With Android 5.0 pushed to AOSP and factory images now appearing, it’s time to turn our attention to the over-the-air (OTA) updates that should soon be winging their way to our devices.
You can of course wait to receive your update in due course, or you can download the update and install it yourself via the sideload method.
Here’s the list of OTA updates – as you can see there’s a good few blanks right now, so we’ll be updating and adding new entries as the download URLs become known. If you find an OTA download that’s not listed here, please send us a tip!
Also note that Telstra Nexus 5s received an update that rendered them a little different to the standard Nexus 5 for the rest of the world – we’ll be trying to get this OTA as well.
- Nexus 4 – KTU84P to LRX21T
- Nexus 5 – KTU84P to LRX21O
- Nexus 5 (Telstra) – KTU84Q to LRX21O
- Nexus 7 (2012) Wifi – KTU84P to LRX21P
- Nexus 7 (2012) 3G – KTU84P to ????
- Nexus 7 (2013) Wifi – KTU84P to LRX21P
- Nexus 7 (2013) LTE – KTU84P to ????
- Nexus 10 – KRU84P to LRX21P
If you have a custom recovery installed you should be fine to flash the update, but if you’re stock as a rock, then here’s some instructions on how to update using an OTA zip:
ADB Sideload
- Download and install the Android SDK – or have ADB executable/binary file available. You can download the Android SDK here. This is especially important with some users getting issues with older Fastboot versions
- Turn on USB Debugging in Settings > Developer Options > USB debugging.
- Connect the phone to your PC through USB and make sure it’s connected. Easiest way to test it’s working is by running the command ‘adb devices’ if it’s connected you’ll see the serial # of the device followed by Device – Something like : ‘022c732d8a4cca82 device’
- Download the update.zip from Google from the links below to your PC for your particular Nexus. Rename the downloaded file to something easy to type – we recommend update.zip.
- Move the zip file into your ‘Platform-Tools’ folder (or, remember its full path for later).
- Enter the command ‘adb reboot bootloader’ and your phone will reboot into the bootloader.
- Press the Volume buttons on your device until you see ‘Recovery’ and use the Power button to select.
- Next your device will boot to a screen with an Android logo with an exclamation mark on it.
- Press Volume Up and Power at the same time to get into stock recovery.
- Using the volume buttons, scroll to ‘apply update from ADB’ and then press the Power button to choose it.
- On your PC in the command prompt window, type ‘adb sideload update.zip’ (if you didn’t move the file, use its full path instead).
- If everything goes according to plan, you should see the file transfer across and your device will start to update.
- Once that finishes, your device will begin to update.
- That should be it, once it completes you should be able to reboot and go from there.
I’ve tried this twice with my KTU84Q on Telstra, bought from Play Store, using the Nexus 5 (Telstra) link. During the install I get “/system/fonts/Roboto-Bolditalic.ttf” has unexpected contents.
E:Error in /tmp/update.zip
(status 7)
Installation aborted.
HI THERE my prob in my N5 is that i already recieved OTA but idelayed in installing the update now i lost those msg it is showing that your system is up to date plz give me some solution for this my built in number KTU84Q
That means it has failed to verify your current system is in the precisely the right state to apply the OTA. This could be because: 1. You have the wrong OTA package. They are specifically for taking one build number to another (on a specific device configuration). 2. You have modified the system partition – eg flashed an apk using a customs recovery (eg root), or modified it using some root method. 3. You have a corrupted system partition – I’ve had this on two different stock Nexus 7 (2012)s – they have notoriously bad flash. That resulted in a… Read more »
Thanks Greg. I definitely haven’t done 2, and 1 seems unlikely as my phone reports itself as KTU84Q (as expected for Telstra), and I’ve downloaded the N5 (Telstra) zip. I’ll have a look at the Nexus Root Toolkit approach of taking it back to stock, though I was hoping for an upgrade that didn’t involve wiping all my data. I wish Telstra would give an ETA on the OTA as if it’s not long I could wait and see if it works first.
A lot of people that have an N5 with a Telstra SIM have borrowed or bought a SIM from another Telco, inserted it and got the update straight away. I’m not sure why Telstra SIM phones are being delayed, could be worth investigating.
I downloaded the Nexus Root Toolkit, used the ‘Flash Stockk + unroot’ funcition with ‘No Wipe Mode’ and ‘Force Flash Mode’ options set. It was very easy and seems to have worked perfectly – I now have Lollipop without losing data. All the apps I’ve tested so far are working as expected and the call quality seems excellent, so I guess the radio driver is ok too. Thank you all for your advice and tips.
I’m with Telstra and i don’t really see an issue?
My phone calls don’t drop out, My 4G works.
I’ve installed the stock N5 Android L image that you can grab from Google.
If you’re having problems, try hard resetting the phone. I don’t trust OTA updates too much. A fresh start will almost always prevail.
Got a Nexus 5 with Telstra, sideloaded the KTU84Q to LRX21O update. Now I’m having significant stability problems with 4G connections. Wishing I had waited.
Guess there is something non-standard with the Telstra 4G network and that’s why we always have to wait a month for a customized release.
Mate I ive tried & tried to tell people about Telstra, go to Android Police & read what AT & T are doing with the nexus 6. You’ll read about what their sim cards do when you put it in.. Why the blokes who run this web site don’t explain the truth to you is beyond me, and enforces what I believe is that someone is in Telstra’s pocket!!!
All my family and friends got their Lollipop update. I am the only one without the OTA upgrade and guess what I am the only with Telstra as well.
I’m with Optus and got my Lollipop update pushed to my Nexus 5 this morning.
No one will get lollipop over the air on a nexus 5 if they put a Telstra sim card in off the bat. I waited 6 weeks for the 4.4.4 update and contacted google who said I should have had it weeks before. I was asked what carrier I was with & I told them Telstra. The contact person said to leave it with her. An hour later she rang me and said to try now & it was there. After a further call I was informed that it WAS Telstra holding up the update. Don’t let anyone tell you… Read more »
Weird, I bought a Nexus 5 from the AU Google Store and dropped a Telstra business SIM in it, and have had no problems thus far with getting timely updates, including 4.4.4. That said, I’ve already got Lollipop OTA for my Nexus 7 (2012) and not for my Nexus 5, though I imagine it will come through on the usual rollout any time now. Will advise when it does, but I wouldn’t think Telstra would screw with OTA updates if the firmware is stock Android and only the SIM is Telstra.
Have a look at your at your build number, if it ends in q you’ll be waiting waiting waiting, no matter if you bought it from the play store. That’s what putting in a Telstra had done to your phone, everyone who has the m build will get it sooner. Its a sad but true fact. I’ll give it another few days then I will go the nexus root toolkit method and bring it back to the m build. I’ve had to do that with every nexus I’ve had (3) and also the original HTC desire on Telstra!
Hi Alex, looks like you’re right and I was wrong. Thanks for the heads-up!
*starts mashing “Check now” button* Still nothing for my N5… hopefully it arrives soon.
got mine @8 this morning and its very smooth on my N5
Nexus 5 OTA update here this morning! Woo! Nexus for the win.
Now if only I hadn’t dropped my lovely Nexus 5 on the driveway and shattered the screen on Saturday morning…
Your not with telstra
Correct. Currently with Virgin (so Optus).
If you sideload the OTA, will future OTA updates come in as normal, or will you always need to manually sideload?
You will get future OTAs if you use the sideload method. You don’t need an unlocked bootloader – it’s essentially identical to how the OTA does it except you download over USB instead of it downloading it from the network.
The issue with OTAs not applying is only if the system image has been changed from stock – usually because you unlocked your device then wrote something on to it (eg root). This isn’t something you can accidentally do.
Anyone in Aus received the update yet? I’ve seen posts around the web today suggesting Goggle is currently pushing the update out to phones worldwide.
We’re seeing people notifying us they’ve received the update as of this morning.
If your with Telstra, good luck if you get it within 6 weeks
Does anyone have network problems after flashing to N5? I got no 4G anymore and the network signal is on and off the whole time…:( I’m using Virgin network
anyone have a legit OTA rather than a side loaded version? just bought my N5 the other day & am hoping the KTU84M version was close.
Well I tried and I got to adb sideload and my device came back up as device not recognised. Thought I had bricked the phone but restarted it and everything is there as it was. Any idea why the device wasn’t showing? It was when I did the adb devices cmd but after it rebooted I got the triangle in the device manager and it couldn’t see it
Success on my Telstra N5. Thanks for the instructions!
Just to add to this, to get step 9 to work on my N5 I had to hold the power switch first then press Vol +. It wouldn’t work any other way.
Need that LRX21T for my Nexus4. Anyone out there who got the Lollipop for Nexus 4?
is this OTA link stable ?
or this too has battery drain issues ?
do i need to be rooted? will this wipe my data?
No root required, this is an OTA update, should not wipe data.
Ota do not wipe anything
I factory-reset-loaded my Nexus 7 (2012), rooted it, and found I had to load the beta version of TitaniumBackup before it believed I’d granted it root access. Wakelock Detector remains rootless, but terminal and busybox are OK. I want the backup app more than I want early Lollipop. I’m going to wait a week or so for these apps and more to catch up, before I upgrade my Nexus 5. Apart from those though, the new look is good. There’s a notification screen to dismiss before I can get to the unlock screen, and the ‘send to’ popup is mostly… Read more »
My installation says the downloaded zip file is unreadable. I’ve tried downloading it a few times. Anyone else getting this? Nexus 7 2012 WiFi.
add .zip to your filename when sending command. eg. adb sideload update.zip.zip
What if I purchased my Nexus 5 outright off Google but use a Telstra sim? Will I have to wait due to having a telstra sim or should I get it sooner as the phone is purchased from Google? Thks
you can just flash it, No thing to do with Telstra Sim
Thanks David. I got it going using the instructions above. First time I’ve ever done this but it is now on and working great!
So what if you’ve updated to Nexus 5 (Telstra) – KTU84Q and NOW, you’ve switched to an Optus or other SIM?
Would we need to use a Telstra SIM again to get the update ?
Hi…just side loaded my nexus 7 2012 with android 5.0…its still downloading the à pps…but one thing I noticed is that my tab is getting hot after this update…
My N9 got hot while loading apps, but calmed down after. Then I returned it to Google because it was a light-leaking creaky bendy POS. But regardless, your tab should be fine after the initial load, I would think.
I’ve unfortunately got the telstra nexus 5 build, anyway I can just flash the new ota or do I need to wait for telstra? They’ll probably take months. Would like a way of upgrading without wiping the phone/ using the factory image.
Nexus root toolkit, look it up.Nexus root toolkit, the best way around Telstra!
So flash the OTA LRX21O build with nexus root toolkit?
There is an OTA update from the telsta build to lollipop. I am waiting for the same OTA. Below is the update you need I believe. Check your about screen for your exact build.
Nexus 5 (Telstra) – KTU84Q to LRX21O
Helpful tutorial thanks for update me ..
Noob question. Does side loading format the device?
Yes your going from 4.4.4 to a new version 5.0
Do you people know what format means?
This is a sideload, not a format.
Sideloading the OTA update won’t, but if you install the factory image it will.
You can flash the factory image without wiping, you need to slightly modify the flash-all script.
Remove the -w from the last like so:
fastboot -w update image-hammerhead-lrx21o.zip
Change to this:
fastboot update image-hammerhead-lrx21o.zip
The w option wipes the userdata and cache, removing it prevents the userdata partition from being erased. From fastboot help:
options:
-w erase userdata and cache (and format
if supported by partition type)
Note that it would be worth wild wiping the cache after this as the w option also wipes cache.
What exactly is changing on the Telstra Nexus 5?
They changed something in the nexus radio. Expect your update in a month or more
nope nothing yet unfortunately
Has any in Australia gotten an OTA update for either Nexus or Moto yet?
I have this little collection of machines, and none of them have been hit yet.
If you have a Telstra sim in, don’t expect an update for a month or more!
OK guessing you mob have a Telstra executive in your ear!