Skip the Wait & Update to Android Oreo

How to Skip the Wait and Update to Android Oreo on Your Pixel or Nexus Now

by Whitson Gordon

Android Oreo is here, but it’s rolling out to Pixel and Nexus devices slowly. If you still haven’t gotten the upgrade notification, here’s a little trick to upgrade sooner.

My Pixel hadn’t gotten the update notification today, but after performing these simple steps, I’m up and running Android 8.0 with no hassle. You don’t even need an unlocked bootloader.

It turns out, users enrolled in the Android Beta program are getting priority with this update. If you aren’t in the beta program, though, you can enroll now–and if the update has started to roll out for your device, you’ll get the final version of Oreo right away. When it’s done installing, you can just unenroll from the beta program without any consequences.

This only works for Google devices that are currently slated to get the Oreo update right now. In addition, it won’t work just yet for some devices–Google usually starts rolling out to some devices before others, so if it doesn’t work right away, try again later or in a few days.

Step One: Enroll in the Android Beta Program

This could not be simpler. First, head to this page in a web browser. If you’re logged into your Google account, you should see eligible devices in a list further down the page. Just click the “Enroll Device” button to enroll in the beta.

NOTE: The page claims your data will be wiped when you opt out, but as long as you’re downloading a final build and not a preview build, you’ll be fine–your device won’t be wiped. But we still recommend making a backup of your important data first, just in case.

Step Two: Download and Install the Update

You should soon see an update notification on your phone (mine came almost immediately). Tap it, and you’ll get more information about the update.

IMPORTANT: Make sure the page doesn’t say “beta” anywhere on it. If the page says “Oreo”, you know you’re getting the final version. If it says “O” or “beta” anywhere, that means the update is a preview build—so do not tap the Download button. Try again later to see if you get the final build. (Or sideload the final image yourself.)

Give your phone time to download and install the update, and soon you should be running Android Oreo, fresh from Google’s official update mechanism.

Step Three: Unenroll in the Beta Program

Now that you have the update, head back to the beta enrollment page and click the “Unenroll Device” button for your phone. Now that you have the update, you don’t need the beta program anymore (unless you want to keep it). Again, the page warns that your device will be wiped, but as long as you installed a final build and not a preview build, your device should be fine.

That’s it! Enjoy all the new features of Android Oreo, and go brag to all your friends that you got the update first.