Flashing a smartphone on Android is a process that can take from a few minutes to a couple of hours. It all depends on the type of operation: it can be a regular update “over the air” (OTA), manual installation of custom firmware via fastboot or a complete reset with reinstallation of the system via Odín (for devices Samsung). Many users are afraid to start the procedure, fearing that the phone will freeze for hours or stop working altogether. In fact, 90% of successful firmware installations take no more than 40-60 minutesif everything is done correctly.

In this article we will analyze the real time frames for different scenarios, what speed depends on, and how to avoid delaying the process. Also, what to do if the firmware is frozen by 30%, and should you panic? The average time for flashing through official tools (for example, Samsung Smart Switch or Xiaomi Mi Flash Tool) is 15-25 minutes, but preparation may take longer than the installation itself.

If you have never flashed a phone yourself, it is important to understand: the time depends not only on the power of the device, but also on your actions. For example, downloading a 3-4 GB firmware file over slow Wi-Fi can take an hour, while the installation itself will take 10 minutes. But manual firmware via ADB Sideload often slows down due to incorrect commands or driver conflicts on the PC.

1. Types of firmware and their duration

Not all firmware is the same. Installation time varies depending on the method, amount of data, and even the smartphone model. Here are the main scenarios:

  • 📱 OTA update (by air): 10-30 minutes. The fastest and safest method, but available only for official updates.
  • 🖥️ Firmware via PC (Odín, Fastboot, Mi Flash Tool): 15-40 minutes. Requires connection to a computer and preliminary preparation.
  • 🔧 Custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience): 30-90 minutes. Longer due to additional steps: unlocking the bootloader, installing TWRP, checking compatibility.
  • 🔄 Recovery via Recovery mode: 20-50 minutes. Includes data reset and system reinstallation.

For example, updating Samsung Galaxy S23 via Smart Switch takes about 20 minutes, while manual flashing of the same device through Odín may take 40 minutes due to file checking and reboots. But installation LineageOS on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro often takes 1.5 hour - it all depends on the user’s experience and the speed of his PC.

Another nuance: first boot after firmware can last 5-15 minutes. This is normal - the system optimizes applications and settings. Some users mistake this for a "freeze" and try to abort the process, which leads to serious errors.

📊 Which firmware method do you use more often?
OTA updates
Firmware via PC
Custom firmware (TWRP)
Never flashed it myself

2. What does the speed of the firmware depend on?

A number of factors influence the installation time. Let's look at the key ones:

Factor Impact on speed Example
Device memory type UFS 3.1 is flashed 2-3 times faster than eMMC 5.1 Samsung Galaxy S22 (UFS 3.1) vs Redmi 9A (eMMC 5.1)
Firmware file size A 2 GB file will install faster than 4.5 GB Official update vs full image with data
Internet speed (for OTA) When 100 Mbit/s download will take 3-5 minutes, at 10 Mbit/s - up to 30 minutes Wi-Fi 6 vs mobile 4G
PC power (for firmware via computer) SSD and 16 GB RAM will speed up unpacking and checking files Laptop with i5 vs office PC with HDD

Particularly critical memory type. Smartphones with UFS 3.0/3.1 (flagships Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi 12/13 series) are flashed in 10-15 minutes, while budget models with eMMC 5.1 can "think" 30-40 minutes at the same stages. This is due to the read/write speed: for UFS 3.1 it reaches 2100 MB/s, and for eMMC 5.1 only 250 MB/s.

Another hidden factor - bootloader version. On some devices (for example, Google Pixel) old versions of the bootloader may conflict with new firmware, which is why the process is slowed down at the verification stage. In such cases, a preliminary update of the bootloader is required via fastboot, which adds 5-10 minutes to the total time.

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Before flashing the firmware via PC, disable the antivirus - it can block firmware files (for example Odín or Mi Flash Tool), slowing down the process.

3. Step-by-step analysis: how long does each stage take?

Let's look at a typical scenario for manual firmware via a PC (for example, Samsung Odín) and calculate the time for each step:

  • 📥 Downloading the firmware: 5-30 minutes (depending on Internet speed and file size).
  • 🔌 Connecting the phone to a PC and installing drivers: 2-10 minutes (may take longer if Windows does not recognize the device).
  • 🔍 Checking firmware files (MD5, integrity): 1-3 minutes.
  • ⚙️ Direct firmware (writing partitions BL, AP, CP, CSC): 10-25 minutes.
  • 🔄 First loading and optimization: 5-15 minutes.

Total: 23-83 minutes. The range is wide, but on average users spend 40-50 minutes from start to finish. The main bottleneck is downloading and installing drivers. For example, drivers for Windows 11 drivers for Samsung or Xiaomi may take longer to install due to digital signature verification.

For OTA updates the picture is simpler:

  1. Downloading an update to your phone: 5-15 minutes.
  2. Preparing for installation (checking the location, backup): 2-5 minutes.
  3. Installation and reboot: 10-20 minutes.

Here it all comes down to the weight of the update. For example, switching from Android 12 to Android 13 to Pixel 6 takes about 1.2 GB —at a Wi-Fi speed of 100 Mbit/s this is 1.5-2 minutes download and 15 minutes for installation.

Charge the phone at least 60%|Download the correct firmware version for your model|Install drivers (Samsung USB Driver, ADB Driver)|Disable screen lock (PIN/pattern)|Make a backup of important data-->

4. Why can firmware take longer?

Sometimes the process takes hours or even freezes. Here are the typical reasons and how to avoid them:

  • 🐢 Slow USB port or cable: Use the original cable and port USB 3.0 (blue connector) on the PC. Old cables USB 2.0 can reduce data transfer speeds by up to 10 times.
  • 📶 Unstable Internet connection (for OTA): If the download is interrupted, the phone will start again. Use Wi-Fi instead of a mobile network.
  • 🔧 Conflict between firmware and bootloader versions: For example, trying to install Android 13 on Pixel 4a with an old bootloader will lead to an error and freeze.
  • 🛑 Activated locking OEM: On some devices (for example, Huawei), you need to manually unlock the bootloader via fastboot oem unlock, otherwise the firmware will not start.

One of the most insidious moments is false freeze. For example, at stage Writing 'system' in Fastboot the progress bar may stop at 47% or 63% for a few minutes. This is normal: the system checks the integrity of the data before writing. Interrupting the process at this moment is a sure way to get a “brick”.

⚠️ Attention: If the firmware through Odín or Fastboot lasts longer 1.5 hours without progress, check:

- If the USB cable is disconnected (try another port).

- If the phone is overheating (remove the case, if any).

- Is the antivirus blocking the process (add the firmware app to the exceptions).

On devices MediaTek (for example, Realme, Oppo) firmware through SP Flash Tool may slow down due to incorrectly selected Scatter file. If you see an error S_FT_ENABLE_DRAM_FAIL, it means that the file is not suitable for your model - you need to download another one.

5. How to speed up firmware: practical tips

Several proven ways to reduce time:

  • ⚡ Use SSD on PC: Unpacking and checking firmware files on the HDD can take 3-4 times longer.
  • 🔌 Connect the phone to the rear USB ports of the system unit: They are usually faster than the front ones, and more stable power supply.
  • 📶 For OTA updates, use 5 GHz Wi-Fi: This network is less susceptible to interference than 2.4 GHz.
  • 🧹 Clear the cache before flashing: In Recovery Mode select Wipe Cache Partition —this will speed up the installation.

If you are flashing via ADB Sideload, add a flag --streaming to command: 

adb sideload update.zip --streaming

This will reduce the load on the phone's memory and speed up the process by 10-15%.

For devices Samsung there is a trick: in Odín uncheck Auto Reboot. This will allow you to manually reboot your phone after flashing the firmware, avoiding unnecessary time waiting for an automatic reboot.

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The fastest way to flash firmware is an OTA update, but it is only available for official versions. Manual methods give more control, but require preparation time.

6. What to do if the firmware is frozen?

Situation: 40 minutes have passed, and the progress bar has not moved from 30%. There is no need to panic - first check:

  • 🔋 Battery level: If it fell below 20%, the phone may have turned off. Connect the charger and try again.
  • 🖥️ PC activity: Open Task Manager —if the firmware process (for example, Odín.exe) does not consume resources, the connection may have been interrupted.
  • 📡 Indicators on the phone: If the green robot is on Android with a spinning indicator, the process is progressing - just slowly.

If more has passed 2 hours without changes:

  1. Disconnect the phone from the PC.
  2. Hold the combination for Recovery Mode (for example, Power + Volume Up for Samsung).
  3. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset and try flashing again.
⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Xiaomi with a locked bootloader), interrupting the firmware can lead to activation Anti-Rollback. In this case, the phone will require official repair.

For Google Pixel and some other devices there is an "emergency" mode FastbootIf the firmware is stuck, do: 

fastboot continue

This command will force the phone to continue the process from the current stage.

What is Anti-Rollback and why is it dangerous?

Anti-Rollback is protection against rolling back to an old firmware version. If you interrupt the process on a device with this feature (for example, many Xiaomi and Redmi after 2019), the phone will lock and require an official unlocking through a service center. Check if your model supports Anti-Rollback before flashing!

Each manufacturer has its own nuances. Here are the average indicators for popular brands (using the example of flagships from 2022-2026):

Brand Firmware method Average time Features
Samsung Odín (PC) 20-35 minutes Requires a driver Samsung USB Driver for Mobile Phones
Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco Mi Flash Tool 25-50 minutes You need to unlock the bootloader (waiting 7 days for new ones accounts)
Google Pixel Fastboot (PC) 15-25 minutes The fastest process among flagships
OnePlus Local Upgrade (via Recovery) 18-30 minutes Supports installation without data loss
Realme/Oppo SP Flash Tool 30-60 minutes Frequent errors due to incorrect Scatter file

For devices Samsung with a processor Exynos (for example, Galaxy S22 for the European market) firmware via Odín goes to 10-15% slowerthan for models on Snapdragon. This is due to the peculiarities of working with memory in chipsets Exynos.

For Xiaomi the stage of unlocking the bootloader is critical. If you've never unlocked it before, you'll have to wait 7 days after linking your account Mi to the device. This rule has been in effect since 2018, and it cannot be circumvented.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices Huawei and Honor (released after 2019) firmware via Fastboot is impossible without an official unlock code, which is issued only through the service center. Check support for your model before starting.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about firmware time

❓ How long does it take to flash firmware via TWRP?

Installing custom firmware via TWRP usually takes 20-40 minutes, but the full process (including backup, wipes and setup) can take 1-1.5 hours. The recording of the system itself takes 5-10 minutes, the rest of the time is spent on:

  • Creating a backup (10-20 minutes).
  • Cleaning partitions (Dalvik, Cache, Data — 5-10 minutes).
  • Installation of GApps (if you need Google services - another 5-15 minutes).

On slow devices (for example, Redmi 4X), the process may take up to 2 hours due to weak processor and memory eMMC 5.0.

❓ Why is the OTA update downloaded quickly, but installation takes a long time?

Downloading depends on the Internet speed, and installation depends on the power of the phone. At the installation stage, the system:

  1. Unpacks the update archive.
  2. Checks the integrity of the files.
  3. Updates each section (system, vendor, boot).
  4. Optimizes applications for the new version of Android.

On weak devices (for example Samsung Galaxy A10) optimization may take 15-20 minutesIf the phone overheats, the process is automatically slowed down to protect components.

❓ Is it possible to use the phone while flashing the firmware?

No! Any interaction during the firmware (clicks, calls, connecting/disconnecting a cable) can interrupt the process and lead to:

  • Data loss.
  • Damage to system files ("soft brick").
  • Complete inoperability of the device ("hard brick") brick").

Exception - OTA updates: they can be downloaded in the background, but at the installation stage the phone will lock itself.

❓ Why does the phone take a long time to turn on after flashing the firmware?

The first startup after firmware is always longer than usual. The system performs:

  • Optimizing applications (dexopt).
  • Configuring new Android services.
  • Checking the integrity of system files.

On flagships (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Dimensity 9000) this takes 3-5 minutes, on budget smartphones - up to 15 minutes. If the screen does not respond longer 20 minutes, an error may have occurred - try rebooting into Recovery and repeat the firmware.

❓ How to check that the firmware was successful?

Signs of successful firmware:

  • The phone booted without errors.
  • In Settings → About phone the new Android version and build number are displayed.
  • All basic functions (calls, Internet, camera) work.

For complete confidence:

  1. Check Settings → System → System update —there should be no updates available there (if you installed the latest version).
  2. Run fastboot getvar all (for devices with an unlocked bootloader) and make sure that the versions bootloader and baseband match the firmware.

If after flashing the phone constantly overheats or discharges quickly, the firmware may not be suitable for your model - return to previous version.