How to check if device supports seamless update: Check if device is has A-Only or A/B Partition scheme.

Introduction to A-Only and AB Partition Scheme for System Partition

So you are wondering whether your device has one or two slots for the system partition. Well, you can't tell by looking at your phone right? But most smartphone devices use the A-Only Partition Scheme for System partition. If your devices support Seamless System Updates, then it has two slots for System partition. A/B Partition scheme devices use two slots for System partition. It got introduced with Android Nougat or Android 7.0 that supports A/B Partition Scheme. At that time, no device supported this Seamless Update feature except for few pixel devices. Now enough for the introduction, let's look at how you can check your device slot and its active slot.

How to check if your device supports A/B Partition Scheme. How to check if your device supports seamless updates.

To check your device slot partition, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Go to Google Play Store.

Step 2: On the search bar, type Treble check or AB partition.

Step 3: After typing the above search term, Play Store will show you many results. Click on Treble Check App name and Install it. Why not use these two Google Play Store link to save time.

Treble Check & Treble Info

Step 4: After Installing one of them open the App.

Step 4: Now, Check for status that says " Seamless System Update" or " Seamless Upgrade "

If the App says " Unsupported " or if it gives a negative or cross sign, then that means the device does not support Seamless Updates and it doesn't use A/B Partition Scheme for System partition. If the Apps says, "Supported" or shows positive signs, then that means the device does support A/B Partition Scheme for System partition.

In this way, you can check if your device two slots or a single slot for System partition.

What is A/B Partition or What is AB Partition Scheme in Android?

A/B Partition Scheme is a feature introduced by Google for Seamless System Update. A/B Partition Scheme devices have two slots for System partition as I have mentioned earlier. One is Slot A and another one is Slot B, both of these slots are two sets of partition. In A/B Partition devices, one slot is always inactive. The second slot is only used during the installation of the OTA System update. When System Update is performed the second slot is used to update the System because if anything goes wrong or if the update fails due to bad OTA Update or DM-Verity failure then it will automatically roll back to the previous System Image thus, it will protect from getting the device into Bootloop.

Now how can you check your current slot, or how can you see in which slot you are in? Let's also look at how you can do that.

Requirements for Current Slot check

Smartphone with 50% Battery
Minimal ADB and Fastboot Tool
USB Cable
PC or Laptop
Android USB Drivers

Related: How to install USB Drivers for Android on Windows 10

Follow these steps to check your current slot or active slot.

Step 1: Download and Install Minimal ADB and Fastboot Devices Tool on your PC or Laptop.

Step 2: Install USB Drivers on your PC. Read the related article if you don't know how to install Android USB drivers or Qualcomm, Mediatek USB drivers.

Step 3: Now, Open System Settings on your Smartphone.

Step 4: Then go to the About Section of your System Settings.

Step 5: Under About Section, search for Build Number and tap on it 7 to 10 times or more until you see a message that says, " No need, you are already a developer "

Step 6: Then go to main System Settings, and see if you find Developer Options. If you don't find then it might be on the System Section of your System Settings or in Custom Skin UI phones, it will be inside Additional Settings or search for Developer Options in the Search bar of System Settings.

Step 7: After you get into Developer Options, search for USB Debugging and turn it ON.

Step 8: Go back to the Home screen of your phone after completing the above steps, and Boot into Fastboot mode. If you don't know how to boot into fastboot mode, then search for it on Google.

Step 9: Connect your Phone to the PC using the USB cable.

Step 10: Open Minimal ADB and Fastboot Tool on your PC.

Step 11: Type these commands to get the current slot of your device.

fastboot devices

fastboot getvar all

Or

fastboot getvar current-slot

It will show you your current slot, and you can know which is your active slot or current slot on PC.

If you want to know more about A-Only Partition Scheme or A/B Partition Scheme, then I will bring an article on that topic so, stay tuned and subscribe to the for more amazing content.