[Moto X4 Guides, News, & Discussion] CypherPotato:
Hello everybody, I'm sharing this tutorial to how to force Android Pie installation on retail moto x4.

Warning: read all the steps carefully. I'm not responsible for your actions and you're on your own on this..

What you need to do this

At first, follow the commandments to change the firmware of a mobile phone:

You will need an SD card (minimum 2gb of memory) !!! IMPORTANT !!! - See step 3.1 if you don't have a SD Card

Check if the battery is above 80%

Make sure you have ADB + Fastboot drivers installed AND YOU CAN ACCESS IT FROM YOUR COMMAND PROMPT

Make sure you have the latest Motorola Drivers installed on your computer.

Tested on:

- XT1900-1 - Ok

- XT1900-4 - Ok

- XR1900-5 w/ Android 8.0 - Ok

- XT1900-6 w/ Android 8.1 - Ok

- XT1900-7 w/ Android 8.0 - Ok

Not working for:

- XT1900-2 Indian Variant

Let's do this.

Step 1

Understand that this Pie update zip does not work on devices running Android One (google_fi) or Amazon (AMZ), only Retail phones. No matter if you have already installed other systems on it, you have to be in a retail (better with locked bt).

If you are not in retail, I picked up the latest retail firmware to install. Flash it on your device before proceeding.

Warning: note If your actual version number (OPWS 99.999.99-99) is

lower

than you will download below. If your current version number is higher, the procedure

will not work

and you will have to abandon this tutorial unless you unlock your bootloader, and I do not recommend doing this since rollback can cause brick your device permanently.

For Retail Android 8.1

Firmware: https://moto.netlib.re/payton/PAYTON_OPWS28.46-21-16_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip

For Retail Android 8.0 devices (devices which never updated to 8.1) -- thanks to Comby_sk

Firmware: https://moto.netlib.re/payton/PAYTON_OPWS27.57-40-25_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip

Android Pie Firmware: https://moto.netlib.re/payton/OTAs/ab_delta-Blur_Version.27.301.32-29.11.36.payton.retail.en.US.zip (don't download the step 2's file if you're downloading this. THIS IS ONLY FOR ANDROID 8.0 NOT 8.1)

-------

You will need this file too. Copy all text, create a notepad file with it's content and name it "Flash-all.bat".

Flash-all.bat: https://pastebin.com/pZ9ZteGX

Step 2

Skip to step 3.1 if you don't have a SD Card

After installing the Android 8.1 firmware on your device, download this ROM and place it at the root of your SD card.

Android Pie Firmware: https://moto.netlib.re/payton/OTAs/ab_delta-Blur_Version.28.271.24-29.11.36.payton.retail.en.US.zip

Step 3

Reboot your device to Fastboot, and start it on recovery mode (hold power button and press volume + -- don't hold both buttons simultaneously). When done, select "Apply update from SD card" and select the update package. The update is slow and it took more than 1 hour with me. Then sit back and relax while it's installed.

Step 3.1

If you don't have a SD Card, you should upload the file with a ADB command.

Download the file from Step 2 and put the file in the same directory where your adb is installed.

Restart your payton to recovery mode (hold power button and press volume + -- don't hold both buttons simultaneously). When done, select "Apply update from ADB" and them run this command from CMD:

adb sideload path_to_your_file

this command can take about 40 to 60 minutes for the speed of uploading and installing the update.

Note: path_to_your_file should be the full file name where your downloaded zip are.

Step 4

To work everything perfect and with no bug after the upgrade:

I) Go to settings -> System -> Advanced -> Reset options -> Factory reset the device

II) If the phone stucks on motorola boot screen, soft reset it. (hold power button for ~15 seconds)

III) Do all the initial setup procedures, then update the all the pending Play Store apps, and restart the device.

After that, your device will be with the stock Android Pie installed. Congratulations.