Android 13 has recently started rolling out for Google’s Pixel smartphones but if you’re flashing the update on your Pixel 6 Series device via the company’s custom Tensor chip, you cannot return to Android 12. This happens due to an update from the bootloader. In fact, Google has mentioned that after the update, these smartphones won’t be able to roll back to Android 12. Google has published a note on its developer site that warns the users.
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The reason why Android 13 users are unable to roll back to Android 12?
Usually, if you’re updating your device to a new OS version, it’s possible to roll back to an older version to an older version by simply flashing this version onto your Pixel device after unlocking the bootloader and a factory reset. Android 13 is unlucky for some as the users aren’t able to roll back due to a change in the bootloader.
Although Google hasn’t fully explained why the bootloader update is needed for the Pixel 6 devices, it might be down to Google’s Tensor chip inside. It’s the first time that Google-built processors have been used in Pixel devices, with the predecessors using hardware from Qualcomm. This means that other devices running MediaTek Dimensity or Qualcomm Snapdragon chips might be able to revert back to Android 12 from Android 13.
Rolling back from Android 13 to Android 12
![[Reason] Pixel 6 phones on Android 13 can't roll back to Android 12](https://rootmygalaxy.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Pixel-6a-2.webp){kind=tracking}
The inability of rolling back to Android 12 shouldn’t really annoy a lot of Pixel 6 owners as the new software looks just like an interactive update to the predecessor while bringing in huge visual changes in 2021. Android enthusiasts might be peeved by the fact that they cannot tinker and flash older Android versions onto their device’s hardware if they want to.
Android 13 has been available till now on public beta but Google has started releasing stock updates too. The software’s headline update ability will be the ability to change the third-party icons to the color scheme of your device. In Android 12, only Google apps used to be compatible with this feature.
