How to Install Android 15 GSI on Non-Pixel Smartphones

Google released the Android 15 public beta for the Google Pixel devices last month, but the GSI was not available with first beta. Now, with the release of second public beta, the GSI for non-Pixel phones is finally available. What is this GSI? GSI is a generic system image that can be installed manually by users who would like to test out Android 15 on their non-Pixel smartphones. Users can even install the GSI on older device that does not support Android 15 and test the new build.

If you are interested in flashing Android 15 on your smartphone, you can follow these steps to install the Android 15 GSI. Let’s get started.

Flash Android 15 GSI on Non-Pixel Phones

Before we dig into downloading the Android 15 GSI for your smartphone, there are a few requirements that your smartphone needs to pass. Check them out below.

Requirements To Flash Android GSI

• Android smartphone running Android 9 or higher
• Unlocked bootloader
• Treble supported
• Platform Tools
• Android 15 GSI file (Download links below)
• Latest vbmeta image file
• Take backup of your data as this will erase all your data

Download Android 15 GSI

• ARM64+GMS
• ARM64
• x86_64+GMS
• x86_64

Before proceeding with the steps, you must understand that while it is good to flash the Android 15 GSI to your smartphone, please note that you are installing the Android 15 GSI at your own risk. In case of issues with the device, you are solely responsible for it. YTECHB will not be held responsible for any issues that might arise.

Additionally, you will have to unlock the bootloader of your smartphone. While it is easy to unlock the bootloader for a select number of Android smartphones, it can be difficult for other brands or models. I recommend surfing the internet to see how the bootloader of your particular phone can be unlocked.

Step 1: Enable USB Debugging

If you have already unlocked bootloader you also have enabled USB Debugging on your smartphone. But, if for some reason you have disabled USB Debugging in your smartphone, here are the steps that you can follow.

1. Launch the Settings app on your phone.
2. Now, scroll till you find Developer Options. If its not available, you need to tap Build Number 7 times that you can find either in About Device or Software Information settings.
   
3. In Developer Options, you will see the USB Debugging option.
   
4. Tap on the toggle to switch it on.
5. Some devices may have a checkmark next to it. Make sure to select the checkmark to have the feature enabled.

Step 2: Check For Treble Support and Partition

Now a lot of devices that came installed with Android 9 or later out of the box are all Project Treble supported. But if you just want to ensure that your device supports Project Treble, you can always do that quite easily. Simply download and install the Treble Info app from the Google Play Store.

Open the app and go to Details tab. Here check for Project Treble and Dynamic Partitions. You will need Dynamic Partition info for Step 4. Once you have determined that your device is Project Treble-supported, it’s time to go for the next step.

Step 3: File Extraction

After downloading the Android 15 GSI file, you need to extract the zip file. Simply right-click on the zip file and choose the Extract option. You can also use your favorite ZIP extractor program to unzip the files. When you have extracted the ZIP file, make sure to copy the system.img file into the Platform Tools folder.

We also asked you to download the vbmeta.img file earlier. You need to paste this file into the same folder where the system.img file has been placed.

Step 4: Boot Your Device Into Fastboot Mode

Now that you have the bootloader unlocked and also have enabled USB debugging on your smartphone, this time boot the device into Fastboot Mode.

1. First, connect your phone to the PC using the USB cable that came with the device.
2. Your phone will ask you for debugging permissions. Approve those permissions by responding to the pop-up on your device.
3. Now, open the Platform Tools folder (extract it if its in zip format) where you saved the image files.
4. In the address bar of the file manager, simply type in CMD and press enter.
5. Once CMD opens, enter adb reboot bootloader. It can ask for permission if it didn’t earlier. Give permission and enter the same command again. If you found Dynamic Partition enabled during Treble support, execute this command next: fastboot reboot fastboot
   
6. Your device will now boot into its Fastboot Mode. Don’t close the CMD window.

While this process is going on, make sure to keep the phone connected to the PC via the USB cable. If there is any disconnection, you will have to start over.

Step 5: Flashing Android 15 GSI

Now comes the main and important part, flashing the Android 15 GSI. Follow these steps carefully so that you can successfully install the Android 15 GSI on your non-Pixel smartphone.

1. With the command prompt open, you need to type in the following code
   • fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash vbmeta vbmeta.img
2. This command will disable the AVB Android-verified boot.
3. Now, you need to clear away all data from your device.
   • fastboot erase system
4. Once all data has been cleared, you need to flash the Android 15 GSI to your device
   • Fastboot flash system system.img
5. When the installation has been completed, you need to wipe user data to avoid any issues.
   • Fastboot -w
6. With all of this done, you finally need to restart your Android device with this code
   • Fastboot reboot

And this is how you can flash the Android 15 GSI on your non-Pixel Android smartphone. This is a great way to test out and enjoy the new Android operating system on your smartphone. Do note that this is a beta build based on pure stock android, so you will have to expect a few functionalities broken or simply missing. It is recommended you test out Android GSIs on any spare or secondary Android smartphone or on a device that you don’t drive daily.

Also Check:

• Download Android 15 Factory and OTA Images
• Android 15 Beta 2 Introduces Several New Features
• Pixel Launcher is all set to get new features with Android 15
• Android 15’s Private Space Feature spotted in action

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