The Nokia 8 Sirocco (A1N) was HMD Global’s premium flagship in 2018, featuring a striking design with a curved pOLED display, a powerful Snapdragon 835 chipset, and the clean software of the Android One program. The device launched with Android 8.0 Oreo and received updates to Android 9 Pie and Android 10. However, many users reported that the Android 10 update, in particular, introduced significant issues like severe battery drain and performance degradation. For users looking to unbrick a device stuck in “Download Mode,” resolve software bugs, or downgrade from Android 10 back to a more stable Android 9, flashing the official stock firmware is the definitive solution.
⚠️ CRUCIAL WARNING: Advanced Flashing & Downgrade Risk
This firmware is for flashing in Fastboot Mode, an advanced procedure that requires an unlocked bootloader. Downgrading the bootloader is often blocked by Nokia devices; attempting to flash a much older version of Android 9 on a device running the latest Android 10 may fail. This process will completely erase all your personal data. Proceed with extreme caution.
⚠️ Prerequisites: Before You Begin
Click Here for the Essential Pre-Flashing Checklist
- Backup Your Data: This process will wipe everything. Back up your data if your phone is accessible.
- Charge The Battery: Ensure your phone has at least a 60% charge to prevent shutdowns.
- Windows PC & USB Cable: You will need a Windows computer and the original Nokia USB-C cable.
- Unlock Bootloader: Your device’s bootloader must be officially unlocked to flash firmware via Fastboot.
📱 Quick Device Specifications
- Device
- Nokia 8 Sirocco
- Model
- A1N
- Chipset
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
- Display
- 5.5″ QHD pOLED (2560×1440)
- Operating System
- Android 9 Pie / Android 10
- RAM
- 6GB
- Storage
- 128GB
- Battery
- 3260 mAh
🛠 Required Tools & Downloads
⬇️ Nokia 8 Sirocco (A1N) Stock ROM / Firmware
Android 10
| Android Version |
Filename |
Release Date |
Size |
Download Link |
| 10 |
A1N-5140_…_20200701.7z |
2020-07-01 |
1.5 GB |
Download (Lolinet) |
Android 9 Pie (For Downgrade)
| Android Version |
Filename |
Release Date |
Size |
Download Link |
| 9 Pie |
Nokia_8_Sirocco_A1N-414B_OST.zip |
~ Late 2018 |
1.85 GB |
Download (MediaFire) |
Quick Steps to Flash Nokia 8 Sirocco Firmware
- Download and install the Nokia USB drivers. Download and extract the ADB/Fastboot Platform Tools and your chosen firmware file into the same folder.
- Power off your phone completely. Reboot it into Fastboot/Download Mode by connecting it to your PC with a USB cable and then immediately pressing and holding the Power + Volume Down buttons.
- Once in Fastboot mode, open a command prompt inside the folder where you extracted all the files (hold Shift + Right Click and select “Open command window here”).
- If the firmware package includes a `flash_all.bat` or similar script, you can simply double-click it to begin the automated flashing process.
- If no script is included, you will need to flash each partition manually. This involves typing a sequence of commands like `fastboot flash partition gpt.bin`, `fastboot flash boot boot.img`, etc., for every file in the firmware folder.
- After all files are flashed, type the command `fastboot reboot` to restart the phone. The first boot will take a long time.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Q1. Why would I downgrade from Android 10 to Android 9?
- The official Android 10 update for the Nokia 8 Sirocco was widely criticized by the community for introducing severe battery drain and other performance bugs. Many users choose to downgrade back to this more stable Android 9 Pie build to restore the phone’s battery life and smooth performance.
- Q2. My phone is stuck in “Download Mode.” Will this fix it?
- Yes. This is the most common reason to flash this firmware. “Download Mode” is Nokia’s version of Fastboot mode, and if the phone is stuck there, it means the OS is corrupted. A full flash using this guide is the standard procedure to fix it.
- Q3. What is the “_OST.zip” file?
- OST (Online Service Tool) is another official Nokia flashing tool. The files inside an OST package are often the same `.img` files used for fastboot. You can typically extract the OST zip file and flash the contents manually using the fastboot method described above.
🔧 Device Troubleshooting
- My phone is not detected in Fastboot mode (“waiting for device”): This is a driver issue. Ensure you have installed the correct Nokia and ADB/Fastboot drivers. You can check the connection by typing `fastboot devices` in the command prompt. If a serial number appears, you are connected.
- A manual flash command fails with a “partition not found” or “security” error: This often means your bootloader is not unlocked, or you are trying to flash an incompatible (e.g., older bootloader) file. Double-check that your bootloader is unlocked before attempting to flash.
- After flashing, the phone is stuck on the Nokia logo: The first boot after a full flash can take up to 20 minutes. If it’s still stuck, you must perform a factory reset. Boot into recovery mode (Power + Volume Up), then navigate to “Wipe data/factory reset” and confirm.
