How to return the previous version of Android on Samsung. How to roll back the Android version

There are probably several people who would delve into this issue after they tried to independently return the version of the operating system to the previously installed one. But, if faced with any difficulties, we would decide to read online to figure out what these difficulties might be associated with. And then it turns out that there are many nuances that need to be foreseen in advance.

In addition, from the huge number of foreign names and abbreviations, instead of understanding the process, the information in the head turns into mush. And every sentence you read adds more and more misunderstanding to the overall picture.

Well, let's figure it out together!

Brief educational program

• There is no universal algorithm of actions! This is the first thing you need to know about reverting Android OS to an earlier version. Each brand (and even model!) of device may have its own characteristics
• Reverting the OS version is a process that affects the system kernel. Consequently, manufacturers make sure that only “advanced” users in this matter can get there. Root rights were invented for this. They are intended to give you administrator rights. There are both pros and cons to their use. Before you start doing anything, find out how to get them and what the use of Root rights on your device can promise!
• If you are not scared by everything you read about Root rights and you are also full of confidence to return the Android 4.4 version, then another concept that you need to understand before starting the process is Backup. Speaking in Russian - .

After returning the system, you can easily restore all contacts, applications, settings, and more. The main thing is to choose the right program that will perform Backup on your device as correctly as possible.

How to return Nexus

The developer of the Android operating system and the manufacturer of Nexus devices is one company - Google. Therefore, for Nexus devices, the return process remains as simple as possible and consists of 4 simple steps:

1. Download and install on your device the image of the Android firmware that you need;
2. Run this firmware directly from the device and wait for the installation to complete;
3. Load data from a backup.

How to return everything else

Devices from other manufacturers have their own characteristics when performing a system reset. But despite this, there are still general manipulations.

Typically, to downgrade Android from version 5.0 to version 4.4 or similar, you will need:

1. Required firmware;
2. Program for creating a backup copy;
3. Program for establishing Root rights;
4. Personal computer or laptop;
5. The device (tablet, phone) on which you want to make a return;
6. USB cable.

Firmware

The first thing you need to take care of is, of course, the firmware itself. You need to clearly understand and imagine what you want to see as a result of manipulations with Android. Decide what firmware you want, custom or official? Official firmware can usually be downloaded from the official website of your device manufacturer. Custom - search the forums, compare and choose. It is necessary that the firmware is suitable for your device and is known to be working, that is, tested. To find out, you will have to study more than one forum, read a lot of reviews and ask a bunch of questions. But this must be done, because otherwise you risk saying goodbye to your favorite device!

Backup

The main rule of any gamer or programmer is “SAVE!!!” And in our case, this rule has the same importance.

It has the function of creating a backup copy and saving it to your Google account. But in this case, you can only save contacts. Therefore, it is necessary to acquire the necessary software. And then you can reserve almost everything: contacts, messages, system settings, and information about applications, thanks to which the system will automatically download them from Google Play and install them.

But, whatever one may say, you will again have to make a choice yourself. We will only list the most popular programs today:

• Titanium Backup
• GO Backup
• HTC backup
• Clickfree Mobile Backup.

The backup process looks roughly the same for all devices:

1. Install the memory card into your mobile device;
2. Search, read reviews and download the Backup program you like on your tablet or smartphone;
3. Install it and launch it;
4. In the program settings, mark what you want to reserve. Don't forget to check in your settings if you have enough space to save your backup. This free space needs to be on the memory card;
5. You start the reservation process, wait for it to finish, and remove the card.

Now all the important information is on the flash drive and after returning your Android from version 5.0 to the previous one, it will be restored using the same program.

Root

An additional program is required on your device. You also choose, read reviews, ask questions, compare. Then download and install on your computer.

The process itself

So, you are all ready to start the process. Let us remind you that this process is individual for each device, so we will focus on manipulations that are the same in most cases. We present you the procedure:

1. We do Backup (see above);
2. We put the device into programming mode (may have a different name; see instructions);
3. Connect the device to the computer;
4. Launch the Root program;
5. Launch the downloaded program and select its version;
6. We start the installation process, wait;
7. When finished, it is advisable to reset the settings to factory settings;
8. Reinstall the program you used to make the Backup, insert a memory card with a backup copy, and start the data recovery process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to examine one more concept that you will definitely come across while studying the forums. This is the concept of "brick". A “brick” is a device that, after returning from Lollipop to Kitkat, stopped working altogether. To prevent this from happening to your Android device, you need to approach the matter as carefully as possible and carefully study all aspects. Only after the whole picture of the planned actions is clear and understandable can you be sure of a successful result.

It happens that smartphone users are often dissatisfied with the new version of the operating system for various reasons. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to roll back Android updates by returning the previous version of the system. Any restoration to a previous version means installing the operating system from scratch, in which all files are completely deleted. Let's look at how to roll back the Android version.

Preventing unscheduled updates

To avoid automatic updates on Android, you need to disable the auto-updates function in the settings. Because once the installation procedure starts, it will be impossible to stop it.

To adjust the settings, do the following:

The described algorithm was created using Android 4.4 as an example. These steps will protect you from unexpected downloads of updates, so you don’t have to rack your brains over restoring the original firmware.

A special program will serve as an intermediary in this operation. A common product is Titanium Backup. The utility can work with root rights. Obtaining them is necessary to open access to system documents and archives.

As a result, a Titanium Backup folder will be created on the flash drive, which will contain many files. We advise you to copy the contents to your computer to avoid data loss.

The Odin program helps you remove the firmware on Android and return the old one. Let's say you don't have a backup copy. Then you will have to search the Internet for documents with the desired operating system. The optimal place is the 4PDA site, intended for those who are planning to restore old software. There are many firmwares for smartphones and tablets.

Refund via Titanium Backup

Thus, this program allows you to save copies of data from gadgets and helps to roll back the firmware on Android. Therefore, its use makes it possible to easily downgrade the Android version without searching for files and data.

To roll back the Android update to the factory firmware, just use the smartphone settings.

There are situations when rolling back the device to factory settings is the best solution to the problem that has arisen. You can perform a reset in several ways: through the resettable device itself or using a computer. .

Why reset?

Hard Reset - rolls back the operating system to default values. When you perform a reset, all files and third-party applications are deleted from the device's memory, and all settings return to factory settings. By resetting the system, you will receive a clean device, that is, it will be in the same form as it was in the store.

A reset may be useful in the following situations:

• the device began to freeze due to a large number of installed programs;
• the system began to freeze due to overloaded memory;
• there are a lot of files left in the file system from deleted applications that take up free space;
• the device is for sale, so you need to remove all personal information from it;
• I need to reset my password because it was forgotten.

As a result, it turns out that the reset must be performed when it is necessary to format the device.

How to save data

Since a system reset erases all data (videos, photos, music, pictures, books and other items) from the device, it is strongly recommended that you think about how to save all important information in advance. The easiest way is to transfer all important files to a memory card or computer. When resetting, items stored on the SD card, even if it is inserted into the device, are not deleted, but just in case, it is better to remove the memory card during the operation.

Another way is to create a backup copy in which all files will be stored. After performing the reset, you can restore your system from a previously created backup, and all items and applications will be returned. The positive side of this method is that you will not lose not only files, but also applications. The negative side is that if the reset is carried out in order to clear the device of unused files, then when restoring from a backup, the files that you wanted to get rid of will also be restored.

Copying is carried out using the Google service and only via Wi-Fi, since the amount of information is too large to download via the mobile Internet. Go to your device settings, open the Backup & Reset tab and make sure that the automatic backup feature is enabled. The copy will be linked to your Google account, and you can recover from it after you perform the reset. The device itself will prompt you to use the found copy.

Activating file backup

Reset the device

There are several ways to reset your device. The easiest one is through the system settings.

Through settings

This option can be used if you have access to the system. If you have forgotten your password, or the device freezes at the boot stage, preventing you from logging in, then use the method described below.

Video: how to reset Android

Through the recovery menu

If you have a turned off device, but there is no way to turn it on, then this method will suit you:

Via computer

This method will help you enter the recovery menu if the previous method failed for some reason. Connect the device to the computer using a USB adapter and select “Charge only” in the connection type. Download the archive with the ADB program and unpack it into any folder, the path to which does not contain Russian letters. In the resulting folder, create a file called devices.cmd, where cmd is its extension, and write three commands into it:

• echo off
• adb devices
• pause

Run the created file, a command line will open on the screen with the following commands already written:

• D:\adb>devices.cmd
• adb devices
• List of devices attached
• HT16GV402012 device
• D:\adb>pause
• To continue, press any key...

Done, the program is installed. Now open a command prompt as an administrator and use the adb reboot recovery command in it. Your Android device will automatically be transferred to the recovery menu, and the further steps you need to perform to reset are described above in the “Through the recovery menu” subsection.

What to do if the password is not reset

If you reset your device in order to remove a password from it that you forgot, and after finishing the procedure the system still asks you to enter it, then there are two ways out of this situation. The first is to enter the wrong password five times, a message will appear on the screen stating that the device is locked for 30 seconds, as well as a “Forgot your password?” button. Click on the button that appears, you will be asked to log in to your Google account, which was previously linked to this phone or tablet. If you log into the correct account, you will have the opportunity to reset your existing password.

Reset password via ADB

The second option is to reset your password using ADB. How to install this program is described above in the “Via a computer” subsection. When you are done with the installation, launch a Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following options:

• adb shell
• cd /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases
• sqlite3 settings.db
• update system set value=0 where name=’lock_pattern_autolock’;
• update system set value=0 where name=’lockscreen.lockedoutpermanently’;
• .quit

If these commands do not help, then use the command adb shellrm /data/system/gesture.key or adb shell
rm /data/system/gesture.key.

How to recover data after a reset

It was previously described that in order to save data, you need to create a backup copy of your files in advance or transfer all important elements to another medium. If you did not do this, but at the same time reset the device, then it will most likely not be possible to restore the lost information. But it’s worth a try: get root rights on the device, and download to your computer some program designed to recover deleted files on Android. For example, you can use EASEUS Mobisaver for Android Free.

There are two ways to restore your device to factory settings: through the device settings or the recovery menu. You can enter Recovery Mode both from the device itself and using a computer. Before resetting the system, be sure to transfer all important information to a reliable third-party storage device. .

Often, to solve software problems with the functioning of modern smartphones or tablets, you should perform a Hard Reset (hard reboot) or factory reset of Android. In many cases, this helps to get rid of device freezes due to incorrect operation of some applications, junk system files, viruses, etc.

Is it possible to return the phone to factory settings?

The ability to reset data is supported by any Andriod device, so every owner of this system can do it. Before you return the factory settings to your Android, you should understand that at the same time you will completely lose all data except for those recorded on the memory card. It will no longer be possible to restore their capabilities; a rollback of such actions is impossible. If you decide to reset the device to its factory state, then you will lose:

• phone book entries;
• applications;
• photographs, music, books;
• saved logins and passwords for accounts.

How to reset settings on Android

Before carrying out this procedure, it is strongly recommended to copy important files and information (photos, videos, music) to the computer via a cord. It is better to make a full backup (copy) of the system, so that if the reset is unsuccessful, you can restore the functionality of the device. There are 3 main options for how to return Android to factory settings:

1. through the phone menu;
2. using a combination of buttons;
3. service codes.

Reset in phone settings

The easiest way to reset settings on Android to factory settings is through the gadget menu. To do this, the device must work and be able to go to the main section of the system. For all smartphones running Android 4.0 or older, the procedure is as follows:

1. Go to the main menu.
2. Click on the "Settings" section.
3. Find the "Backup and Reset" section.
4. Scroll down the page and find the “Reset settings” section.
5. The system will inform you that the data will be deleted from the smartphone. Click on the line “Reset phone settings” and confirm the desire to “Erase everything”. The items may vary slightly between different phone models, but the names are always the same.

Using service combinations

This method also requires that the device be turned on and be able to proceed to dial a number. Each manufacturer programs their devices with special combinations that help return them to the factory state. This applies to both global brands (Samsung, HTC, Sony) and Chinese inexpensive models. Codes may change over time, they need to be clarified on the manufacturer’s website, sometimes they can be found in the manual for the smartphone. Below are examples of such combinations for your reference:

• *2767*3855#;
• *#*#7378423#*#*;
• *#*#7780#*#.

Key reset using Recovery

The most radical method of how to reset settings on Android to factory settings is the Recovery menu. This is the best way to return your smartphone to its original state if it freezes on the screensaver with the company logo and does not turn on. Each device model has a standard button combination that switches it to the Recovery menu. Sometimes you have to use recovery if:

1. The phone's stuttering has become too severe;
2. the system does not allow you to delete, move or change anything.

First, you should completely turn off your phone. Wait until the buttons and screen go out. Next, you need to find a suitable combination for your model (the combination for HTC and Samsung will definitely be different). You can use one of the options:

• “volume down” + “turn on” button, also known as “Power” (the most common combination);
• on some LG phones you need to press the keys described above, wait for the logo, release “power on” and then press it again;
• “volume up” + “volume down” + “turn on”
• "Power" + "Home".

Hold one of the combinations until you are transferred to recovery mode to reset the device to its factory state. The menu is controlled using the volume up and down buttons. If the Recovery version is touch-sensitive, then you can reboot in the standard way (by touching the screen). To confirm your choice, press the “Power” or “Context Menu” button. Next, to reset the phone to its initial state, you need.

In the first case, there is nothing much to worry about, since, most likely, the cause of the trouble was a conflict in some applications or widgets, and everything can be corrected by returning to the factory settings. If the smartphone still works, albeit with various “artifacts,” you can also fix this yourself. In the third case, it is unlikely that you will be able to get by with “little loss” and you will have to either restore the smartphone through a computer using special software, or contact a service center or a familiar computer guru who knows how to restore Android after unsuccessful firmware.

How to restore factory firmware on Android

First of all, you need to find it. This will not be difficult to do, since popular manufacturers of mobile gadgets post the latest firmware versions for all models of smartphones and tablets on their official websites. The necessary software and detailed instructions on how to return the factory firmware to Android are often posted there. If there is none, you can easily find it on the Internet by indicating the exact name and model of the device.

Rolling back a “raw” new firmware version to a stable one is the easiest way to fix a smartphone after an unsuccessful upgrade. If, of course, the user has a backup copy made in advance. It should be noted that even Google has recently been insistently recommending making a system backup before each update, and this suggestion should not be neglected. Moreover, all the necessary functionality is included in the firmware, and if you wish, you can also use special programs from Google Play. This will not take much time, but it will protect the user from the loss of valuable data and other problems that may arise if the update is unsuccessful.

Popular utilities for creating backups and restoring Android systems

Titanium Backup

One of the oldest and most popular programs for data backup and recovery. It has very broad functionality, which is both its advantage and disadvantage. The latter is that if you accidentally activate the wrong process, you may not get the desired result or cause even more harm. Therefore, before you restore the firmware on Android using it, you need to find suitable instructions and strictly follow them.

Important note: the program only runs as superuser ().

Easy Backup & Restore

Also a very good option. The capabilities of this utility are even wider than the previous one, since you can copy everything from applications to contacts, bookmarks, calendar events and language layouts on the keyboard. Moreover, the “backup” can be either saved on a smartphone or sent to the “cloud” or to a PC. In general, everything is provided.

How to flash Android through recovery

ClockworkMod Recovery is a “must have” application. It is a much more advanced alternative to the standard utility (recovery), which is included in the operating system by default. If the latter can only clear the cache and perform updates, then ClockworkMod Recovery allows the following:

• edit system components via Android SDK;
• create a full system snapshot and use it as a backup;
• install third-party firmware;
• update hotel system utilities;
• create and edit partitions in the file system.

Download ClockworkMod Recovery for Android

CMR is a popular application, so there are versions for almost all smartphone models. How to flash Android through recovery using ClockworkMod Recovery? The instructions are actually very simple and all the work is done in a few steps: