Nexus 6: Disable encryption - Instructions

Disabling encryption on the Nexus 6 gives the smartphone a tremendous boost in speed. We'll show you how to get even more out of your smartphone.

Disable encryption on the Nexus 6

• The Nexus 6 automatically encrypts your data. While this is much safer, it slows down the Android system.
• Unfortunately, Google does not let you choose whether you want to encrypt your data or not. With a modified boot image, you can take away this right yourself.
• To deactivate encryption, all data is deleted from your device. Make sure to make a backup of Android.
• Note: If a new update for the Nexus 6 appears, the encryption is reactivated after the installation. You will then have to repeat the steps below.

Step 1: prepare Nexus 6

1. First, download the modified boot image from the XDA developers' website. Note: Choose the download above.
2. Also download and install the free Universal ADB driver.
3. Move the downloaded boot image to the "adb-tools" folder and follow the instructions in the next paragraph.

Step 2: start recovery mode

1. First, turn off the Nexus 6 completely. This is the only way to start recovery mode.
2. Now hold down the volume down button and the power button simultaneously for a few seconds.
3. Press the volume down button twice so that you select "Recovery Mode". This is started via the power button.

Step 3: Access the Nexus 6 from the PC

1. Open the "adb-tools" folder again and connect the Nexus 6 to the computer using a USB cable.
2. Hold down the [Shift] key on the keyboard and right-click on an empty space in the folder.
3. If you choose the "Open Command Prompt Here" option, you can now access your Nexus 6.

Step 4: Disable encryption on the Nexus 6

1. To unlock the boot loader, enter the command "fastboot oem unlock" and confirm with the [Enter] key.
2. Take the Nexus 6 at hand and press the volume up button and the power button. The device is now erased and is ready for the next step after about two to three minutes.
3. To disable encryption, enter the command "fastboot flash boot boot_noforceencrypt.img".
4. To prevent problems, you should definitely reset the device to the factory settings. To do this, enter the command "fastboot format userdata".
5. Encryption is now disabled on your Nexus 6.

In the next practical tip, we will show you how the Nexus 6 performs compared to the Nexus 5.