So when I got the news that the T-Mobile LG G3 is finally getting the Lollipop update as an OTA update, I was happy. But I wanted it sooner than waiting for the OTA. So, I installed it via a software update and LG’s PC tools. Quick note though, upgrading to Lollipop in this way will remove any rooting you had done with your device.
From the LG support website, you can download their “LG Mobile Support Tool” for Windows. They do not support Linux. With this tool, you can follow the instructions given and attempt to have the application recognize your phone. You can also use the LG PC Suite tool as an alternative.
If your phone is recognized, lucky you! Keep reading.
If your phone is not recognized, here is some troubleshooting steps:
- I had issues doing this stemming from a bad USB cord I was using. If your computer does not recognize your phone right away, try a different cord.
- Use the LG Mobile Support Tool to install the drivers after selecting your phone type. This tool looked poorly programmed and it proved true because it could not find the drivers for my phone.
- Download the LG PC Suite. This is a well put together application and through this tool you can properly download the drivers for your phone. You cannot do upgrades over Wi-Fi though.
If your Windows machine recognizes your device, you might be able to use the LG Mobile Support Tool to do the upgrade but that did not work for me. I ended up using the LG PC Suite and selecting “Mobile Device” > “Mobile Device Software Upgrade”. I followed the steps here to upgrade the firmware. The process took less than an hour but looks like it hangs at certain points. Just be patient and keep it plugged in.
Note: None of my data was lost but you should still consider backing up your phone before upgrading, as always. The LG PC Suite had such an option but I did not use it.
Sources:
Man and Keyboard 