Updating a Retroid Pocket Mini to Android 13 is an easy way to gauge how much of your Android gaming experience is geared by the OS. For the most part, Android 10 and 13 have the same compatibility with needed emulators.
Going to 13 from 10 can potentially cause problems otherwise never seen on the handheld. Some users report joystick calibration issues, weird graphical glitches, and random shutdowns.
Retroid has said that updating to Android 13 isn’t recommended; mostly due to the battery and RAM management they’ve fine-tuned for Android 10 specifically. So, what are you to do if you’re on Android 13 and just want to return everything back to the way it was?
You’re to follow this guide and get yourself back on Android 10.
Table of Contents
Getting Started
First things first: if you’ve followed our Android 13 install guide for the Retroid Pocket Mini, you’re a step ahead of everyone else. However, this guide is the same for everyone following along. Be sure not to skip any portions or jump ahead, some minor things are different, but missing them could have drastic consequences.
But it’s still easy. I promise.
NOTE: This process does not work through a virtual machine. Actually, you’re at a greater risk of bricking your device if attempting this on a VM. Do not.
| WARNING: Follow this guide at your own discretion. Retro Handhelds assumes no responsibility for bricked devices or any other damage that may occur. Retro Handhelds is unable to provide direct troubleshooting support for any issues that may arise from following the guide below. If you need help, our Discord is a great resource to look into. |
What You’ll Need
- Windows PC (with a USB port)
- 7-Zip installed on the PC
- Retroid Pocket Mini
- USB-C cable
Just like in the upgrading to Android 13 guide, you need to ensure your USB-C cable can connect to your computer. To be on the safe side, make sure you have a port available on your PC itself, not through a hub or adapter.
USB-C Cables
Double-check that your USB-C cable can plug into your computer. Look at the cable itself and the ports on the computer. One end of the cable should be able to fit inside the Retroid Pocket Mini while the opposite side should plug directly into the PC. If not, you’ll need to source a cable that does or take the ultimate risk and go against my advice and use an adapter. If you do, shame on you.
1. Download the Files
The Retroid Pocket Mini’s Android 10 firmware files and the various programs and drivers are supplied via Gamma, creator of GammaOS, over on his GitHub.
If you click the above link, scroll alllllll the way down on the page until you see the Assets section. I’ve directly linked them below, but if you prefer to download them from the page itself, you’ll want to download these four files.
Download the first four Android10_RPMini_V1.0.0.310_20240926_181623_user.7z files
- Android10_RPMini_V1.0.0.310_20240926_181623_user.7z.001
- Android10_RPMini_V1.0.0.310_20240926_181623_user.7z.002
- Android10_RPMini_V1.0.0.310_20240926_181623_user.7z.003
- Android10_RPMini_V1.0.0.310_20240926_181623_user.7z.004
Before we go any further, make sure you have 7-Zip installed on your computer.
Once installed, right-click the 001 file, 7-Zip, then Extract to “Android10_RPMini_V1.1.310_20240926_181623_user\”
If it doesn’t look like this, reinstall 7-Zip
This will extract all of the files and folders inside the .7z.00x files to a folder with the same name. From there, you should have the following inside of that folder:
- flash (folder) – The Android 10 files that we will use to flash back onto the Retroid Pocket Mini
- prog_ufs_firehose_sm8250_lite_lp5.elf
- QFILHelper.exe
- qpst.win.2.7_installer_00495.1.zip
- Qualcomm_USB_Driver_v1.0.10061.1.zip
- README – Text-based instructions from Gamma himself
For now, don’t decompress the zip files. We will handle that in due time. Together.
However, verify that you see the same files below inside your flash folder. We will need all of them, and they are probably the most important files out of the bunch.
Flash folder contents
2. Install the Drivers & Program Files on Your PC
Of the files you’ve downloaded above, find the Qualcomm_USB_Driver_v1.0.10061.1.zip and right click it, 7-Zip > Extract to “Qualcomm_USB_Driver_v1.0.10061.1\”
You should now have a folder with the same name as the zip file. Go inside it and launch the Qualcomm USB Driver 1.0.10061.1 app.
Launch that bad boy.
When you launch the app, you’ll be asked whether you want to choose a WWAN or Ethernet setup. Choose the WWAN-DHCP is not used to get IPAddress option. After that, it’s a pretty standard installation. Keep hitting Next, and accept the license agreement.
Choose the WWAN-DHCP option.
After a few moments, a few Terminal windows will pop up, but just let them do their thing until the InstallShield Wizard is finished, and hit Finish.
Now, move on to the qpst.win.2.7_installer_00495.1.zip and do the same extraction process. Right click, 7-Zip > Extract to “qpst.win.2.7_installer_00495.1\”
Open the resulting folder, and launch the QPST.2.7.495.1 app. It’s another standard installation.
You only need to launch this app, nothing else in this folder.
Hit Next and agree to any license agreements that pop up. Once done, hit Finish.
3. Prepare Android 10 Files for Flashing
In your Windows Start menu, find the QPST folder, then open the QFIL app inside.
QFIL App Location
If you’ve used the QFIL app before, the various fields shown will already be filled in. Clear them out.
At the top of the app, choose Flat Build, and in the bottom right of the app, hit the Storage Type and select ufs.
Click the Browse button to the right of the Select Programmer header and find the prog_ufs_firehose_sm8250_lite_lp5.elf file inside the extracted Android10_RPMini_V1.1.310_20240926_181623_user folder from step 1.
Once you’ve done everything listed above, your QFIL app should look below.
Should look just like this. Well, with your name and not mine.
4. Prepare the Retroid Pocket Mini for Android 10
Plug your RP Mini into your computer and hold the Volume Down, Volume Up, and Power for about 20 seconds. The device will turn off and should not appear to turn on, staying black.
In the QFIL app, you opened in step 3, you can verify your device is connected and in EDL mode if you see Please Select an Existing Port at the top as opposed to the previously shown No Port Available.
If your status log box has text in it already, you’re fine. Keep going.
If you don’t see that text, verify that you’ve installed the drivers in step 2. If you still face problems, try changing the USB cable or port on your computer.
5. Installing Android 10
To the right of the aforementioned Please Select an Existing Port text, hit the Select Port button, and then the Qualcomm HD-USB QDLoader 9008 option. That is your Retroid Pocket Mini. If you don’t see it listed, try reinstalling the drivers from step 1 again.
Should look like this. Your port number might be different, however.
Hit OKÂ to return back to the main window of the QFIL app, find Tools in the top navigation bar, and hit Partition Manager. A new window will pop up, hit OK.
Find Partition Manager under Tools
and hit Ok.
QFIL will load up another window showing you a plethora of partitions. Don’t touch anything at all. Leave the app be, don’t hit X or any other confirmation windows.
Go back to the Android10_RPMini_V1.1.310_20240926_181623_user folder you extracted in Step 1, find the QFILHelper.exe app, and launch it.
Should be right there.
A Terminal-like window will appear and it will present you with a few different options. Hit 5 on your keyboard to choose 5 – Flash files (from Flash folder)
Hit 5.
Then, you should see a screen like the one shown below. Hit C to select C – Continue.
Then C.
Next, you’ll see more files listed and be given the same options, Hit C once more to select the same option, C – Continue.
Hit C again
Now, the app will start the flashing process. Your Retroid Pocket Mini will remain black, nothing will alert you that the process is finished as far as your Mini is concerned.
Just let it cook.
This process also takes a relatively long time; it can take up to 30 minutes to complete. Don’t worry about any errors that pop up, just wait it out. Go grab a drink or watch any of the videos over on our YouTube channel.
After a while, you’ll see a message like below showing that the Process completed successfully…
Dinner’s done.
Once it’s all done and you see the text above, you can go ahead and close out all the various apps and windows you’ve opened throughout this process. We’re done with the computer part. The rest is easy beans.
6. Factory Reset the Retroid Pocket Mini
Unplug your Mini from the computer and hold the Power Button for as long as it takes for the Retroid Pocket Mini logo to appear. After a few seconds, you’ll be presented with the Android Recovery Menu.
From here, press Volume Up to choose Factory Reset and then Volume Up again to choose Factory Reset once more.
Should look exactly like this
If all went well, you should now be presented with Android 10, just as your device was when purchased.
Ta-da!
Wrap Up
For a device that hasn’t even been out for a full year, the Retroid Pocket Mini has a long, eventful history. However, finding the sweet spot of how you enjoy using the device is entirely in your hands. You can upgrade to Android 13 and test out Switch emulation, or sit comfortably on Android 10 and use it as it was designed.
Either way, your RP Mini is just that; yours.
Hopefully, this guide propels you to dabble in other Android tinkering, or at the very least, gets you back to the starting point you wanted to be on. Using Android 10 on the Mini just feels right. Everything works well for the most part, and there aren’t any odd glitches that need constant maintenance.
This guide got you to where you wanted to be, now it’s up to you to decide what to do next.
What did you think of this guide? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!
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