This wikiHow teaches you how to check for updates on your Android device, both for system software and for all installed apps.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Checking for System Update
Step 1. Open Settings
on Android devices.
This gear-shaped icon can be found by swiping down from the notification bar at the top of the home screen.
Step 2. Scroll to the bottom of the menu, then tap About device
Depending on the device you are using, this option may say About tablet or About phone.
- On a Samsung Galaxy with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or later installed, tap Software updates or System updates.
- If "System device" is not present, tap System, then Advanced. This usually happens on most Google Pixel devices.
Step 3. Tap System update
This option might say Download updates manually or Software updates.
If a message appears that says "The latest updates have already been installed", it means that there are no updates available at this time
Step 4. Tap Check for updates
The options listed here may vary depending on your device.
Tap OK to confirm it.
Step 5. Tap Download or Yes if an update is available
The device will start downloading the update. We recommend that you connect to a wireless network when downloading the update as the file size can be very large.
If the update is not available, you can check again later
Step 6. Tap Install Now when the update has finished downloading
It may take a while to download the update before the install button appears.
Step 7. Connect the device to the charger
The device battery must be charged at least 50% before you can start updating the system. We recommend that you update while continuing to charge your device.
Step 8. Wait for the device to finish updating
The Android device will restart and run the update. The process for completing the update may take approximately 20-30 minutes.
Method 2 of 3: Checking for App Updates
Step 1. Open Play Store
You can find it in the Apps list. The icon is in the form of a shopping bag with the Google Play logo in it.
Step 2. Tap
It's in the upper-left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Tap My apps & games at the top of the menu
Step 4. Install all available updates by tapping UPDATE ALL
Skip to the next step if you only want to check for updates to one app. This option is used to update all the applications installed on the Android device.
If this option does not appear, it means that there are no app updates available at this time
Step 5. Tap on any of the apps in the “Updates” list
Apps for which updates are available will be shown in this list. If you want to check the details of an update before you install it, update the apps one by one.
If there are no apps listed in this list, it means that there are no updates available at this time
Step 6. Check the What's New segment
Every app developer has a different way of determining what changes to show here, but you can usually find information about the usefulness of an update in this section.
Step 7. Tap Update to download and install the app update
Method 3 of 3: Using Smart Switch on Samsung Devices
Step 1. Start a web browser on the computer
On Samsung devices, you can check for and install updates using Samsung's Smart Switch computer application. This app replaces the old Samsung Kies device manager.
Step 2. Go to the Smart Switch site
Step 3. Click the Download on the Mac App Store or Get it on Windows link
Step 4. Run the installer you downloaded
Step 5. Install the Smart Switch according to the given instructions
Step 6. Connect the Samsung device to the computer
Step 7. Click the Update button on the Smart Switch screen
If an update is available, this button will appear under the name of the device connected to the computer.
If the update button is not present, it means that no updates are available. If you think that there should already be an update, it's possible that the mobile carrier you're using is developing a version of its service that will be released later
Step 8. Click Update in the window that appears
The version you want to update will be shown here.
Step 9. Run the update by clicking OK
The device will start running the update. Do not press any buttons on the device or unplug it from the computer until the update is completely complete.