This tutorial will show you how to use CM Updater to easily update your version of CyanogenMod on your Android phone
Please note: This guide was initially published back in 2009 and most of the software it references no longer exists or is very out of date. As such, we have asked Google to remove this from their search database, however the document will remain online (unindexed) as an archive.
Update: thanks to Nick for pointing out that you can actually download CyanogenMod Updater via the Android Market. If you opt to do so, you can skip steps #1-4 below. In the Market search for CyanogenMod Updater to find it.
- Start out by opening your Settings. Scroll down to the Applications section and select it.
- Make sure there’s a “check” in the Unknown sources box. Exit out of your Settings.
- Now launch your Android browser. Open the URL http://code.google.com/p/cyanogen-updater (probably doesn’t work). On the right side of that page look for the Featured downloads: link. Click the cmupdater_x.x.x.apk link to download the file.
- Once the download has completed, tap the file to launch the installer.
- You’ll be asked to confirm that you want to install CM Updater. Tap the Install button.
- And now CM Updater will install.
- Once the installation has completed, click the Open button.
- Tap the Check now button and CM Updater will look for any new version of CyanogenMod.
- It should only take a moment…
- … and if an update is found, it will be displayed (see screenshot below). In the Please select the ROM to download: menu, the latest version of CyanogenMod will be displayed. If it has an “anchor” icon next to it, that means it’s a stable release. If it has a “beaker” next to it, that means it’s an experimental release (and thus more likely to have bugs etc.). Tap the Download button to download the latest version.
- CyanogenMod is typically somewhere around 35MB (give or take) so if you’re using 3G it can take a while to download. If you have access to WiFi, you may want to use it instead.
- Once the download has completed, you’ll be prompted to install it. Here you have two choices – Apply Now will immediately begin the installation process – which will involve rebooting your phone. Apply Later will close out of CM Updater and the latest version will not be installed. The benefit of installing later is that you can perform a backup first, if you haven’t already. The latest version (the one you just downloaded) will remain on your SD Card so that it can be installed after performing a backup. For the sake of this tutorial, lets jump right in and apply the latest version. Tap the Apply Now button.
- Tap the Update button on the confirmation window.
- At this point you’ll probably be prompted to allow the program to run as root. Place a check in the Remember box, and then tap Allow.
- You may be prompted to repeat steps #12 and/or #13. If you are, just repeat them, and your phone will reboot. If you’re not, your phone will reboot. The installation/upgrade will now begin.
- Let it do its thing, and once completed, select the reboot system now option from the Android system recovery list.
- Your phone will once again reboot – and this time it will almost certainly take longer than usual to start up. Don’t worry if it appears to have ‘frozen’ – just give it more time. Once it starts up, you’ll be running the latest version of CyanogenMod. That’s it!
