How to install it on your G8
A complete walkthrough for anyone with a computer and no Android experience. Each step states what to do and why, so that if your screen differs slightly from the description you can still identify where you are.
Before you start. This requires a computer running Windows, macOS or Linux, and Chrome, Edge, Brave or Opera. It cannot be done from a phone or tablet, and it does not work in Safari or Firefox.
Allow about 20 minutes, most of which is waiting. The device's data will be erased, so back up anything you want to keep.
Check you have the right computer
You need a Windows, macOS or Linux computer and one of these browsers, up to date: Chrome, Edge, Brave or Opera.
Safari and Firefox are not supported on any device. If your computer uses one of them, install a Chromium browser such as Chrome first.
A desktop or laptop computer is required. Phones and tablets are not supported.
Get a USB-C cable
You need a USB-C data cable. Many cables supplied with devices are charge-only: they contain no data wires, so the computer supplies power but cannot communicate with the device. The two types of cable are indistinguishable by appearance, and a charge-only cable produces no error message.
Which cable you need depends on your computer:
- A USB-C port on your computer (most laptops made since around 2017, and Apple Silicon Macs) — use a USB-C to USB-C cable.
- Only the rectangular USB-A ports — use a USB-C to USB-A cable.
The G8's USB-C port is in the SD-card area on the right-hand side.
Where possible, use a cable you have previously used to transfer files rather than one used only for charging.
If the device charges but does not appear in the browser's device list at step 7, check the cable first. A charge-only cable produces exactly that symptom.
Insert an SD card
This is required, and it is the step most people have to sort out first, because most machines do not come with a card fitted.
- Use a microSD card of at least 2 GB.
- Insert it into the card slot in the SD-card area on the right-hand side of the device, alongside the USB-C port.
- Leave it in the device while the installation runs. The card carries part of the installation, so the process fails without it.
The card does not need to be prepared, formatted or emptied first, and any files already on it are not used. Nothing on it survives the installation, so do not use a card holding anything you want to keep.
The card can be removed once the installation has finished. It is needed while the update is applied, not permanently, and the device works normally without it. Your purchase is tied to the device rather than the card, so you can also swap it later without buying again.
Power the G8 up
Turn the machine on and let the device boot fully to its normal screen. The tool requires the device to be awake and running, and cannot wake it.
Turn on Developer options
Android hides these settings until they are requested.
- Open Settings on the device.
- Open About (sometimes "About device" or "System").
- Find the entry showing the Build number.
- Tap it seven times, at a normal pace. The device counts down as you tap ("You are now 4 steps away").
- It confirms with "You are now a developer".
If it asks for a PIN or pattern, enter the device's own lock.
If there is no "Build number" entry, you may be in the vehicle's settings menu rather than the G8's Android settings. On some machines these are separate menus.
Turn on USB debugging
Return to Settings and open the new Developer options entry (often under System).
- Find USB debugging.
- Turn it on.
- Accept the confirmation prompt.
This is what allows a computer to communicate with the device. It remains on until you turn it off, and it can be turned off again once you have finished.
Connect the device to your computer
Connect the cable to the USB-C port in the SD-card area on the right-hand side of the device, and the other end to your computer.
No driver is required on Windows or macOS. Both have been tested extensively, and the computer will recognise the device on its own.
The device may display "Allow USB debugging?" with the computer's fingerprint. Select "Always allow" and accept. If this prompt is missed, the connection fails without an error and the browser will not find the device at the next step.
The browser remembers this permission, so the prompt normally appears only the first time you connect from a particular computer.
Allow up to a minute on the first connection. If the device does not appear, disconnect and reconnect it, and confirm the cable is a data cable.
Connect from the website
Open the app and select Connect device. A browser window lists the available USB devices. Select your device from the list and confirm.
The tool reads the device's serial number and card identifier, then reports whether it requires activation or is already up to date. Nothing has been changed on the device at this stage.
If you have connected before, the browser remembers the device and may not ask again.
Buy and install
A short summary of what activation does, and the amount payable, is shown before any payment is taken. Accept the terms, then pay on Stripe's page.
After payment the tool downloads the update and installs it. The download is about 150 MB on most machines and up to 700 MB on older firmware. Keep the tab open until it reports that it has finished.
Let it finish
Once the install is triggered, the device restarts several times over about three minutes. This is the update applying.
Do not power the device off during this period. When it settles, the process is complete. To customise the display afterwards, reconnect the device and open the Theme tab.
If something goes wrong
Email [email protected] with what the screen reports, which step you reached, and the device serial number the app displayed when it connected. Including the serial number avoids a round trip.
The usual causes are a charge-only USB cable (the device charges but never appears), the "Allow USB debugging?" prompt being left unanswered, or a browser that is not Chromium-based.