📱 Flash Tool Guides

Vivo AFTool (PD Flash Tool) – Firmware Flashing Guide for Vivo & iQOO

Vivo AFTool (commonly called PD Flash Tool) is the official Vivo firmware utility for flashing stock ROM on Vivo and iQOO smartphones. This guide covers both MediaTek (scatter file) and Qualcomm (XML/Firehose) device variants.

Difficulty: 🟡 Intermediate
Read time: 20 min
Updated: June 28, 2026
Tool Version: v5.1.31
Medium Risk
🪟 Windows
Download Flash Tool v5.1.31

Pre-Flight Checklist

Complete ALL items before proceeding. Skipping any step increases the risk of bricking your device.

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Guide Steps

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Extract your downloaded firmware ZIP or RAR to a folder. The package typically contains:

  • A firmware folder with partition image files
  • An AFTool folder with the flash tool executable
  • A USB driver installer
  • A flash_all.bat or flash.xml file (Qualcomm devices)

Identify your chipset from the firmware folder name or the image files present:

  • MediaTek — Contains a scatter.txt or MT*.txt scatter file alongside .img partition files.
  • Qualcomm — Contains rawprogram*.xml, patch*.xml, prog_firehose*.elf, and individual .img partition files. May also include a flash_all.bat fastboot script.
💡 If the package contains a scatter file, use the MTK path. If it contains XML + ELF files, use the Qualcomm path.

Navigate to the AFTool folder inside your extracted firmware package (or your standalone AFTool installation). Right-click AFTool.exe and select "Run as administrator".

The tool opens showing the firmware loading panel and a status area. Do NOT connect your device yet.

⚠️ If AFTool fails to open or shows an error, your antivirus may be blocking it. Add the AFTool folder as an exclusion, or temporarily disable antivirus.

Skip this step if your device uses a Qualcomm chipset — proceed to Step 4.

  1. In AFTool, select the MediaTek or MTK tab if shown.
  2. Click Load Scatter File and navigate to your firmware folder. Select the scatter.txt or MT*.txt file.
  3. AFTool populates the partition table automatically from the scatter file. All partitions are checked by default.
  4. Select Download Only to flash without wiping userdata, or Format All + Download for a full clean flash. Use Format All + Download for brick recovery.
🚫 Verify the scatter file device model matches your device before proceeding. A mismatched scatter file will flash wrong partitions.

Skip this step if your device uses a MediaTek chipset — you completed Step 3.

  1. In AFTool, select the Qualcomm or QCM tab.
  2. Click Load or Browse and select rawprogram0.xml (or rawprogram_unsparse.xml) from the firmware folder. The partition list populates automatically.
  3. Ensure the prog_firehose_ddr.elf programmer path is set correctly — AFTool usually auto-detects it from the same folder as the XML.
  4. Select your flash mode: Erase All for a clean full flash (recommended for recovery), or deselect userdata to preserve data.
💡 Some Vivo Qualcomm firmware packages include a flash_all.bat script. This runs standard fastboot commands and can be used as an alternative to AFTool for Qualcomm devices if the bootloader is unlocked.

Power off your device completely. Then connect it to the PC via USB:

  • MediaTek devices — Connect the USB cable with the device powered off. Most Vivo MTK devices enter download mode automatically on connection. On some models, hold Volume Down while connecting.
  • Qualcomm devices — Connect with device powered off while holding Volume Down + Volume Up, or use adb reboot edl if the device is still bootable.

AFTool detects the device and shows a green status indicator or COM port in the port panel.

🚫 If the device is not detected, reinstall Vivo USB drivers, try a USB 2.0 port, use the original USB cable, and ensure AFTool is running as Administrator.

Click the Download or Start button. AFTool flashes each partition in sequence. The progress bar updates per partition and overall.

Total flashing time is typically 5–15 minutes depending on firmware size and USB speed.

🚫 Do NOT disconnect the USB cable or close AFTool during flashing. Do not let the PC sleep. Any interruption mid-flash will brick the device.

When complete, AFTool shows SUCCESS or PASS and the device reboots automatically.

First boot after a flash takes several minutes as Android initializes. Do not interrupt or press buttons during this time.

After booting, verify the firmware at Settings → About Phone. Confirm the software version, model code, and Android version match the firmware you flashed.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

Common errors and their solutions. Read this before asking for help.

They are the same tool. AFTool is the actual name of the Vivo official flash utility. "PD Flash Tool" is a community nickname derived from Vivo's internal model code format — all Vivo device model codes begin with "PD" (e.g. PD1824, PD2055F, PD2408F). When you see firmware files named with PD codes, the flash tool to use is AFTool.

Check Settings → About Phone → CPU, or look at the firmware package name — "MT" in the firmware name (e.g. MT6765) indicates MediaTek; "MSM", "SDM", or "SM" indicates Qualcomm Snapdragon. Budget and mid-range Vivo devices often use MediaTek; higher-end models use Qualcomm or MediaTek Dimensity.

Reinstall Vivo USB drivers and try a USB 2.0 port. Ensure AFTool is running as Administrator. For MediaTek devices, try connecting the device while holding Volume Down. For Qualcomm devices, confirm the device is in EDL mode (screen fully black, PID 0x9008 in Device Manager).

The firmware is likely mismatched for the model or region. Confirm your exact model code from the sticker under the battery / SIM tray, or from Settings → About Phone → Model Number if still accessible. Download firmware that matches your exact model code and re-flash using Format All + Download (MTK) or Erase All (Qualcomm).

Flashing official stock firmware using AFTool is generally treated as a standard software restore and does not automatically void your warranty in most regions. However, flashing unofficial or modified firmware, or unlocking the bootloader, will void your warranty. Always flash the original firmware matching your device model and region to stay within warranty terms.

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