If you have been looking at the latest updates coming to Nougat-compatible phones with hopeful eyes, forget the official notifications. They aren't coming to your Sony Xperia Z3. But that's the beauty of Android - someone in the dev community will create a custom ROM just for your device. Follow this guide to update Xperia Z3 to Android 7.1.1 Nougat based AOSP custom ROM and start experiencing all the latest features.
Prerequisites to update Xperia Z3 to Android 7.1.1 ROM
- Backup any important data from your Sony Xperia Z3 as a complete wipe will be required during the flashing process.
- Make sure ADB/Fastboot is configured on your PC.
- Sony Xperia Z3 must be rooted with unlocked bootloader and installed with a recovery tool.
- Your device must be charged to at least 60% of power.
How to update Xperia Z3 to Android 7.1.1 ROM AOSP
Required files: download Download AOSP Android 7.1.1 ROM custom firmware for Xperia Z3 and save it on your computer. Extract boot.img file separately.
- Connect your Xperia Z3 to your computer using a USB cable and copy the zip file to your phone memory's root folder.
- Copy the boot.img file to android-sdk-windows\platform-tools directory.
- Switch off your Xperia Z3 and enter Bootloader mode: press and hold the Volume Up button while connecting the phone with a USB cable. Phone LED will turn blue indicating the Bootloader mode.
- Once in the Fastboot mode, on your PC, navigate to android-sdk-windows\platform-tools directory and open Command Prompt with Shift + Right-click > Open Command Prompt.
- Run the following commands:
- fastboot flash boot boot.img - press Enter.
- fastboot reboot - press Enter.
- Enter in the Recovery Mode: switch on the phone while pressing the Volume Up button a few times.
- Wipe data task: from the CWM/TWRP recovery menu, select wipe data / factory reset and confirm the process.
- Also clean cache from wipe cache partition.
- From Recovery menu, select install zip from sdcard followed by choose zip from sdcard. Locate the AOSP Android 7.1.1 custom ROM and confirm the flashing process.
- Once done, return back to main recovery menu and reboot your Xperia Z3 into the new custom ROM.
- First boot may take a good 5 minutes so please be patient.
Don't forget to let us know what you think of this custom firmware.
