Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google has released the OTA and factory images for the Pixel Watch.
- This software lets users flash to the vanilla firmware.
- Unfortunately, you need a Google-issued adapter to connect your watch to a PC.
The Google Pixel Watch has been available for half a year now, launching alongside the Pixel 7 series. The watch’s factory images haven’t been posted online though, but that’s changing now.
Google quietly posted the watch’s factory images and OTA firmware on its developer website this week (h/t: XDA-Developers). So developers and tinkerers have a way to flash to the original firmware.
These images allow users to quickly update to the latest firmware if they don’t feel like waiting their turn for an over-the-air update. It’s also handy for custom ROM development, tinkering, and troubleshooting, allowing users to get back to the vanilla software.
Ready to flash? Not so fast.
Unfortunately, the big challenge is connecting your Pixel Watch to a PC to get these images flashed to your wearable in the first place.
“Flashing factory or full OTA images on a Google Pixel Watch requires a debug adapter that Google distributes by invitation only,” the company notes on its developer website.
However, tinkerers have had some success with DIY methods for connecting a watch to their PCs, although this involves sacrificing a USB cable.
