Where can I find the firmware for my specific phone?
Search on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forums in the thread dedicated to your model. Enter the exact model name or code name of the device into the search (for example, "Samsung Galaxy S3 i9300 Android 5").