How to flash a Fairphone factory image

Before you start

• Pick the image for your exact model: FP3 (also fits the 3+), FP4, FP5 or Fairphone (Gen. 6). Files for another model will not flash.
• Back up your photos, contacts and chats — all data is wiped.
• Charge the phone to at least 50%.
• Install the latest Android SDK Platform-Tools (adb and fastboot) on your computer and use a good USB cable.
• The bootloader must be unlocked. On the phone turn on Developer options (tap Build number 7 times), then turn on OEM unlocking. The FP3 needs an unlock code from Fairphone's website first.

Steps

1. Unzip the downloaded file into its own folder on the computer.
2. Turn the phone off. Hold Volume Down and connect the USB cable to start in fastboot mode (or run adb reboot bootloader).
3. Check the connection with fastboot devices.
4. If the bootloader is locked, run fastboot flashing unlock (and on FP4 or newer also fastboot flashing unlock_critical) and confirm on the phone with the volume and power keys.
5. In the unzipped folder run the flash script for your computer: the .sh file on Linux or macOS, the .bat/.command file on Windows. Don't unplug the phone while it runs.
6. When the script ends, the phone restarts into the fresh system. Setup can take a few minutes the first time.

Lock the bootloader again (optional)

Only with the official Fairphone OS installed: go back to fastboot mode and run fastboot flashing lock_critical (FP4 or newer) and fastboot flashing lock. Locking wipes the phone again.

OTA sideload packages (FP3)

Files named “…-ota-from-…-manual-sideload.zip” update an FP3 from the build named after “from” and keep your data. No unlocking is needed: turn on USB debugging, run adb reboot recovery, choose Apply update from ADB, then run adb sideload followed by the file name. Choose Reboot system now when it finishes.

If something goes wrong

• “waiting for device”: install the USB driver (Windows), try another port or cable, and check fastboot devices.
• “Flashing is not allowed in Lock State”: unlock the bootloader first (step 4).
• The script stops with an error about the product: the image is for another model.