Q1. My Aquaris M5 battery life became terrible after updating to Android 6.0. Will this fix it?

Yes, this is the single most common complaint for this model. A clean flash of the stock Marshmallow firmware, followed by wiping the cache partition from recovery, is the best way to solve software-related battery drain. It removes any conflicting files left over from the previous OS version.

Q2. The camera on my phone has become slow to focus and takes worse pictures than it used to. Can this be fixed?

This is a known software issue with the camera's image processing and autofocus algorithms after the update. Reinstalling the official firmware restores the camera's original, optimized software and can significantly improve focus speed and the overall quality of your photos.

Q3. Can I use this to upgrade my phone to Android 7.0 Nougat or newer?

No. This is the official stock firmware based on Android 6.0.1. Upgrading to a newer, unsupported version of Android would require finding and flashing a custom ROM like LineageOS, which is a different and more complex procedure.

BQ Aquaris M5 Firmware (Stock ROM, Snapdragon 615)

The BQ Aquaris M5 is a well-regarded mid-range smartphone from 2015, known for its sharp 5.0-inch Full HD display, excellent battery life, and a clean, near-stock Android experience. Powered by the reliable Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset, it received an official update to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. However, this major update was the source of several widely reported software issues. The most significant user complaints include a drastic decrease in battery life, a noticeable decline in camera performance and focus speed, and general system lag. For users experiencing these problems, or those needing to unbrick their device, performing a clean flash of the official stock firmware is the definitive solution to restore the phone’s original performance and stability.

⚠️ CRUCIAL WARNING: Advanced Flashing Method
This guide is for the standard Android version of the BQ Aquaris M5. The flashing process uses the Fastboot method, which requires an unlocked bootloader and will completely erase all your personal data. Proceed with caution.

⚠️ Prerequisites: Before You Begin

Click Here for the Essential Pre-Flashing Checklist

Backup Your Data: This process will wipe everything on your phone’s internal storage.
Charge The Battery: Ensure your phone has at least a 60% charge to prevent it from shutting down during the process.
Windows PC & USB Cable: You will need a Windows computer and the phone’s original micro USB cable.
Unlock Bootloader: Your device’s bootloader must be unlocked to flash firmware via Fastboot.

📱 Quick Device Specifications

Device: BQ Aquaris M5
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (MSM8939)
Display: 5.0″ Full HD IPS (1920×1080)
Operating System: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
RAM: 2GB / 3GB
Storage: 16GB / 32GB
Battery: 3120 mAh

🛠 Required Tools & Downloads

File / Tool	Download Link
ADB and Fastboot Platform Tools	Download from Google
Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader Drivers	Download Drivers

⬇️ BQ Aquaris M5 Stock ROM / Firmware

OS Version	Build Number	Chipset	Download Link
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow	4.5.0	Qualcomm Snapdragon 615	Download (MediaFire)

Quick Steps to Flash BQ Aquaris M5 Firmware

Download and install the Qualcomm drivers. Download and extract the ADB/Fastboot Platform Tools and the firmware ZIP file (BQ_Aquaris_M5_4.5.0_..._6.0.1.zip) into the **same folder**.
Power off your phone completely. Reboot it into Fastboot Mode by pressing and holding the Power + Volume Down buttons simultaneously until you see the Fastboot menu.
Connect your phone to your PC via USB cable.
Inside the folder where you extracted the files, find and double-click the `flash-all.bat` script to run it.
A command prompt window will open and automatically begin the flashing process. Do not unplug the phone or close the window.
The script will flash all necessary partitions and the phone will reboot automatically once the process is complete.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. My Aquaris M5 battery life became terrible after updating to Android 6.0. Will this fix it?: Yes, this is the single most common complaint for this model. A clean flash of the stock Marshmallow firmware, followed by wiping the cache partition from recovery, is the best way to solve software-related battery drain. It removes any conflicting files left over from the previous OS version.
Q2. The camera on my phone has become slow to focus and takes worse pictures than it used to. Can this be fixed?: This is a known software issue with the camera’s image processing and autofocus algorithms after the update. Reinstalling the official firmware restores the camera’s original, optimized software and can significantly improve focus speed and the overall quality of your photos.
Q3. Can I use this to upgrade my phone to Android 7.0 Nougat or newer?: No. This is the official stock firmware based on Android 6.0.1. Upgrading to a newer, unsupported version of Android would require finding and flashing a custom ROM like LineageOS, which is a different and more complex procedure.

🔧 Device Troubleshooting

The `flash-all.bat` script closes instantly or gives an error: This indicates a problem with the Fastboot connection or file paths. Ensure the ADB/Fastboot tools and all the extracted firmware `.img` files are in the exact same folder as the script. Also, confirm the phone is detected by typing `fastboot devices` in a command prompt within that folder.
My phone is not detected by the PC in Fastboot mode: This is a driver issue. Reinstall the Qualcomm and ADB drivers, and consider disabling Windows Driver Signature Enforcement during the installation. Use a high-quality USB cable and a main port on your computer.
After a successful flash, the phone is stuck on the BQ boot animation: The first boot after a full flash can take a long time (up to 20 minutes). If it’s still stuck, you must perform a factory reset. Boot into recovery mode (Power + Volume Up), and from the menu, select “Wipe data/factory reset” to clear any data conflicts.