How-to-Guides

How to Update LG Q6 to latest firmware

This is the definitive guide on updating LG Q6 to the latest firmware through official, and non-official methods. Officially, you’ll get support for 1 year or more, and during this period, you will receive updates officially. Well, it doesn’t mean that you can’t update after the support. Certainly, you can experience different Android ROMs, new updates, and other user-interfaces. To keep your LG Q6 updated just follow this details, and well explained guidelines.

This guide covers different methods to update this smartphone; how to apply new OTAs, how to manually install new firmware, and how to install custom ROMs like CarbonRom, Experience OS, LineageOS, etc., We are going to discuss advantages, risks, and important pre-requisites involved in each procedure. There will be a time when the manufacturer would stop releasing the updates for this phone. At the time, this tutorial would come handy to you. Use this guide to update your phone with the latest firmware manually.

Updating LG Q6 manually is not that much tough. Though, you need to follow all the steps exactly as we mention here. You must follow all the prerequisites that we gathered there. Once you update your phone, you’ll be able to manage it in a better way, and use it effectively. Moreover, updates bring more functionalities, and improve productivity of the phone. All that makes updating process so important that should always do. No matter, whether you receive it officially, or not, you’ll always have options to update your LG Q6.

We have different methods to update our smartphone. Though, some might take some time, and efforts. Mostly, manual updates take some efforts, and time. And they also include some risks. Though, if you follow the guidelines appropriately, you can easily avoid such problems.

Before you go any further, and update your phone, we recommend you to back up your phone. Backup process takes only few minutes to complete, and it’s totally worth your time, and efforts. Since you’ll have a backup, you can move go further, and update your phone without much worrying about losing data, and firmware. Follow our below backup guides to complete this task:

Now, you’re are ready to go further, and update your LG Q6 to new firmware, and custom ROMs.

In this guide, we have different methods, and we’ll discuss them one-by-one. So, lets begin with the first method that includes official updates.

ota update lg q6

Method 1 : Update through official OTAs

The OTA stands for Over-the-air. This is the official method that most of the manufacturers use to rollout updates to their users. It is offered time to time, and brings major, and minor improvements. They intend to fix bugs, and add supports to new features over the time. However, there are some certain conditions that you should meet in order to receive such updates for the manufacturer.

That includes; your phone’s bootloader should be locked, it’s shouldn’t be rooted, and must be on the stock firmware. If you’re on the custom Rom, you’ll not receive the official updates from LG.

Your LG Q6 should be on the stock firmware. And most importantly, the LG should keep this handset under their update schedules. It happens that manufacturer keep-off some handsets from OTA update schedules. And that would be worse condition.

Though, in that case, you must switch to a custom Rom, since in that way you can update your phone to the latest version of Android, at-least.

Since, flashing an OTA has been an official way, it doesn’t require any program, or utility. You can proceed anytime once OEM rolls-out the updates. To check, and flash fresh OTA updates:

  1. Turn on your phone using the power button.
  2. Now open the Settings icon.
  3. Then, scroll down to About phone, and tap on it, under the General tab.
  4. Under About phone, tap on Update section.
  5. There you should be able to find new updates. Tap on search new updates.
  6. If a new OTA is available, you’ll be prompted to download it, and install it. Just make sure that you’ve a working WiFi connection.
  7. From that point, just follow the on-screen instructions to download, and install the available updates.

This way, you can install an OTA update officially. These updates bring many improvements, improve support, and add new functionalities.

For some reasons, if you’re unable to receive such OTA updates, you can flash it manually. Go through the below guidelines to do it:

Flash OTAs using the recovery mode

This method requires the use of recovery mode, and OTA update file. Go ahead, and download the latest OTA update that has been rolled-out by LG. You can get it through the official website of LG, or use Google to search for that update. And put it to your phone.

lg q6 recovery mode

Once you obtain that update package on your phone, you can flash it manually instead of waiting it to get official for your LG Q6.

We assume that you’ve obtained the update package, just follow the steps to flash it:

  1. Turn off your phone using the power button.
  2. Now, boot into the recovery mode;
    1. Then, press and hold Power and Volume Down buttons together until LG’s logo get appeared on-screen.
    2. Then release the buttons and immediately press and hold Power and Volume Down keys again. You should be now in recovery mode.
  3. Flash update file using ‘apply update from external storage’ flash the update file
  4. Reboot your phone.

That’s it!

Flash update file using ADB commands

Moreover, you can do the same using ADB Tool. That requires a Windows based PC, and a USB cable. Just follow the below guide:

Use the following command to flash the update file:

adb sideload update.zip

This will automatically flash the update file, and there is nothing more you’ve to do! So, that ends our first method that helps flash latest OTA updates on LG Q6 officially. Now, lets’ move to manually cases.


lg up software tool

Method 2: Flash Stock Android Firmware on LG Q6

This method helps to cure LG Q6 by installing the stock firmware (the official one) on it. As it is certain that the user would receive official updates only once it meets the criteria; it shouldn’t be rooted, unlocked, and should run on stock firmware.

If you want to update your phone officially, then it is required that you’ve a stock firmware installed on it. Moreover, if you’ve bricked your phone, or it doesn’t work, you can flash stock firmware on LG Q6 to make it work again.

However, you must know that installing a stock firmware would wipe out your phone completely, and that can’t be undone. It will delete all the stuff that is being stored on your phone’s memory. We recommend you to backup all that important stuff like photos, videos, documents, and programs.

Once it is performance, it wouldn’t possible to get them back.

Prerequisites
  • This method involves wiping out. So, backup your phone before you proceed any further. That includes downloaded files, photos, applications, etc.,
  • This will downgrade your phone to official firmware. Means, if you’re using a custom Rom, and recovery, both will be replaced with the stock ones.
  • You need to Enable the USB debugging to proceed with this method: Tap on Settings->About phone->Tap seven times on Build Number to activate Developer Options. Tap on Settings->Developer Options->Check the USB Debugging option.
  • You need a Windows based computer, and a USB cable to connect your phone.
  • Charge your phone to a good extent.

If you’re followed the above prerequisites, then you’re ready to go further, and install stock Android firmware on your LG Q6 manually:

  1. Turn on your PC, and download the LG UP Software from here. This software helps to flash firmware on LG smartphones. Download this tool, and install it on your PC.
  2. Also download the latest Android firmware .KDZ file for your LG Q6. Use Google to find the latest firmware file, or use official website.
  3. Now, turn off your phone using the power button.
  4. Now press the Hold Volume Up key, and connect the device to PC using the cable while holding the volume Up Key. That will boot your phone into download mode, and then release it.
  5. Now run LG Up software on your PC.
  6. On LG Up software, tap on Upgrade button, Then, load the KDZ file from your computer that you’ve downloaded.
  7. Start the process, and wait till it gets completed.

It will flash the stock firmware on your LG Q6, and soon it will take you to the home screen. There, enter your Google account details to start using the phone.

In this way, you can unbrick your bricked smartphone. Also, it helps to remove all OS related issues. Once you get on official stock firmware, you’ll be eligible to receive further official updates.

In case, the OEM doesn’t release further updates for your LG Q6, then you might want to install a custom Rom. Follow the below method to install a custom Rom on LG Q6.


lg q6 custom roms

Method 3: Flash a custom Rom on LG Q6

There are many advantages of using a custom Rom instead of the stock firmware. Along with updated Android firmware, you get many advanced features, and applications that we won’t get on stock firmware. Additionally, they offer better stability, user interface, performance, and much more.

If you really want to tweak your phone, and improve performance, then you must try a custom Rom. The custom Roms come with many advanced applications, and features that help to customize the phone in a better manner. And indeed they help to improve performance, and usability. Moreover, a custom Rom comes with pre-loaded apps, and are light-weight.

Basically, a custom Rom is third-party operating system, developer, and distributed by third-party developers, and brands. There are vast varieties of custom Roms, having different features, and tweaks. Even, many of them help to improve battery life too. The installation process almost similar like we do while flashing updates using recovery mode. It only takes about 10 minutes to flash a custom Rom. Here are some prerequisites that you must read:

Prerequisites
  • Just like the flashing a stock firmware, installing a custom Rom will delete all the stuff that is being stored in the phone’s memory. And it cannot be undone once performance.
  • Once you install a custom Rom on your LG Q6, you’ll lose the warranty, and not receive further official updates. You should read all the terms, and condition before you proceed further.
  • Also, sometimes it happens that while we install a custom Rom, we might end up having it bricked. At that time, use flash the stock firmware on it to make it work again. Just follow the second method.
  • Charge your phone to a good extent.

You must read all the comments mentioned above thoroughly, and then only proceed further.

Now, you’re ready to go ahead, and install a custom Rom on LG Q6:

  1. Download the custom Rom for LG Q6 from XDA forum here and keep it to your phone’s SD card (memory card).
  2. Now, turn off your phone using the power button.
  3. Then, boot into the recovery mode using below steps:
    1. Press and hold Power and Volume Down buttons together until LG’s logo get appeared on-screen.
    2. Then release the buttons and immediately press and hold Power and Volume Down keys again. You should be now in recovery mode.
  4. Under recovery mode, perform ‘wipe cache/factory reset’ for a clean installation.
  5. Now, select ‘apply update from external storage’. Select the downloaded custom Rom, and flash it.
  6. Similarly, flash the Google apps package (if available with Rom, otherwise skip this step)
  7. Restart your phone.

All done!

You’ve successfully flashed a custom Rom on your LG Q6. Now, enjoy the goodness of a custom Rom on your phone, and it’s features.

Conclusion

These were the three methods that help to keep updated our smartphones. The first two methods are useful until you get support from the manufacturer. If they stop rolling out the updates for your phone, then you it would be good to use a custom Rom. Custom Roms are very much similar to stock Rom, but additionally they offer many enhancements, and improvements to the existing user experience. Also see: the best tricks to speed up the LG Smartphone.

So, you know all the methods to up LG Q6. You should keep your phone updated to the latest firmware. Use this guide update your phone. If you see any issue, put your comments below.

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