This morning we woke up to the news of the Android 9 Pie update rollout for the Huawei P20 Pro. The question that always follows is, "When will it be available for mine?" Below, we'll try to answer how you can check if yours is up. install and update Android 9 Pie On your Huawei mobile, what update methods are available, how to prepare it so that everything goes well, and what to do if errors appear during or after the process.
The first thing we must tell you is that you have to be aware of a very important detail. Google only forces manufacturersAnd it's one of the requirements for having an Android "license": to provide system updates for two years after the device's launch and security patches for three years. However, preparing an operating system update for Android isn't easy for manufacturers, as they have to pass various compatibility filters, certifications, and internal tests before they can release it to their users so they can install it without problems.
This is one of the reasons why if you have a mobile phone with a brand's interface (EMUI in the case of Huawei) The update takes longer to arrive. This is unlike when you have a pure Android version, such as those with Android One or Google's Pixel models. The manufacturer has to adapt its own layers, proprietary applications, and extra features, which lengthens the rollout timeline.
How to know if my Huawei mobile will update to Android 9
As we said, the manufacturer is obligated to update the devices to the latest versions released during the following two years. Where there's a will, there's a way. The new iterations of Android They are usually released once a year, and it is one of the things that manufacturers play with, since if they release a mobile phone in January, they will only have to update it twice, while if they release it in November, during the same years they will have to face at least three updates.
This is also just on paper, because sometimes they simply don't care about paying the "fine" or facing the commercial consequences and Some models fall by the waysideIt is also true that it cannot be denied that brands sometimes extend the deadlines for their most successful devices and, as long as the hardware allows it, they update devices that may be up to 4 years old, although these are very specific cases.
In addition to the theoretical obligation, Huawei organizes the rollout of its updates in waves and by regionThis means that the same model might receive Android 9 Pie in one country weeks or even months before another. Whether the device is unlocked or carrier-locked, and the serial number or firmware build number, also play a role.
Currently, the list of confirmed phones By brand to install the update to Android 9 Pie are:
- Huawei Mate 9
- Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design
- Huawei Mate 9 Pro
- Huawei P10
- Huawei P10 Plus
- Huawei Nova 3
- Huawei Nova 2S
- Huawei MediaPad M5 (8.4 and 10.8)
- Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro (10.8)
- Huawei Mate 10 Pro
- Huawei Mate 10
- Huawei P20
- Huawei P20 Pro
Obviously, the latest releases, the Huawei Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro, and the recently launched Huawei Mate 20 X in Spain, are not just able to be updated, they already have Android 9 Pie as standard installed.
If your model is not listed here but is within the support period (usually less than two or three years since its original release), the recommendation is Check the updates section regularly of EMUI, since Huawei may extend the list with new devices or evolutionary patches.
How to install the Android 9 Pie update on Huawei
If you have one of the models mentioned above, the good news is that you can try your luck and enter the program Android 9 Pie beta with EMUI 9 (if it's still available for your region and model). This allows you to install the update before anyone else and send feedback to Huawei to iron out bugs before the stable release.
To sign up just follow these steps:
- Access the next link and download the beta app.
- Install said application and register using Huawei's access credentials.
- If your device is compatible and on the list, a EMUI 9 message will appear on the screen.
- Select the option that comes out and proceed with the installation.
- Follow the steps to finish and enjoy Android 9 and EMUI 9 on your phone.
During the update process, whether beta or stable, it is very important not to turn off the deviceDo not remove the SIM card or microSD card and avoid touching advanced options. The system will restart automatically when the Android 9 Pie installation is complete.
How to check for a pending Android update for Huawei
If your phone isn't on the list but is less than two years old, you'll almost certainly receive the update. The problem is, it's impossible to say exactly when, other than to keep an eye on industry news. But you can check periodically Check if there are any updates available for your mobile phone in the Settings app.
To do this, simply follow this path on most Huawei phones with the latest EMUI: Settings> System> Software Update.
You will enter the screen you can see above and the server will automatically check if there is system updates, updates from your carrier, or security updates to install on your device. If there are updates, you can download them via Wi-Fi or mobile data, although it's always recommended to use a stable, high-speed wireless connection.
In previous versions of EMUIThe menu name may vary slightly:
- In EMUI 8.0 and earlier, it usually appears as update system o Updater.
- In EMUI 9 and later, the section is called Software update.
In either case, within this menu you will have a button to Search for updates manually when you want to make sure you don't have anything pending.
Recommendations before updating a Huawei
The best solution to problems updating a Huawei smartphone is often to address them before they arise. This is very important. to be prepared And to know how to properly perform an operating system change, whether you're receiving a new version of Android or simply applying a security patch. Therefore, we must keep these three things in mind before each EMUI update:
- The phone must be Conected to internet Before updating, it's best to connect to a secure and stable Wi-Fi network to avoid using up your data plan, especially if it's a large update. This also ensures the process isn't interrupted by a weak signal, which could damage the operating system.
- You need to have at least one 70% battery Before starting the process, make sure your phone has enough power to complete the installation, even if the process takes longer, as an unexpected shutdown during the update can damage your phone.
- Make one Backup This allows you to have a backup in case of failure, as well as move important files to another device. This will enable you to restore important files such as photos, contacts, and settings, preventing the loss of valuable information. Furthermore, transferring important data to an external device is something you should do regularly.
Additionally, you should consider how you acquired the phone. Whether you bought it unlocked from a store or through a mobile carrier, you'll receive the new software packages one way or another. The worst-case scenario is if you bought it from a phone company with a contract, which could vary the availability of patches update.
Once you know the origin of your smartphone and meet all these requirements, we'll show you the 3 ways to install new software on your smartphone: from the settings themselves from your Huawei, using the brand support app to help users and employment HiSuite, the platform for PC and Mac from the Chinese firm.
Update from settings
The most basic and simplest option to update your phone without any problems (unless the software itself is causing them) is to go to the center of EMUI updatesYou'll find it in your phone's settings, regardless of whether your smartphone uses Google services or not.
- Open the settings app.
- Scroll down and locate the options for Update software.
- Click on the "Check for updates" button.
- If you have one, you'll be encouraged to update your phone right now or overnight.
Of course, if you do it at night, remember to comply with the premises we have previously indicated regarding battery, Wi-Fi and backup.
Update from Support
Formerly known as HiCare, the Huawei Support app It also works on all of the company's devices, regardless of whether they have EMUI 12 or an earlier version. In this case, by updating the smartphone from this section, we will find software packages that would not arrive in the previous way or, at least, not as quickly.
- Open the Support app; if you can't find it, you can use the search function.
- On the lower screen, we select the last icon, "Me".
- Here you will find complete information about your device; you must enter the Settings menu.
- Inside, there is an option to Search for updates.
- Click on it and check if there is any software waiting to be installed.
Update using HiSuite
The third method requires a computer and allows you to update a smartphone of the Chinese brand using Huawei's specific program for this purpose: HiSuiteWhat you'll need is to have the latest version of the program installed on your device, which you can download from the official Huawei website. Once you've done that, your phone should be in the same state as described earlier, meaning with a backup and a good battery level.
Afterwards, you have to Avoid disconnecting the USB cable, turn off or restart the phone, or remove or insert a microSD card while the entire process is in progress.
- Connect your smartphone to your computer.
- Start HiSuite.
- Click on the button update system.
- Once a new version is found, update your phone.
When the updateThe phone will automatically restart with the new Android version or security patch applied.
Update errors in Huawei
Normally, if you've followed the steps outlined above precisely, the smartphone should complete the installation, turn off, restart, and display a message indicating that the phone has been successfully installed, along with the patch notes or the new software. However, when the process fails, There's no need to start trembling.
Faced with all the processes that stop the update on our Huawei mobile, we encounter a message or notification that tells us alert that something has gone wrongFor each of them we have a solution that we must follow to try to resolve the situation we find ourselves in.
If that doesn't solve the problem, we'll have to try the remaining patches that might allow us to successfully complete the EMUI update, or even resort to recovery methods such as eRecovery or system repair using HiSuite when the failure is more serious.
The update cannot be downloaded
Perhaps the easiest error to fix when downloading an update, and also one of the most common. If you see a message that tells you that The installation cannot be carried out of said update, it will almost always be related to the available storage from your device, which does not allow the package to be downloaded.
Therefore, you will need to go to your Huawei's storage settings and, once there, go deleting files, apps or data that you no longer want to use or that won't be useful to you. Then try downloading the update again.
If you've left enough space and it still won't install the update, it could be a problem with faulty internal memory or a deeper software error, in which case you should ideally go to the technical service or try a repair with HiSuite.
Critical error when starting the device
This is one of the software problems that appears after an update is applied incorrectly, whether due to a corrupted file, because the phone turned off during the process, or for any other unknown reason. delicate situation which can make us try the same steps again, sometimes successfully and other times continually dragging along the failure.
We ourselves encountered the 'Unable to download software' error on a P40 Pro with EMUI 12. The download would stop at 99%. The solution It was the following:
- We freed up 4 GB of storage by deleting old videos.
- We access the recovery mode of the system by pressing the volume up and power keys simultaneously during device startup.
- In the menu that appears on the screen, we navigate using the volume keys and confirm with the power button.
- We'll have to do the same with the button Download latest versionThis will clear the device's cache and download the update via Wi-Fi.
- We restarted the device and connected to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network.
Result: The download was completed successfully and the update was installed in a few minutes.
If this persists, enter safe mode Press and hold the power button on the screen after the classic menu appears. Then locate the most recently installed apps on your phone that might be causing the problem, delete them completely, and proceed with the update again.
Unable to download the software
Another critical situation preventing us from completing the process occurs when downloading the file that will grant us access to the new features. During the download process, an error message appears indicating that the The update package has not been verified. Despite reaching 100%. This is because an error occurred during the download due to a possible network instability or corrupted data in the cache.
In order to solve itWhat we will do is:
- Access the Settings app.
- Go to the Applications menu.
- Choose Update software.
- Go into the Storage options.
- Click on empty cache and in Delete data.
After We need to restart the phone and try again to see if the process shows errors again or works as it should.
If it still doesn't work, reset your phone to factory settings and try again, which we will do from:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down to the bottom, to the System options.
- Choosing Factory data reset.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
Please note that this operation will delete photos and files, so you need to save a backup back up your data to an external device or the cloud before resetting.
The phone does not complete the installation
The error appears just when our mobile phone finishes downloading and begins installation, since the process stops and removes the changes made up to that point. This could be because the update you're trying to install isn't the latest or was downloaded incorrectly.
In this case, all you need to do is make sure the process was done correctly. To do this, we need to go to the manual methodwhich is done in the following way:
- Go into Settings.
- Select the option Update software.
- Enter the Software Update menu.
- Tap on the 3-dot icon to Download the latest update package and proceed to install it manually by simply tapping on the file from the administrator.
This will allow us search for the latest version of the operating system for our phone, removing the previous trace that is causing the failure.
The update is not progressing.
When downloading a file, it's very common for the download to stall, leaving you stuck in an endless wait. The first thing you should try is... reboot the device Try again later to make sure the Wi-Fi network is working properly.
If that doesn't work, you'll need to reset the network and configure Wi-Fi again. You can do this as follows:
- Settings app.
- Walk into System and updates.
- Select the options Reinstatement.
- Click on Reset network settings.
OTA failed
If the process is interrupted at 90% progress and an error screen suddenly appears, it is because of the changes we have tried to apply. they do not correspond to the firmware of our model. It usually happens when we have tried to manually flash the phone to a different version of EMUI using tools like HiCare or unofficial ROMs.
In this case, the solution is a bit more complex and requires a computer, similar to what we did earlier with HiSuite. If you chose the wrong ROM, you'll have to repeat the process with a version specific to your exact model. If your intention was take the smartphone to a new versionThe best way to do this is through Huawei's own Support app, which has an advanced and secure update search engine.
The update does not appear
If you've checked our website or Huawei's social media channels and know that your phone model has a pending update, but you can't find it on your device, It doesn't mean the smartphone is broken.
The problem is that updates can take longer than usual to reach some phones because they depend not only on the manufacturer, but also on the... telephone operators and by region. In this case, you have no option but to wait for the software package to be released for your serial number. It usually doesn't take too long, but the rollout time is never the same for all users.
Problems after updating
All the mistakes we just reviewed make an appearance during the mobile updateHowever, if these problems don't occur while trying to update the phone, but instead appear after completing the update, we will have to remedy the situation using various methods depending on the circumstances.
- Find a new version In case the new software has already been checked and repaired without us having to do anything further. To do this, you should follow the steps we have indicated in the previous lines.
- If there isn't a later version, many minor bugs are initial errors that are fixed in days or weeks, so only you must wait to a new patch.
- Faced with serious problems we will have to reset our Huawei Deleting all files with a factory reset to have a clean system, as we have indicated before and making a backup beforehand.
There is a more extreme solution, which is Back to the previous version of the operating system using HiSuite, Huawei's PC software. There, on some models, you can download a previous firmware version and downgrade if the latest update has left your phone unstable.
I installed it, but I keep seeing errors
After installing the update on our Huawei phone, it will be time to test the new features it brings. By checking all the functions and how they integrate with our usual phone usage, we can... realizing that something is wrong.
It's very difficult to find a version that It doesn't cause any problems. However small it may be. That's why developers constantly strive to release new versions of their operating systems to fix bugs and refine the user experience.
This is where the importance of always keeping updated our mobile phone, of course when we are allowed and have the storage and compatibility capabilities. Before installing each new version, EMUI will display a list of fixes and improvementswhich allows you to assess whether it solves problems that you also experience.
If the errors are very annoying and you don't want to wait for Huawei to fix them, on some models you can perform a downgrade using HiSuite and revert to the previous version where everything worked correctly, knowing that, in the medium term, it will be advisable to upgrade back to the latest stable version.
Prepare your mobile for the update
One of the things you have to do before updating any mobile phoneThis includes, of course, these Huawei models, carrying out certain processes so that when the update arrives, everything is ready to install it correctly.
In this case we are referring to actions such as the fact of free up space on your phone Mobile so that the installation doesn't encounter storage limitations. Many updates download multi-gigabyte packages and require even more temporary space to decompress and install files.
Similarly, you have the possibility of carrying out a complete phone cleaning The goal is to ensure that, when you update, there are no errors inherited from the previous system. Clearing caches, uninstalling unused apps, and checking permissions helps the new version run more smoothly.
Can the update remove Google services?
One of the main problems Huawei has faced in recent years is related to the google services And the veto prohibiting the Chinese brand from using any functionality from the American giant in recent models. This can influence purchasing decisions and also raises concerns about upgrades.
La Huawei's official policy EMUI updates do not affect the status of Google Services (GMS) on your device. If your phone came with GMS pre-installed, it should remain after the update. However, if you manually installed it on an uncertified model, the results may be unpredictable, and in some cases, it might stop working correctly.
If after updating the Google services apps do not appear and you cannot use them, there are alternative procedures To get these apps back, although there are risks involved. Google officially warns that manually installing its services on uncertified devices can... compromise security of your device and your data.
Before resorting to these methodsCarefully consider whether it's worth it compared to using official Huawei alternatives like AppGallery and HMS.
Questions about Huawei updates
Why isn't the EMUI update showing up on my Huawei?
EMUI updates are distributed in batches and may depend on the serial number, country and type of purchase The mobile phone (unlocked or carrier-operated) also plays a role. Servers in your region and Huawei's internal calendar also affect performance.
Is it safe to update a Huawei device with Google services installed?
Yes, on certified models the update shouldn't be required. remove Google services already installed. If they disappear or fail on an uncertified model, you will usually have to resort to alternative methods or use official Huawei apps.
What should I do before updating my phone?
You must connect your mobile phone to a stable Wi-Fi network, have at least 70% battery and have a backup of all important data in case there are problems during the installation process.
Checking if your Huawei can receive Android 9 Pie, knowing how to force a search for new versions, using the different update methods (OTA, Support, HiSuite), and knowing the solutions to the most frequent errors will allow you to keep your mobile phone always up to date, with better security, more features, and the best possible performance within your device's hardware.