Google just released the first developer preview of Android 12, and it gives us a small glimpse into the OS’s future. Unlike the last few Android versions, Android 12 is jam-packed with new features, including a new system-wide theming system, new notification shade interface, one-handed mode, support for drag-and-drop text, and clipboard contents, alongside a dozen changes under the hood.
One of the key features of Android 12 is Project Mainline. It allows Google to push critical Android updates on every device via the Play Store. Users won’t have to rely on the phone manufacturers anymore for a full system update.
So far, Android 12 is looking more polished than ever before, and the Developer Preview gives you an excuse to try it out early. Luckily, the flashing process is relatively straightforward, which we will go through in this guide.
Phones that currently support Android 12 DP1
At the time of writing, only nine phones support the first Android 12 Developer Preview build, and all of them are from Google.
- Pixel 3 / 3 XL
- Pixel 3a / 3a XL
- Pixel 4 / 4 XL
- Pixel 4a / 4a 5G
- Pixel 5
Guide to install Android 12 DP1 using the Android Flash Tool
If you happen to have one of the following devices, you can install Android 12 DP1 using the web-based Android Flash Tool Google released last year. Here’s how the whole process goes:
- First, visit flash.android.com from a new browser tab on your PC (preferably Chrome or other Chromium-powered browsers).
- Click the Get Started button, then download and install the Android USB Driver if asked.
- Allow the site access to ADB so that it can communicate with your device. A browser prompt will notify you about it.
- After that, go to Settings > About phone on your phone, scroll to the bottom, and tap the Build number repeatedly to enable Developer Mode.
- Head over to the System page from the main Settings screen, expand the Advanced options, and tap Developer options.
- Next, turn on USB Debugging from the “Debugging” section.
- Enable OEM Unlocking from the same Developer options page.
- Now connect your phone to your PC using a USB cable, then select it from the pop-up in the Android Flash Tool website.
- Finally, go through the on-screen prompts to install the Android 12 DP1 on your device.
Do not close the browser window or disconnect your phone while the flashing process is ongoing. Otherwise, it might brick the device to an unrecoverable state.
It’s also worth mentioning that all your data will be wiped during the process, so make sure to back up your important stuff before you plan to install Android 12 on your phone.
Guide to flash the Android 12 DP1 OTA image
If you wish to give the first Android 12 Developer Preview a try on your Pixel device but don’t want to lose your data, we recommend sideloading the Android 12 DP1 OTA image.
What it does is install Android 12 over the current Android 11 build without wiping any of your personal data. However, make sure you have the most recent updates installed. You can check for them from Settings > About phone > System updates. The rest of the process is described below.
1. Download the OTA file
To get started, go to the Android 12 OTA images website from your PC and scroll down to the “Device OTA Images” section. After that, click the download link for the OTA image that corresponds to your Pixel device.
2. Download and extract the Platform Tools zip file
In order to sideload the Android 12 DP1 image on your phone, you need to run a few high-level commands from your PC with Google’s Platform Tools software suite. It comes in a portable zip file that works with three major operating systems: Windows, Linux, and macOS. Here are the direct download links:
Once you have it downloaded, extract the platform-tools zip file to your desktop. Windows comes with a built-in zip extractor, but macOS users may need to install The Unarchiver from the Mac App Store.
3. Open a CMD or Terminal window
Now that you have access to the Platform Tools, open a command window that works out of the extracted folder. To do that on Windows, press the Windows key on your keyboard, type “cmd” in the search, and hit the Enter key. If you are on Linux or macOS, you need to open the Terminal app.
After that, type “cd” (without the quotes) and add a space in the command prompt, then drag the extracted platform-tools folder from your desktop and drop it inside the command window. Once the folder’s path is copied to the command, hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
4. Boot your phone into recovery mode
Sideloading the Android 12 DP1 build to your Pixel phone requires you to first boot into Fastboot mode and access the recovery menu. To do that, start by powering off your phone. You then need to press and hold down the Power and Volume Down button for a couple of seconds to enter Fastboot mode.
In the following menu, cycle through the options by pressing the Volume Down button until you see Recovery Mode. With the option highlighted, simply press the Power button to boot into recovery.
Provided that you perform the steps correctly, you should see a screen with a broken Android mascot and a text that reads “No command.”
5. Sideload the Android 12 DP1 OTA image
Once you are in the recovery menu, navigate to the “Apply update from ADB” option using the Volume Up or Down button, then press the Power button to select it.
Now, connect your Pixel to your PC using a compatible USB cable. In the prompt window that you opened earlier, enter “adb sideload” (again, without the quotes) and add a single space. After that, drag the Android 12 OTA zip you downloaded before and drop it in the command window.
When the entire command line reads “adb sideload <folder path>,” hit the Enter key. The flashing process will begin immediately and will take several minutes to finish. Make sure to keep your device connected and your PC powered on until it’s done.
If the above command returns you an error, add a period and slash to the front of the command like this: ./adb sideload <folder path>, and try again.
Once the flashing process completes, your phone will go back to recovery mode again. Use the volume buttons to navigate to the Reboot system now option and confirm it by pressing the Power button. When it boots you to the system, you will be running the Android 12 DP1 build without losing any data!
What’s in the future for Android 12?
Google’s roadmap suggests the final version of Android 12 will land for the Pixel devices in August 2021, so there’s still plenty of work to be done. We will probably get to see two or three more Developer Previews and an open beta for the public throughout the summer. Unlike the first Developer Preview, the next versions will most likely provide a stable experience and more new features to explore.
Note that the Android 12 DP1 build has a lot of bugs and outright broken features that make it non-optimal for daily usage. Thus, you shouldn’t install it on your primary device unless you are willing to take the risk.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.