Upgrade LineageOS on
Google Nexus 6

Basic requirements

1. Read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems due to any missed steps!
2. You actually want to upgrade your device to the newest version - if you wish to downgrade to an earlier version of LineageOS, follow your device’s instructions for installing LineageOS the first time.
3. You are aware of this device’s known quirks

Manually upgrading LineageOS

The updater app does not support upgrades from one version of LineageOS to another, and will block installation to any update for a different version. Upgrading manually requires similar steps to installing LineageOS for the first time.

1. Verify your device is using the latest Lineage Recovery. Simply download the latest recovery file, named recovery.img. Follow your device’s installation guide to see how you can update your recovery image.
   warning

   Important: These instructions may not work if you choose to use a different recovery!
2. Build a LineageOS install package.
3. If you are currently using (or now want to use) an application package add-on such as Google Apps, you have the following options:
   • keep using them: Download the appropriate version now (use the arm architecture)
   • remove them: You can only do so by performing a factory reset, which will also remove all your data.
   • start using them: You can only do so by performing a factory reset, which will also remove all your data. Download the appropriate version now (use the arm architecture)
4. Make sure your computer has working adb. Setup instructions can be found here.
5. Enable USB debugging on your device.
6. Additionally if you are on LineageOS 16.0 or below, open Settings, then “System”, then “Developer Options”, then select “Root Access Options”, and finally “ADB Only”. Now, run adb -d root
7. Reboot into recovery by running adb -d reboot recovery, or by performing the following:
   • With the device powered off, hold Volume Down while booting. Then use the menu to select Recovery.
8. Wipe your data partition (this is usually named “Wipe”, “Format”, or “Factory reset”)
   warning

   Warning: Without this step your device will not boot on the new version!
   warning

   Warning: This step will wipe your personal data and remove any user-installed apps. If these are important to you, then you should back them up before performing the upgrade.
9. Click Advanced, then Enable ADB.
10. Run adb -d reboot sideload.
    warning

    Important: The device may reboot to a blank black screen, fear not, this is a known bug on some recoveries, proceed with the instructions.
11. Run adb -d sideload /path/to/zip (inserting the path to your LineageOS package).
    check

    Tip: Normally, adb will report Total xfer: 1.00x, but in some cases, even if the process succeeds the output will stop at 47% and report adb: failed to read command: Success. In some cases it will report adb: failed to read command: No error or adb: failed to read command: Undefined error: 0 which is also fine.
12. (Optionally): If you want to install any add-ons, click Apply Update, then Apply from ADB, then adb -d sideload /path/to/zip those packages in sequence.
    info_outline

    Note: If you previously had any Google Apps add-on package installed on your device, you must install an updated package before the first boot of Android! If you did not have Google Apps installed, you must wipe the Data partition (or perform a factory reset) to install them.
    info_outline

    Note: Add-ons aren’t signed with LineageOS’s official key, and therefore when they are sideloaded, Lineage Recovery will present a screen that says Signature verification failed, this is expected, please click Continue.
13. Once you have installed everything successfully, click the back arrow in the top left of the screen, then “Reboot system now”.

Get assistance

After you’ve double checked that you followed the steps precisely, didn’t skip any and still have questions or got stuck, feel free to ask on our subreddit or in #LineageOS on Libera.Chat.