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How to Install and Use Sony Flashtool on Xperia Devices

Japanese manufacturer Sony’s Xperia line is going quite good and is being used by a number of people, the Xperia series runs on Android (that is an open source operating system), as the developments are getting fast day by day on Android, getting the latest mods, tweaks and modify your Xperia device makes you even love it more.

Sometimes the users want to flash a new firmware in case of getting their device soft brick, or sometimes just to improve the performance. While the OTA updates take a long time to reach different regions, some of the users also look for a way to flash the latest firmware on their devices before it makes a way to their devices through OTA updates. Rooting the phone is another option that allows the tinkering on the device, flashing custom ROMs, kernels, and a lot more things are there that can be flashed in an Xperia device, but wondering how? Well, Sony has a Flashtool for its Xperia line up.

Flashtool is a light software, that allows the flashing through ftf (flashtoolfirmwarefiles). It becomes handy if you are stuck somewhere. In today’s tutorial, we will be having a look at the detailed guide to use Flashtool.

Contents

1 How to Install and Use Sony Flashtool on Xperia Devices
- 1.1 Understanding & Using the Flashtool:

How to Install and Use Sony Flashtool on Xperia Devices

As this is the main tutorial for Flashtool, we will be having a look at the method to flash firmware in an Xperia device.

Before we begin you need to download and install the following.

- - Go ahead and download the Flashtool and install it – Download it Here
  - You need to install Sony drivers, get the Sony PC Companion: Download it Here.
  - Mac users may download Sony Bridge: Get it Here.

Understanding & Using the Flashtool:

1. 1. After you’ve downloaded and installed the Flashtool, you’ll get a folder named ”Flashtool” in your C: drive, or the drive which you selected while installation.
  2. Here you can see the folders like Custom, Devices, Firmwares, Drivers.
  3. The devices folder contains the supported devices, the firmware is the folder where you will place the .ftf file to be flashed in your phone, while the drivers’ folder has the Flashtool-drivers for all Xperia devices, you may install drivers through Flashtool in case you face any difficulty at the time of flashing.
  4. Access the Flashtool-drivers and install Fastboot & Flashmode drivers as well first.
  5. After the drivers have been installed, you’re good to go with Flashtool now. The first thing you need to do is, you need to download your desired file, that you are going to flash. It may be a firmware, a kernel or a root file, but it should be in .ftf format. Download the file and place it in ‘‘Firmwares” folder that is is in Flashtool folder.
  6. Run the Flashtool.exe now, access it from the installed programs or from the same folder under drive C:.
  7. In Flashtool, hit the lightning button on the top left, select whether you want to run Flashmode or Fastboot mode. Flashmode is the one you’ll need most probably while you’re trying to install an ftf file, select it and press Ok.
  8. Select the firmware or the file that you want to flash here, and make the other selections accordingly, below is an image showing the procedure for a firmware’s ftf file. After you’ve settled it up, hit the Flash button at the bottom now, it will start loading the ftf file and show you logs.
  9. As soon as the file is loaded, you should see a pop up, prompting you to connect your device to the PC in Flashmode.
  10. Now, turn off your device, and connect to your PC using the original data cable while keeping the Volume down key pressed. You should see the Green LED on your device. This is for flashmode, in case you want to connect your device in fastboot mode, you need to connect it while keeping the Volume Up key pressed and you should see the Blue LED now. For older Xperia devices, the back key will work for Flashmode while the menu key will work for fastboot mode.
  11. After you’ve connected your device successfully, the Flashing will start, wait and sit back while the flashing gets completed. You should see the logs now, as soon as it is done the ”flashing done” will appear at the bottom.

That’s All! We hope that the tutorial was easy for you to understand. Any difficulties or queries you got? Feel free to leave us a comment, We will try our best to help you out.

This post was last modified on December 31, 2020 3:04 pm

Usama M

Usama is a software engineer by profession and at TechBeasts.com he uses his expertise to solve everyday consumer tech problems with his main areas of interest being Android, iOS and Windows.

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View Comments

Quesito says:

January 28, 2014 at 9:17 pm

Hello, Usama follow all the steps you describe here to change the firmware of the xperia rom C6903 z1, but the Flashtool always throws me the same error.I have all the drivers installed.Example:
07/033/2013 18:33:16 - INFO - Device connected in flash mode
07/033/2013 18:33:36 - INFO - Opening device for R / W
07/033/2013 18:33:57 - INFO - Start Flashing
07/033/2013 18:33:57 - INFO - Processing loader
07/033/2013 18:33:57 - INFO - Checking header
07/033/2013 18:33:58 - INFO - Ending flash session
07/033/2013 18:45:58 - ERROR -
07/033/2013 18:45:58 - ERROR - Error flashing. Aborted
07/033/2013 18:49:59 - INFO - Device connected in flash mode
07/033/2013 18:50:41 - INFO - Device disconnected
07/033/2013 18:52:59 - INFO - Device connected in flash mode
07/033/2013 18:59:32 - INFO - Device disconnected
with the program Sony Emma do not have any problem to install a rom, but I can not the Flashtool.Can you help me?Thank you.
- um009 says:
  
  January 29, 2014 at 1:11 pm
  
  @quesitoquesitoq:disqus you got to keep the volume down key pressed when you flash the firmware. Do not leave the key :) this is happening because you leave the key after it picks up your phone.
  - Quesito says:
    
    January 30, 2014 at 2:03 am
    
    Thank you very much.works perfectly. :-) :-)
- Mohamed Elhadad says:
  
  June 30, 2015 at 1:45 pm
  
  same problem with any any soul.????
Sheikh Alamin says:

February 9, 2014 at 8:21 am

when I turn off my device, and connect to PC using the original data cable while keeping the Volume down key pressed - then this message show..plz help
- um009 says:
  
  February 9, 2014 at 8:17 pm
  
  @sheikhalamin:disqus You need to install Flashmode drivers first. Please read the flashtool guide carefully.
  - Atul Tiwari says:
    
    February 19, 2014 at 8:27 pm
    
    There is error in installing drivers from the file......
    suggest someway
    - um009 says:
      
      February 21, 2014 at 11:57 pm
      
      @atul_tiwari:disqus you're using windows 8? If so then you will have to disable Signature Verification first.
      - pK says:
        
        May 15, 2015 at 5:02 am
        
        I have successfully installed the drivers. Can I re-enable Signature Verification? Will it affect the functioning of the above drivers? Thanks!
      - D.A. Productions says:
        
        October 20, 2019 at 1:02 pm
        
        How did you do it? Please
      - pK says:
        
        May 15, 2015 at 7:19 am
        
        Also, will it affect the functioning of Windows in any way, if I keep it disabled? Thanks!
- Abdullah Tariq says:
  
  May 24, 2015 at 1:03 pm
  
  @usamamujtaba:disqus facing same problem...!!!
  after installing the drivers....
- Katepalli Anudeep says:
  
  October 20, 2019 at 12:59 pm
  
  hold on the lower button until the message comes in log box, if it comes then leave it. be sure that u kept the firmware in firmware/downloads section which is found in users section and even check that u have installed drivers (tool is present in c/flashtool/drivers.
bitter says:

February 14, 2014 at 7:03 am

works perfectly thanks again but i forget to backup all my data hahaha :d
- Tomoms says:
  
  March 5, 2014 at 11:29 am
  
  how funny.
Bradley Hadwick says:

February 18, 2014 at 11:51 pm

Flashtool on Mac won't recognise that my phone is connected in flashmode or fastboot mode. I have the relevant light on my LED, and Sony Software recognises flashmode fine when doing a "repair". I used to use flashtool and when connecting in flashmode, even though no options to flash had been selected, it used to still register the device as "connected in flash mode". I did try to root the handset via vRoot and Root360, but these both failed due to being on 4.3 version .290
Has this somehow broken my flash mode?
I have "repaired" through Sony Mac software, and still the issue persists.
Any help would be appreciated!
- um009 says:
  
  February 19, 2014 at 6:34 pm
  
  @bradleyhadwick:disqus this flashtool will not work on MAC. please try using windows.
Jeyson Campo Linero says:

October 20, 2019 at 12:25 pm

Excelente gracias. works perfect.
Varadha Raju says:

March 4, 2014 at 8:19 am

Hi Bro, I have Xperia SP with 4.3 android version, could you help me to downgrade to 4.2?
Basic outline steps should be fine :)
- Tomoms says:
  
  March 5, 2014 at 11:29 am
  
  You can't. Android 4.2 was never released for Sony Xperia SP. You can downgrade to android 4.1
Peter says:

March 7, 2014 at 5:16 pm

I can't install the drivers... Fastboot and Flashmode it shows me an error!
- um009 says:
  
  March 7, 2014 at 5:49 pm
  
  @disqus_ON7vIXGgEP:disqus you're probably running Windows 8. please disable driver signature verification and then install Fastboot and Flashmode drivers.
Karim says:

March 8, 2014 at 4:54 pm

Hello,
please help
i flashed my device Xperia U + rooted + BLU but its stuck; when i turn it on i can only go to CM .. how can i restore my device ??
- um009 says:
  
  March 8, 2014 at 6:23 pm
  
  @disqus_aQgoTp7Lvi:disqus flash stock ftf in your Xperia U and the problem will be solved. You need to find stock ftf and flash using Sony Flashtool. And it's not CM it should be CWM recovery. or You've flashed an invalid custom ROM based on CyanogenMod (CM)
  - Karim says:
    
    March 9, 2014 at 6:07 pm
    
    I Downloaded ST25i_6.1.1.B.1.100_Sony.ftf when i try to flash it i get error:
    
    09/057/2014 19:57:54 - ERROR - (X10flash.java:523) - Error in processHeader : 22 : The device does not recognize the command.
    
    09/057/2014 19:57:54 - ERROR - (X10flash.java:524) - Error flashing. Aborted
    
    I excluded the (system) flash .. it flashed correctly but my phone didnt boot ..how can i flash the system ? or maybe u can give me a link ..
    
    regards
    - um009 says:
      
      March 9, 2014 at 8:05 pm
      
      @disqus_aQgoTp7Lvi:disqus make sure that your device is properly connected and you've installed flashmode drivers properly and drivers for your device as well. Do not leave the volume down key until the flashing is done. You may find another stock firmware and give it a try.
littledutch62 says:

May 2, 2014 at 9:32 am

I've flashed my xperia t but can't get out of flashmode plz help I've tried pressing power till it vibrates once but no joy
Usama Mujtaba says:

June 9, 2014 at 7:11 pm

@michael_toye:disqus thanks a lot of the feedback. Stay connected with us.