How to determine the Android firmware version. How to find out the firmware version in Android and why it is needed How to check what firmware is installed on your smartphone
Android phones and tablets are not always used latest version OS. It can be useful to know which version Android firmware installed on your device. This information may be required if you need to check the availability of a feature.
Android firmware version is not the only information that is often searched for. The device name, manufacturer, and operator also affect what version of software is installed on your device. Even the Linux kernel version and the "Android security version" are important.
How to find out what version of Android firmware and security system is installed
This information is available on the screen Android settings. Regardless installed version Android and regardless of device settings, you can view information about the firmware version in this way.
Open the applications menu - a list of all applications installed on your device. This is almost always a button located centrally at the bottom of the home screen.
Find the app called Settings. Click on the icon of this application to get to the Android settings.
Scroll down the list and find About Phone or About Tablet. Usually, this setting is at the very bottom of the list.
The “Android Version” item indicates which version of the OS you have installed. Only the version is displayed here, without the code word. For example, "Android 4.1.1" rather than "Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean". Below is a list of Android versions, as well as their code names:
- Android 7.0: Nougat
- Android 6.0: Marshmallow
- Android 5.0 – 5.1.1: Lollipop
- Android 4.4 – 4.4.4: Kit Kat
- Android 4.1 – 4.3.1: Jelly Bean
- Android 4.0 – 4.0.4: Ice Cream Sandwich
- Android 3.0 – 3.2.6: Honeycomb
- Android 2.3 – 2.3.7: Gingerbread
- Android 2.2 – 2.2.3: Froyo
- Android 2.0 – 2.1: Eclair
- Android 1.6: Donut
- Android 1.5: Cupcake
Other fields are also important. For example, the “Model” field indicates the name of your device. “Build Number” and “Kernel Version” contain the exact information about the Android build. Typically these fields are used to find out if your device has the latest security patches. In Android 6.0, Google added an "Android security version" field that shows when the Latest updates security systems.
As a bonus, you can click on “Android Version” several times to open the so-called “
The exact version of Android you are using is not the only one important information. If you would like help for specific device, its manufacturer is also important.
Microsoft doesn't allow PC makers to change the Start menu, taskbar, or control panel, but Google allows Android makers to change almost anything they want. Various devices from the same manufacturer will have a different interface, so knowing the exact name of the device you are using, as well as its manufacturer, is important when you are looking for information or even custom firmware for a specific device.
But first of all, you need to take a closer look at the concept of firmware itself. Some users don't know what it is, so they often have problems updating the firmware, for example. That is, they don’t even understand that they need to update. However, if you consider yourself knowledgeable on this issue, you can skip this block and proceed to the main steps in the next one. Read how to find out the firmware version on Android.
So, for the rest of the readers, we will lift the veil of the unknown. The firmware version is nothing more than the installed version. For example, you have Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which means version number 6.0 is installed. See how simple it all turned out to be? Some people talk about the OS version, while others refer to it as the firmware version. This does not change the essence, so we can say that these are synonymous words. They both mean built-in software, which controls settings, parameters and general work devices.
It is worth noting that in addition to official firmware There are custom ones that are created by third-party developers. They differ in settings, appearance and design, as well as a set of individual utilities and functions. Such versions cannot be updated in an official way, but you must wait until its creator releases an update and instructions for it.
How to find out the Android version?
As noted earlier, there are several ways to find out which . We will look at each of them in detail so that you can choose the most convenient and suitable for you. Go:
How can obtaining such information help? Why do people try to find out? Android version? Let's figure out when there is a need for this:
- For example, if you want from a store Google Play Market. On the page of the program or game it will be separately noted which version of the OS this application can work with. Then you can compare yours and the required one, and then download the product;
- Users are recommended to keep the software version up to date, that is, on the latest released firmware. You can go to the tablet manufacturer's page and check which update is the latest for your device. Compare it with the version installed on your tablet and update your device if necessary;
- If you gave your device for flashing, and when you received it you received a poorly working device, then you need to see what version it is now. If it is higher than what was last provided by the manufacturer, it means that you have installed the wrong software. It is not officially supported by the device, therefore, problems and failures may occur during its operation.
Results
Friends, today we have expanded our knowledge: now you know how to view and determine the Android version. For this we have identified two possible ways, with which you can perform this operation. We also reviewed recommendations for using the information received. We hope you were able to determine the relevance operating system your tablet. Tell us in the comments which version
Reading time: 8 minutes. Views 14.9k. Published 07/08/2019
Purchased new phone Xiaomi from Aliexpress or any other store from the Middle Kingdom? Quite satisfied with the quality, but can’t find the Russian language in the settings? Don’t understand why all the inscriptions are depicted in hieroglyphs? Most likely, you have come across a smartphone with a Chinese shell China ROM. This happens quite often, so the user needs to know how to distinguish the global Xiaomi firmware from Chinese.
Navigation
MIUI firmware is a great combination of comfort, simplicity and versatility. But, unfortunately, its main disadvantage for beginners is its confusion.
The user hears dozens of different names and versions, not understanding which one is right for him. So we'll figure it out.
China ROM
This is the MIUI version, intended exclusively for the domestic Chinese market. It is installed on phones that will be sold in China. Moreover, new Xiaomi products operate first on China ROM. If you want to be one of the first to buy a cool smartphone and order it from AliExpress, be prepared to reflash it yourself.
And only a few months after release Chinese firmware Global ROM appears, which we will discuss below. Why is China not suitable for us?
- This firmware does not have multilingual capabilities.. Living in any European country, you will not be able to set your native language on your phone. Only Chinese and English are available.
- Chinese services available. Such as local location service, browsers with limited access to some services (Great Chinese Internet Wall), “dialers” that do not recognize Russian operators. At best, such programs will be simply useless, and at worst, they will refuse to work at all and slow down the operating system.
- No Google services. Agree that it is difficult for an Android user to do without the Google Play store, Gmail, Chrome, etc. When purchasing a device with a Chinese shell, be prepared to install the necessary utilities yourself.
But there is also an advantage - a lower price. Such smartphones are an order of magnitude cheaper than phones with a global version, while all the characteristics, of course, are identical.
Global ROM
| website | China Stable | China Dev | Global Stable | Global Dev |
| Google Services | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Changing the font | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Music player | Online and regular | Online and regular | Regular only | Regular only |
| Themes | Some are paid | Some are paid | All free | All free |
| Theme availability | All | All | Global only | Global only |
| Updates | Once a month | Once a week | Once every two months | Once a week |
| Language support | Only Chinese and English | More than 50 languages | More than 50 languages | |
| Chance to catch a bug | Short | High | Short | High |
| ROOT access | No | Built-in | No | No |
| website | China Stable | China Dev | Global Stable | Global Dev |
But this one is already international version firmware released outside of China. It is the global firmware that is suitable for European users because:
- Multilingual. Almost all languages are supported, including Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, etc.
- Availability of Google services. You don’t have to implement Google Play yourself and endure constant slowdowns in its operation.
- There are no inscriptions in Chinese, sections, settings and menus are perfectly translated. Also missing unnecessary programs from the Middle Kingdom.
What to do if your phone has unofficial firmware installed
After looking at the firmware version, some owners Xiaomi phones They are horrified that their version is Vietnamese, or they have installed a terribly low-quality custom. What to do?
- If you just purchased a phone and find such a problem, immediately contact the store with presentations. No seller has the right to offer you a self-made smartphone at the price of the original! Does the store tell you that they simply received such a shipment and are not aware of the counterfeit? Then ask for the contact information of the supplier company.
- Did you buy the device not from a local store, but from a Chinese or regional Internet service? Here, unfortunately, complaints are unlikely to help, since you simply will not be able to reach the seller by phone after receiving the parcel.
In the future, avoid purchasing from unknown sources, and on AliExpress choose only trusted sellers with big amount positive feedback.
You can check the originality of your phone by using.
Answers to popular questions
My smartphone runs on MIUI from Xiaomi EU. Is it worth switching to the global official version?
If you are completely satisfied with the current version, you can continue to use it without any problems. The main thing to pay attention to is the following parameters: are there frequent slowdowns, crashes, or crashes of the operating system? Are there updates coming? Are you satisfied with energy saving? If the answer is yes, the firmware is of high quality.
I have a Chinese version of my smartphone, can I upgrade to global firmware?
Just recently, Xiaomi approved a new rule: flashing from China to an international shell and back is prohibited, otherwise you will get a brick.
As you can see, it is quite easy to distinguish global firmware from Chinese firmware on Xiaomi. All you need is a little time and care. Follow our instructions and everything will work out.
If you have recently used a push-button mobile phone, then you may not even suspect that modern smartphones supplied with different operating systems. And we're not even talking about the fact that it can be not only Android, but also Windows Phone, OS, as well as the well-known iOS. Even the versions of operating systems differ on different smartphones! Therefore, in today’s article we will talk about how to find out the Android version, as well as the meaning of updates.
Why is the latest version of the operating system so important?
Many novice smartphone users do not pay any attention to the version of the installed operating system. They take from their hands a device that operates under Android control 4.2, after which they are surprised by the instability of operation and the small number of supported applications.
Depending on the version of the mobile operating system, the functionality of the device varies. The “five” and “six” have so many different settings and capabilities that it’s difficult to come up with something new. It should also be noted that many utilities and games are developed with an eye toward latest versions Android. And if your device has an old version of the operating system, then some games and programs may not even start. And even if they work, it will be with interruptions and unexpected crashes. Only old applications that were originally designed for your version of the operating system will function stably.
Learn more about the main differences different versions We'll talk about Android next time. In the meantime, you should understand how to find out the Android version on a tablet or smartphone. Let’s say right away that the mentioned method works on all devices, regardless of their type and the installed proprietary shell.
The only and easiest way
Step 1. First you need to get into " Settings" The corresponding icon can be found in the menu, and sometimes on the desktop.
Note: button " Settings" is often also available in the notification panel if you pull it out completely.
Step 2. Scroll down the list and click on " About the phone».
Step 3. Review the information displayed. It is possible that you will see the firmware and OS version here.
Step 4. On some devices you need to go to an additional subsection. For example, in devices it has the name “ Software details».
Google introduces an interesting Easter egg into each version of its operating system. To view it, quickly click about ten times on the Android version. As a result, you will see an image of one or another delicacy, which corresponds to the name of this version. And sometimes you can even get into a mini-game this way - in particular, it is available in Android 6.0.
This is how you can easily find out the Android version on your phone. Often this section contains information about the kernel version, security level, build number and other software parameters. But all this is required only by professionals who know much more about all this compared to ordinary users.