Everything You Should Do Before and After Performing OTA Update

Some people might have received a notification about an OTA update for their device. Some may feel enthusiastic and want to update immediately, especially if the update offers a big impact. However, there are also some people who feel skeptical or even scared to do the update, especially those who have never done it before. Therefore, check out the following post to know everything to do before and after performing OTA updates.

OTA updates or Over-The-Air Updates is a process of updating the operating system or firmware of various electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, or computers. As the name implies, OTA updates are performed wirelessly via an internet network or cellular data connection. These OTA updates are highly recommended, as they usually provide bug fixes, performance improvements, security, and offer various new features. This allows electronic devices to stay up to date with the latest features and functionality without having to physically upgrade the hardware. OTA updates can be performed automatically by a device itself or manually by the user.

The number of OTA updates that users can get really depends on the smartphone manufacturer and the operating system used. Because even though it comes from the same manufacturer, a smartphone from a different series can have a different number of OTA updates. For example, Samsung's high-end smartphones, Galaxy A series and Galaxy S series. Samsung promises 4 OTA updates for the Galaxy A series, but 5 for the Galaxy S series. When there is an OTA update, the system usually displays a notification, or the user can also check for updates manually in the device settings.

To perform an OTA update is easy, but there are a few things you should note before performing an OTA update, including:

1. Check what updates are offered: Although performing an update is highly recommended, you should check what the update offers. If an update only offers minor updates or small bugs that don't even affect you at all, then you better not update. If an update offers new features, the latest operating system version, or the latest security patches, then it is highly recommended to update. Updates with a small scale of improvements but with a very large size will cost users time, internet data, and more. Therefore, choose updates that are really needed.
2. Backup important data: Before performing an update, it is highly recommended to backup various important data first, like your photos, videos, work documents and so on. You can backup via cloud or external devices. To perform a backup, you can also check the following post "Several Ways to Back-Up Your Smartphone". This is to keep your data safe in the event of an error or failure while updating.
3. Check the available storage space: After receiving an update notification or manually checking the availability of updates, check how much storage space is required. Make sure that your device has enough storage space to download and install the new update. Because if there is not enough storage space, the update will not work.
4. Check the remaining battery: The download and install process will be quite time-consuming. Therefore, make sure your device's battery is fully charged or at least has enough power to complete the update (65% and above is recommended). So that the device you are using will not shut down due to running out of power during the update process. Because if your device shuts down during the update process, it can cause damage such as “Bootloop” or “Hard Brick”.
5. Check the internet connection: Make sure your device is connected to a fast and stable internet network before performing the update (Wi-Fi is highly recommended). Because if the internet connection is slow or unstable, the update may take a long time or even fail. This is also to avoid corrupt update files as they can potentially cause damage such as “Bootloop” or “Hard Brick” as well.
6. Make sure your device is in stable condition: Before performing an update, you should make sure that your device is in a stable condition and is not experiencing technical issues or damage. Because if there are technical problems or damage, the update may not work and even make existing problems much worse.

If the OTA update on your device has been successful, it's recommended to take time to make sure that your device is still working properly as before without any issues. Here's a list of things you can do, including:

1. Clear the cache: Clear the cache on your device after performing an update. This aims to clear temporary and junk files from the update process and previous versions that will no longer be used. Also, it is quite possible that previous update files were not deleted and have accumulated instead. Therefore, clearing the cache is essential to keep your device stable and running smoothly.
2. Restart the device: We recommend restarting the device after the update has finished installing. This aims to verify that all the updated changes have been applied correctly.
3. Check important features: Check various important features such as the screen, camera, speakers, mic, and so on. Make sure all these features are still working properly without any problems. You can check through various apps or use CIT Mode on your device.
4. Test the device: It's a good idea to test the device to ensure that no issues appear after the update. You can do tests such as benchmarks of the device's performance, you can also compare the benchmark results if you save the previous benchmark results.
5. Update applications: After updating the operating system, it's recommended to update all the apps installed on your device as well. It is intended that the application runs well and there are no problems due to differences in operating systems.
6. Fix the problem: If there are any problems after performing the update, it is recommended to fix the problems as soon as possible. The first thing you can do is to perform a "Factory Reset".