Android 13 Arrived: How to Download on Your Pixel Phone

Google’s awkward silence around the August Android update being slightly delayed now makes a lot more sense – Android 13 is here! Google announced that the new version of Android has arrived and will begin showing up on Pixel phones as early as today.

For many of you, Android 13 has been on your still-supported Pixel phone, as you’ve likely enjoyed the newest version of Android through the Android Beta Program. For those who have held out, now is your time to dive into all that is new in Android 13.

Android 13 is available on the Pixel 4 and 4 XL, Pixel 4a and 4a (5G), Pixel 5 and 5a, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a. If you own an older Pixel phone, like the Pixel 3a or Pixel 3, your support ended over the past year.

The first Android 13 downloads

For the Google Pixel phones that are still getting updates, here is the breakdown of the first Android 13 files for your phone.

• Pixel 6a: TP1A.220624.021.A1
• Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro: TP1A.220624.021
• Pixel 5a: TP1A.220624.014
• Pixel 5: TP1A.220624.014
• Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a (5G): TP1A.220624.014
• Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL: TP1A.220624.014

How to download Android 13 on your Pixel phone?

Because Android 13 is official and stable, getting it on your phone will be extremely easy. Unless there are carrier approvals that create slowness, you should be able to simply pull the update to your phone once Google makes it available. You will also have factory image and OTA files to flash, should you want to manually get into it.

Here are the various ways to get Android 13:

Easiest way: If you own one of the Pixel devices I named above, the easiest way to get Android 13 on device is to head into Settings>System>System update and tap the “Check for updates” button. If available, it’ll let you “Download and install.”

Already on an Android 13 Beta build: If you are already on an Android 13 Beta build, you will receive an update over-the-air in the same way I described in the easy method. Simply head into Settings>System>System update. Of course, you can manually flash a factory image or OTA file as well, since the over-the-air process often takes forever to process.

Manual way: Want to get updated faster or would rather flash a factory image or OTA file through adb to feel more techie and important and smart? That’s still an option! I’ll be going the OTA route, but factory images are available too. You’ll find Android 13 factory images here and the OTA files here. For instructions on how to flash a factory image, here you go. For instructions on how to flash an OTA .zip file, here you go.

What about Android 13 on Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, and other phones?

For those who don’t own a Google Pixel phone and want Android 13, you’ll have to wait a bit. Companies like Samsung and OnePlus are already running Android 13 Beta programs of their own and are likely to have stable builds available over the coming weeks and months. They are often the quickest, but Google also announced today that Motorola, Asus, Oppo, Sharp, Sony, Xiaomi, and others are planning to release updates “later this year.”

Time to go enjoy Android 13 if you haven’t yet.

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