Android Nougat: How to Download and Install Right Now

Android Nougat is rolling out to Nexus devices via OTA updates. If you own any of the following devices, you’ll get this update soon: Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, General Mobile GM 4G, Nexus Player, Nexus 9, or Pixel C.

The easiest way to get the update is to wait for it to appear on your phone, or manually check for OTA updates:

How to download Android 7.0 Nougat via OTA update
Over-the-air (OTA) updates are the easiest way to download Android 7.0 Nougat. Please follow the steps below to check if you have received the update.

1. Open set up > about > System update.
2. tap Check for updates.

If the update shows up here, you can download and install Android Nougat on your Nexus device. If it hasn’t appeared yet, it’s best to wait until it does. If you don’t want to wait, keep reading.

(See also: Android 7.0 Nougat is coming: 8 new features you need to know)

How to download Android 7.0 Nougat through the Android Beta program
If the OTA update hasn’t appeared yet, you can try installing Android 7.0 Nougat through the beta program. Through this method, the release version is available for certain devices such as Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 9 (Wi-Fi), and Pixel C.

We strongly recommend that you back up your Android device before attempting to update. For devices without a release version, this method will install a preview version, you may lose data, and the app may stop working properly.

1. Visit g.co/androidbeta on a desktop or mobile browser.
2. Sign in to the Google Account associated with your eligible Nexus device.
3. Scroll down and click Register device. After registering, please go to set up > about > System update.
4. You will now see details about the update, including the build name in the second line. This appears in parentheses after Android N.
5. The release version name for Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Pixel C, and Nexus 9 (Wi-Fi) is NRD90M. If the version name on your device starts with NP, it is a preview version and we recommend that you do not install it.
6. To remove your device from the beta program, visit http://g.co/androidbeta, log in and click Cancel device registration. If you have updated to the release version of Android 7.0 Nougat, unregistering your device will no Remove updates.

How to download and install Android 7.0 Nougat manually
The beta program is currently the easiest way to get Android Nougat, but if you don’t want to do that for some reason, there are other methods you can try. We don’t recommend using this method to install Android 7.0 Nougat, and the refresh process may wipe your data if something goes wrong. If you must do the following, be sure to make a complete backup of all data and do so at your own risk:

1. Install the latest Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool on your PC.
2. This will install the ADB program, which can be accessed through the command terminal on your PC.
3. Follow these steps to add the folder where ADB is installed to your PATH: Right-click my computer and click characteristic. Click Advanced system settings.
4. Click System properties > advanced > environment variables. In the window, select paththen click editthen enter the name of the directory where the SDK is installed, remembering that each entry is separated by a semicolon.
5. Enable USB debugging on your device. First, go to set up > About the phone > Software information. tap Build number seven times.
6. Go to set up > Developer options. Tick USB debugging. Download the correct OTA binary for your device:
   Nexus 6P
   Nexus 5X
   Pixel C
   Nexus 9 (wireless network)
   Nexus player
   At the time of writing, links for other devices are not available; we will update this post when more links become available.
7. Connect the device to the computer via USB and make sure USB debugging is enabled as mentioned above.
8. Through the ADB tool, enter the command terminal and execute the following command: adb restart recovery. Your device is now in recovery mode and users will see the Android logo with a red exclamation mark on the display.
9. Hold the power button and press the volume up key once and you will see a menu. In the menu, select Apply updates from ADB. Remember, the volume keys help you navigate up and down, while the power button makes selections.
10. Run the following command on the ADB tool via PC: adb sideloading (ota file.zip). Please replace “ota file.zip” in the command with the actual name of the OTA file you downloaded.
11. Once the update installation is complete, users should select the option Restart the system now.

This will install Android 7.0 Nougat on your Nexus device. For more tutorials, visit our how-to section.