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Part of Google's third generation of Pixel phones, the 3a is a budget-minded option with the same camera as Google's flagships. Available in Clearly White, Just Black, or Purple-ish. Released May 2019.

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Downgrading the Verizon P3a to Android 11? >_<

To clarify, I didn't buy the phone piecemeal; it came with a Pixel 6a, which included this particular phone as part of the deal. I did not know it would be a VZW Pixel, but knowing it's a thing, I ran the IMEI#, and it said: "-VZW" when I got it. Fastboot confirms this too.

That's a red flag I walk away from if there's not another device (like a bootloader unlockable 6a without a SIM lock and can never be locked) to make dealing with it viable. Verizon+Pixel is a deal breaker for me, and a borderline curse word.

I want to use a Verizon P3a 64GB with devices that are pretty picky about the Android build, seemingly fail on newer devices, and are just picky in general. I've had trouble with 2 LG Phoenix devices (AT&T PREPAID unlocked, so they got a few SW updates and run Android 10; rejected due to connection issues and use of MicroUSB). My old Samsung A42 5G (U1, Android 13) also had issues, as well as my Pixel 7 (Google Unlocked, Android 14). None of these worked.

Even my Pixel 6a and Pixel 8 (both run Android 14; the P8 is new to me, but it's a Google unlocked phone without the cursed Verizon bootloader) refuse to connect to this thing. Gah, I think Android 12+ refuses to connect to this device. I give up trying modern phones -_-... I even believe BOTH my iPhone 12 and 15 Pro decided to give me grief.

However, I have two super old Android 10 phones that worked from Motorola, where this idea originated. Since I don't use that Verizon P3a for much of anything (since I can't flash newer software on it), it's forever stuck at Android 12.

As such, I want to try and downgrade it back to Android 11 at the absolute latest patch level for the P3a on 11. I know it will be 4+ years back on patches under 11 5/5/22 on 12, but if it can be downgraded, I can always bring it back up compared to my other legacy devices that are permanently stuck without 4+ years of patches )(4/1/21, 2021 G Play; 6/1/21/G7 Play).

Is there any way to downgrade the phone back to 11, or am I screwed because of the Verizon bootloader? If I can do it, what version do I need?

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I may be screwed, given it's a Verizon phone...

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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Hi @nick,

Wonder if trying this may work?

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*Bridge comment*

The VZW 3a needs the Verizon ROM, I can't use any ROM on it because of how Verizon tweaks things. It looks like the RQ3A ROM is for the AT&T variant of the 3a, so probably won't be a match.

But it looks like it can't be done because of the fact the locked bootloader means I can't downgrade the device, as I tried with the RQ3A OTA ROM to see and it refused due to not being the "expected version", but if I had to try a few ROMs I'd have done it even if it took out 1-3% of the NAND flash lifetime (since it doesn't matter on a phone this old).

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I've tried to get this done. To be quite frank, I'm SOL. I can't use the web tools on the Android dev site due to the VZW bootloader, and I can't flash the phone using ADB sideloading back to Android 11 (even if I had to try a few ROMs), even the "signed" OTA ROMs.

I didn't think to show the error, but it was basically to the effect of "cannot be downgraded." VERIZON LOCKS THE BOOTLOADER AND MINIMUM VERSION OF ANDROID TO THE LATEST VERSION INSTALLED PRIOR! Take this as a PSA: DO NOT BUY VERIZON PIXELS. If it comes in a pile of phones, use it as-is or dispose of it if you cannot readily use it (and it's worth something)! This phone is officially useless to me, given I have much better spares. This phone is effectively e-waste now because of Verizon blocking OS downgrading.

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Nick will be eternally grateful.
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