Published May 14, 2023, 1:01 PM EDT
Dennis Murimi has been passionate about tech, especially Android, since the Huawei IDEOS era (c. 2010).
Before joining MUO, Dennis wrote for TalkHelper from 2019- 2022 to build authority for their software lineup. This included listicles (Video Conversion), how-to guides, and in-depth software reviews (Multimedia)—amounting to over 1,000 articles.
On MUO, he's been demystifying complex Android features, troubleshooting common issues, and keeping readers informed about the latest updates and trends in the Android ecosystem. Dennis enjoys helping users unlock the full potential of their devices and navigate the ever-evolving world of Android.
In his free time, he maintains Android custom ROMs on his blog, GitHub, and XDA.
Dynamic System Updates (DSU) is a feature introduced with Android 10 that lets you load and run a new Android system image as a guest OS on your device. It's incredibly useful whenever you want to try out the next version of Android or test a stock Android experience without wiping your current system.
If you are an advanced Android user, you can load a Generic System Image (GSI) using the DSU Loader feature that's offered natively in many Android phones. Let's take a look at how to do it.
How to Use Android's DSU Loader to Install a GSI
A GSI is a stock Android ROM that you can install on any Android phone that supports Project Treble. With DSU Loader, you can run a GSI without having to wipe your existing system software.
DSU Loader is available on Android 11 or higher and is a tool in your device's developer settings to help you set up and manage GSIs solely via the system UI. You can also use ADB and Fastboot to install a GSI, but this method is far simpler.
Unfortunately, the availability of the DSU feature depends on your device manufacturer.
While Google has enabled DSU Loader on all devices since the Pixel 3, Samsung does not offer it. Other manufacturers that ship this feature include Xiaomi, Nothing, Sony, OnePlus, and more. This guide will also help you check whether you have the DSU Loader feature on your device.
Step 1: Enable Developer Options on Your Device
By default, the DSU Loader feature is not accessible until you enable developer options. For this, launch the Settings app, open the About phone section, scroll down to the Build number entry, and tap on it continuously until you see a confirmation message.
Step 2: Download Your Preferred GSI Using the DSU Loader
First, ensure that your device is connected to the internet. Next, go to Settings > System > Developer options, scroll to the DSU Loader entry, and tap on it to search for all the supported GSIs for your device.
From the resulting Select DSU Package pop-up, pick the GSI you want to install. If you prefer a GSI with Google apps, choose the one with the word GMS.
Tap the Agree button to accept the terms of service, and the GSI will start downloading. If you have secured your device with a PIN, pattern, or password, input it to authorize the download process.
You can monitor the download process via a Dynamic System Updates notification. Be patient for the download and installation processes to complete. The progress will depend on the speed of your internet connection.
Step 3: Restart Your Device to Boot the GSI
Once the installation is done, the DSU notification offers you two options, Discard and Restart. If you have changed your mind about loading the downloaded GSI, tap the Discard option. To boot into the just-installed system image, tap the Restart option on the notification.
Once the device reboots, you will be loaded into the GSI system as a guest OS. You can look around, test features of interest, and more. Remember that not all features may work like the stock system and that any data you save will be lost after a reboot.
You can use the DSU system for as long as you want, and when done exploring, use the next step to revert to the original system for your device.
Step 4: Switch Back to the Original Device System
After you are done exploring the new system, it is time to revert to the previous one on your device. To do that, pull down the notification panel, and tap the Restart option on the Dynamic System Updates notification. Optionally, you can simply reboot your device using the Power key.
You have successfully used the DSU Loader feature to install and test a GSI on your Android 11+ device. One thing to note, there are instances you need to unlock the bootloader on your device to boot a DSU image. If that is the case for your device, follow our comprehensive guide on how to unlock the Android bootloader.
Install Android GSIs Effortlessly Using DSU Loader
The DSU Loader is a feature that makes it simple to flash a GSI without additional knowledge. It eliminates the probability of messing with your device, as can be the case when using the conventional ADB and Fastboot method of flashing Android GSI builds. Google continues to improve this feature and we can only hope that all OEMs jump on this bandwagon.