How to Install the Android M Developer Preview on Your Nexus 5, 6, or 9

Today’s Android M announcement at Google I/O 2015 already got us pretty excited. If you’re eager to try out the new hotness (and you have a Nexus 5, 6, 9, or Player), here’s how to get it on your device right now.

To get started, you’ll need to have your device unlocked. You won’t need root, but you can read more on how to unlock your device in our rooting guide here. You’ll also need ADB and fastboot installed on your computer and have at least a vague working knowledge of both. Then, follow these steps:

1. Download the factory image for your device here.
2. Unzip the file and save it somewhere easy to find.
3. Connect your device to your computer via USB cable and ensure debugging mode is enabled.
4. Open an ADB command line.
5. Enter adb reboot bootloader to access your device’s bootloader. (OS X users should add ./ before this command.)
6. Navigate to the folder containing your factory image.
7. Enter flash-all to run the installation script. (OS X users, same caveat as step 5.)

The script will take a few minutes. It’s typical for devices to linger on the boot animation for several minutes before starting up, so if yours takes a while don’t panic. Once the device boots up, log in and have fun!

Warning: This will wipe your device. Google mentions this on several of its download pages, but just in case you missed it, flashing this will completely wipe your device and erase all your data. Be sure to do a backup before you proceed and don’t try this on a device you absolutely need for work.

If you don’t happen to own any of the devices lucky enough to be graced with Android M, you can still check out our previous coverage here. We’ll also be going hands-on to find features Google didn’t announce. If you spot anything cool, mention it in the comments below! Android M is a developer preview, but the full version (which will have a proper treat name) should launch later this year, if last year’s L release is any indication.

Android M Preview Images | System Image Flashing Instructions | Google

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