Manually Update Galaxy Nexus To Android 4.1.2 [How To Tutorial]

The Galaxy Nexus may now be a bit of a relic in comparison to the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, but it still generates quite a bit of discussion amongst Android fans. The recent Jelly Bean 4.1.2 update, which has slowly but surely been trickling through to a large portion of Galaxy Nexus owners, has seen the once Ice Cream Sandwich-inclined smartphone thrust back into the news, and in the latest, those running “takju” iterations of the handset can now get their fill of 4.1.2.

The OTA is coming – that is certain – but what isn’t so assured is the patience of the masses. Due to the fragmented nature of Android, updating is seldom what you could describe as a “picnic,” so if you don’t want to stand on ceremony waiting for your over-the-air, you can kick your device into action by following the usual steps to force-update.

Galaxy Nexus Android Jelly Bean

Of course, we would never simply push you down the “usual route” without offering a few handy pointers, so here’s a micro-tutorial demonstrating what you’ll need to do.

Please note: Redmond Pie will not be held accountable for any damage or loss of date beset upon your device as a result of following this tutorial. Proceed at your own risk, and ensure you follow each step with care.

You will need: A Galaxy Nexus flashed with the takju firmware. If you brought your device from Google Play, you’re running takju. Ensure your device is rooted / bootloader unlocked, and ClockworkMod Recovery flashed. You can go through our post here on how to do so.

Step 1: Navigate through Settings > About > System Update to ensure you’re not wasting your time.

Step 2: Download the required file from Google.

Step 3: Transfer the .zip file you downloaded above to /sdcard (root directory).

Step 4: Reboot into ClockworkMod Recovery.

Step 5: Take a nandroid backup.

Step 6: Select install zip from sdcard > choose zip from sdcard > [.zip from Step 2]

After that, simply reboot, and you’ll be running the latest and greatest version of Android Jelly Bean on your Galaxy Nexus.

Most of the changes in this update are under the hood, but that’s just the way we tend to like it, and it seems Google isn’t done in its quest to make Android as “buttery” as possible.

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