How to Downgrade SONY Xperia Arc S to Official Gingerbread 2.3 Firmware
Just in case if you have forcefully updated your Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S with the latest ICS firmware version and didn’t like it or say you would now want to wait for the official ICS Android 4.0 version, you can now easily roll back to your earlier firmware version. In the due course of this article we will be checking out on how you can easily roll back to the original Gingerbread firmware version. Over a period of this article we will be checking out on what are the list of pre requisites and then followed by the detailed tutorial.
Rooting Information: please be informed that after applying this update, the warranty won’t be lost and also just in case if you have rooted the firmware then after applying this update, the root access will be revoked.
Disclaimer: Neither AndroidAdvices, nor developer should be held responsible for any damage happened to your device in the process of downgrading. It’s very unlikely that there will be any issues but just in case if at all there are any issues then we are committed to help you in solving the same.
Quick pre Requisites:
- In the process of downgrade, there is a possibility that all the data present in your SONY Ericsson Xperia should be backed up with the help of below mentioned steps so as to ensure that just in case any of the data gets lost, the same can be restored easily.
SMS – Use “SMS Backup & Restore app”,
Contacts – Sync with the Gmail application,
Call Log - Call Log and Restore
Images, Songs, Videos, Files – Copy to internal / External SD Card,
APN and MMS Settings – Note down from the path “Applications > Settings > Wireless and Network > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names”
- Minimum charge left in the device should be at least 60% so as to ensure that device doesn’t get turned Off in the middle of firmware update.
- Enable the USB Debugging in your Xperia Arc from the path “Settings > Applications > Development > USB debugging”. The USB Debugging option should be ticked.
- Disable all the antivirus suites in your computer and uninstall the same in your device as these tools generally tend to interrupt the process of firmware update.
So, assuming that you have followed all the above mentioned instructions you can now proceed to the next page where we have summed up a detailed tutorial on how you can easily downgrade to this firmware.
Pages: Part 1 Part 2
Comments (47)
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Is this safe on my xperia arc s its bootloader is locked and non-rooted?
any chance of bricking my phone?
thank you very much, you make my arc s smooth as before =)
Thank you so much for this, it works perfectly!
I updated my Arc S to Ice Cream Sandwich through the PC Companion and it made my phone so slow it was virtually unusable. I tried a soft reset which did nothing followed by a factory reset which i thought would revert the phone back to the sofware it came with but NO. I then tried a fresh installation through pc companion but that didn’t help either. I’ve only had my phone for 6 weeks so i was pulling my hair out with frustration!
I contacted Sony support but heard nothing and finally in the early hours i searched Google for a way to revert back to the original software and found your website. I was a bit worried following your instructions in fear that it might brick my phone but everything worked perfectly following your instructions and now my phone is back to the way it was before the update. Thank you soooo much for taking the time to post this information. I’m very gratefull!!
Does using the FlashTool involve rooting of the device?
Also, Is the official downgrade to GB available for Xperia Neo V?
Thanks mate, it really worked. You just saved my nerves!!!
works perfectly, just be a little carefull about all the instructions, and here is a lin which may guide you all about how the flashtool will work. the version used here will be different but atleast you will get some guidance
ehhe. smooth… sounds like he shaved it for you
I am trying it but the programs give me mtp on how we can solve it
worked great. 2.3.4 is so much more faster thankyou
is there any link to download firware package and flash tool for xperia pro??
yes you can install the same
This is fantastic, thank you so much! Ever since I upgraded my phone to ICS I’ve had nothing but problems and it made my phone incredibly slow. 3 factory resets later and it was getting worse instead of better, but now it feels like new again! THANK YOU!! You’re an absolute STAR!!
YES, YES, YES… THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
) 
, after an automated updating through PC Companion, from GB 2.3.4 to ICS 4.0.4. Games not working, camera fail, wifi slow like hell, 80% of apps -Force Closed, etc, etc, etc…
))))
…I am so happy right now, after days with no food, or sleep, days when my wife waited me in bed and i failed to be there, days when my kids had no father, because i was too busy with downgrade, rooting, flashing…
….I tried everything on my Xperia Arc LT15a (Now shows me my phone as LT18i
I tried rooting and flashing tools like crazy, with no luck, and when i found this page, i said… well…. hmm another one…. no… but lets try one more time… and after couple clicks and 3 minutes i DOWNGRADED MY XPERIA FROM ICS 4.0.4 to GB 2.3.4, with no additional difficult steps, and NO ROOTING REQUIRED…….JUST LIKE THAT………… WOW, WOOOWWWW… SO FREAKIN HAPPY GUY I AM
THANK YOU,THANK YOUM THANK YOU.
its best i have tried 5 stars from my side
Copy it to xda main arc s site it will save lives of many people =)
Does using the FlashTool involve rooting of the device?
And is it the official firmware of gingerbread u r providing??
yes you can install this via flash tool
Please help! I was trying to downgrade my experia arc s from ICS back to gingerbread. My phone was connected already during the first few seconds of flashing and my kid brother accidentally hit it and the usb came off and interrupted the flashing the phone just blinks with the “sony ericsson” logo on and off. I dont know what to do when i try to continue with the flashing it wont work. Please help me…the phone is only less than 2 weeks old. :0(
I did this procedure and my arc s got back to the way it was, however i wanna root him and i think this isnt letting me do it, how can i undo this?
I did this procedure and my arc s got back to the way it was, however i wanna root him and i think this isnt letting me do it, how can i undo this? I wanna unninstall blocked apps and the only way i say was using Titanium
Ok, I followed all the procedure and it works, except for restoring the sms backup and call logs.
The apps dont exist on the phone i.e no icon, but when I try to download them again it says they are already installed. How do I get round this.
Thanks in advance
Rob
Please ignore my comments as I have now managed to download my missing apps and restore my backups.
Don’t know why they wouldn’t download at first but I tried another download service and they worked.
Thanks for showing us all how to do this, the phone is now working perfectly, just as it used to when I first bought it. No crashing, locking, lost contacts or glitches. I’ve stopped swearing at it !!
What I find very strange is that my wife has an identical phone bought from the same store on the same day and she also upgraded to android 4 but without any of the issues I have had with mine.
further to my earlier comment it would appear that any aftermarket app I had with android 4 does not appear in the apps on gingerbread but when I try to download them it says they are already installed
Thanks
Please help! I was trying to downgrade my experia arc s from ICS back to gingerbread. My phone was connected already during the first few seconds of flashing and my kid brother accidentally hit it and the usb came off and interrupted the flashing the phone just blinks with the “sony ericsson” logo on and off. I dont know what to do when i try to continue with the flashing it wont work. Please help me…the phone is only less than 2 weeks old. :0(
WAT WAS THE EARLIER BUILD OF FIRMWARE?
Just finished the downgrade, worked perfectly. Well I call it a downgrade but really its the opposite. Cannot thank you enough as the ICS upgrade is rubbish in so many ways. Spoils what is a very good phone. Once again thanks
thanks for appreciation but developers are working hard to come up with the stable ICS update
Thank you! You helped me a lot
thanks for your appreciation
Does this works for Sony Xperia Arc S TMN (Cellphone Provider)
How can I be sure this ROM is not modified to, say, steal information like passwords and credit cards and stuff and send them to a remote server?
Reply pretty please because I’m really desperate, the ICS on the arc S is just hopeless I need to go back to Gingerbread.
Also, the icon on the notification tray that shows when the mobile data is disabled is gone, how come it doesn’t show?
I’m new to this, I decided to update my xperia arc s to version 4.0.3 with only two weeks of use, but I was faltal, this version closes almost all games that could be played before from my old version.
I have some fear of this process to return to version 2.3.6. I remain as before? This is the android version of sony? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me
Many Thanks, everything worked perfect. I am very grateful
Worked like a charm, phone was really horrible to use on ICS, thanks for the guide!
At last, I have my phone back!
Thx.
I asked a few weeks ago how can I be sure this ROM isn’t mod to steal information like passwords?
My comment never showed up on the comment section bellow and I’d really like to know before I do anything.
no, it doesn’t steal passwords
It works very well
Flashing was quick! haha thanks a lot
All i get is>
ERROR – Drivers need to be installed for connected device.
ERROR – You can find them in the drivers folder of Flashtool.
The firmware package is on the right place, alone as it should be.
Someone can help me?
i am also facing the same problem
any one can help??
Does using this Flash tool mean that you will lose the warenty on the phone?? and can you use this Flash tool even tough your phone isent rooted??. And by using this Flash tool does it root your phone please anwser as soon as possible.
The flash tool link is dead can you provide a new link or say the version and name of the flash tool
I feel Android 2.3 better,more smooth
can i applly the same to my xperia sola??
no its just for arc s
hello.. i like to ask something, which is very important bfore i downgrade my xperia phone.. bfore we downgrade, we need root our phone first or what? or just download GB firmware and flashtool and just downgrade like normally or what? i really need know more detail about this downgrading.. bcause i have bad xperience bfore that make my phone bcome brick and useless..please teach me.. i really2 need u help to downgarde my xperia arc s to GB.. Bcause ics make my phone bcame worst..tq
plz give me a valid link of the flashtool ………..