Step 1 of 5: How to update Android smartphone or tablet: Check Android is up to date
You can force your Android phone or tablet to search for an update from the Settings menu on your device, but you should note that just because a newer version of Android exists it doesn’t mean it will be available for your device – now or ever. In this article we’ll guide you step-by-step through how to update your Android phone or tablet.
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How to update Android phone or tablet: Step-by-step guide – How to check whether your Android device is up to date
Before you go trying to update your device, you should check which version of Android you are running. You might already be on the latest version. It’s easy to check so follow this guide up to step four. This screen will have a section called ‘Android version’. If it doesn’t, click ‘Software information’ to find out.
The latest version is Android 7 Nougat, which will gradually become available for more and more devices over the coming months. Marshmallow is 6.x, Lollipop is 5.x, and KitKat is version 4.4.x, with 4.3, 4.2 and 4.1 all coming under the codename name Jelly Bean.
If your device is running anything lower than Jelly Bean, unless you have simply never updated its software it’s very unlikely that an update for Marshmallow or KitKat will be available for it (the manufacturer doesn’t appear to support this device any longer).
