If you have installed a custom recovery on your Nexus 6P, then you probably know how to install a custom ROM, mods or other flashable files. A recovery is the best choice for those who want to quickly install various files on their Nexus 6P devices.
The installation process is very easy. You turn the phone off, boot into recovery mode and chose the file you want to install. Most of the times this process is easy, quick and painless. But you always need to make sure that the file you are installing is designed for your phone. For example, if you download a popular ROM designed for another device but you install it on your Nexus 6P, it will brick your phone. The same thing goes if you flash the wrong mod file.
If you don’t take precautions before flashing anything using the recovery, then you need to download the official firmware image from Google. It is a lengthy process and you don’t want to go through the hassle.
Every time you want to install something using the recovery, it is recommended to make a full backup of your phone’s system. Often called Nandroid, TWRP creates a backup of the firmware, apps and data. If something wrong happens to the phone, for example it doesn’t boot, you can easily boot into recovery and restore the backup. Everything will be fixed and it will look like nothing happened.
How to backup and restore Nandroid on Nexus 6P
Obviously, to perform a Nandroid backup you need a custom recovery. If you have a stock recovery, follow this guide on how to install TWRP on Nexus 6P.
- Take your phone and turn it off.
- Boot into fastboot mode (volume down and power buttons).
- Highlight recovery using the volume buttons and select it by pressing the power button. This will boot the phone into TWRP.
- Tap on Backup. Select System and Data.
- Then Swipe to Back Up.
- Then, if you want to restore the backup, tap on Restore and choose the backup file.
Once you restore the backup, your phone will be fixed with applications and data intact.