Nokia 7 Plus received the stable Android Pie update recently. The update started rolling in the last week of September under a phased rollout plan. And as of today, the update is still on its way across the globe. Anyhow, coming to the point of this post, some users are not happy with Android Pie due to personal or technical issues. Luckily, it is still possible to downgrade the Nokia 7 Plus from Pie to Oreo build.
The workaround below is tested with the Nokia 7 Plus running Android Pie running the build version 3.22C. I can’t say how long it will continue to work as the sideload packages will start throwing timestamp errors at some point.
Downgrade Nokia 7 Plus to Oreo (August)
To complete the downgrade, we’ll be using the downgrade packages provided by Nokia Mobile during the developer preview. If you intend to unlock the bootloader, then you need to flash two downgrade packages. Here are the details:
Step 1: Switch to the secondary slot:
Your secondary slot will still be on an older upgrade so that it will accept the downgrade package:
- Boot your Nokia 7 Plus to download mode.
- Connect to your PC using the USB cable.
- Run the following command to check your current slot: [code]fastboot getvar current-slot[/code]
- Change to the inactive slot. For example, if your current slot is A, change it to B. If the current slot is B, change it to A. [code]fastboot –set-active=b[/code]
Now proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Flash the downgrade package:
You should be able to flash the downgrade package via recovery after changing the active slot.
- Download the Oreo downgrade package (stable Oreo with August security patch).
Download: August downgrade package - Save it on your MicroSD card (external storage).
- Boot your Nokia 7 Plus to recovery mode.
- Using volume key(s), highlight “Apply update from SD card” and press power key to select the option.
- Similarly, highlight the downgrade package you have placed in the SD card and select it for installation.
- Wait for the recovery to install the update (downgrade) on your active slot.
- Perform a factory reset by selecting Wipe data/factory reset.
- Reboot the device when the process finishes.
Need for factory reset post downgrade: As you’d be aware, Android system doesn’t work well after a downgrade. You will need to delete your user data for your apps to work fine after a system downgrade.
Downgrade to Oreo (April) to unlock the bootloader
If you intend to unlock the bootloader, then you need to downgrade to the April security patch release. That’s because Nokia blocked the unlocking with August security release.
To downgrade from August to Oreo, just use the downgrade package as listed below and follow the same steps from the previous section.
Download: April downgrade package
Hi, I did the downgrade from android 9 to 8 on my nokia 6.1 with the ost LA. But unfortunately, after the ost finished the flash process, the phone stuck on Nokia logo, cannot access system. So I tried several times press various keys combination, and flashed again, now the phone stuck on download mode, cannot even get to the NOKIA LOGO screen… always download mode, no matter connect to the pc or not, no matter change slot or not… Just now I tried flashing android 9 firmware to upgrade the phone by OST. But in the middle of the process, the window promted “the batter voltage too low”, so this time flashing failed.
Actually before I decided to unlock the bootloader, the phone always shuted down once it disconnected the charger. So… maybe the phone need battery repairs.
Now my phone will shut down when unplugged, and stuck on download mode when plugged, and the battery seems to be unable to store the electricity when plugged now. Connect the phone to the charger, it stuck on download mode, and gave out heat.
I see. The battery seems to be the root cause of it. I will not recommend flashing it on that low battery state, as if it gets disconnected in the mid, there can be irreparable damage to the device. I think it is time to go for a battery replacement if you still want to keep your device functional. OST needs a 20% battery level to perform the flash process (fastboot oem battery getcapacity will show you the current battery capacity).
Thank you. I love to read your posts. Very sound and clear and get to the point.
I’m do going to buy a new phone. And I still want to keep the nokia 6.1, I’m not done with it, you know. 😀 To replace the battery, I have to find the tutorial. I will take my time. Haha… By the way, nokia phones’ battery really sucks.
A…nd Can you tell me that the OST LA supports downgrade flash or not? I found a post on xda saying that if the option of ‘wipe userdata’ hasn’t been selected before the tool begins flashing, the phone will stick on NOKIA LOGO. So, I flashed android 8 firmware again with the option selected, but after the process completed, the phone just restarted several times with a string of ‘your phone has been unlocked, it cannot be trusted’ on the screen, and never reached to NOkia logo again, stuck on download mode at last…
C:\Users\admin\Desktop\platform-tools>fastboot oem battery getcapacity
(bootloader) Cap=94
so… I have a try again now?
I just tried flashing android 9 into the phone, this time goes smooth. And the battery capacity is 90% left… But the phone still stuck in download mode after several retarts. When I connected the phone to the pc, it’s a download mode screen. And when I open the OST window, the screen list some data showing:
SW version = PL2-347C-0-00CN-B04
HW model = P2C
HW version = …
DDR info = …
ProductID = …
SKUID = …
SECURE ROOT = yes
DEVICE STATE = unlock
The problem is that before I gave this try, the screen showed the same list. Did this mean that the android 8 firmware(PL2-134E-0-00CN-B02.nb0) I flashed yesterday hasn’t overwritten the 9?
I am feeling sad right now. You know the Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 6.1 for China had slight configuration differences. The firmware that you have flashed and is currently on the phone appears to be for the China region. Is your phone imported from China? If not, you certainly flashed the wrong version. And the incompatibility the two is that if you flash the global (WW) Android 9 firmware to the Chinese Nokia 6.1, the phone hits an irreparable brick stage that needs disassembly to trigger the EDL mode and perform emergency flashing. I hope that’s not the case here i.e., you had the global variant and flashed the CN builds to it.
There could be many reasons why the phone is stuck on Download Mode, one being that there are some hardware issues or a brick case (as earlier stated). Or else maybe the flash did not complete correctly. There’s not much that I can say here in the comments. Would it be okay if you just message me on Telegram, Twitter, or Facebook (page) so I can ask a few things in real-time? Yes, from the build displayed on the screen, it is pretty evident that the phone is on the Android 9 (CN) build and not on Android 8 (the 134 build is likely an 8.0 build – the phone was launched with Android 8.1 IIRC).
Don’t be sad. 😀 My nokia 6.1 was born in China. Before the bootloader was unlocked several days ago, the firmware was android 9 cn build. Only the phone must be connected to the charger, or it will shut down.
Ok, I’ll message you on Telegram. How to find you on Telegram?
You can message me on Telegram at @singhnsk. Or use this link: https://t.me/singhnsk
Hi,
I am trying to change to the inactive slot, but all it does it say Waiting for device. Could you help me?
Hi,
Lost your email, can’t seem to register in your forum either.
My issue is after doing the November patch and still even with January patch, my battery saver is greyed out. Can’t enable or disable.
No setting in battery related to battery saver.
Factory reset didn’t work.
Any help would be great.
Also drained the battery until under 15% and it asked to enable battery saver,and it did but it didn’t want to disable after, was fully charged and still won’t disable.
I ended up factory resetting.
Hi Steven, I answered your query at the Nokia Community 🙂
Hi,
So can you flash the correct firmware for me? I will pay you if that’s an issue.
I also came across this tutorial.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/nokia-7-plus/how-to/how-to-convert-nokia-7-china-variant
After changing the slot I cant get back to the recovery mode and it gives out an error saying that android is corrupted
You can try changing the slot again. That should undo the change. But before that, check whether you are on Oreo after changing the slot.
Do I need to set back the slot after downgrade?
Because I did it a few days ago and no update since, I am still on May 1st security patch.
The downgrade package is from August. I do not know how you are in May after it. Did the August patch install fine after changing the slot?
I didn’t use you file,used one from xda,but still I don’t know why it isn’t seeing any updates,should I change back the slot and test? Or will that affect the phone negatively?
I see. You can change the slot and see what software release it boots to. The update probably doesn’t work because nobody is in May anymore and there may not be a package which takes you from here to the next update. Anyhow, you’ll only receive the Android Pie update from the supported releases. So, if you have downgraded with the willingness to stay at Oreo, then just don’t update. If you want to update to the newer security patch then try using the OTA packages collected by users at XDA forums.
Also, I have seen other user facing the issue so I’m not alone.