Guide to flash the firmware without needing to Unlock the boat loader. Follow this guide to change the region of your phone or if it has a lot of bloatware or foreign language installs.

Step 1: On your PC, install the drivers for your phone. Do this by connecting your Sony XZ via a usb to your PC. It will then ask to install Xperia Companion automatically with included drivers.

Step 2: Download these programs on your PC:

• XperiFirm - Allows you to download the current firmware for all Sony Xperia-line smartphones, tablets and accessories.
• Flashtool from Androxyde
  
  

Step 3: Download the firmware from you phone using XperiFirm.

Step 4: Use Flashtool to convert the firmware file into a FTF file. Open Flashtool, select Tools > Bundles > Create. Write your region to Branding and your version to Version.

Step 5: Flashing the Firmware

• Press Flash Device (the flash icon on the left side), select Flashmode, select your firmware from Firmwares.
  
  
• In Wipe, Sin section (not exclude), select all boxes, DO NOT SELECT SIM-LOCK, then press Flash. Wait for Flashmode screen should appear when the operation finish.
  
  
• Turn off your phone. Press Power and Volume Keys and Connect the Phone via USB Cable AT THE SAME TIME to put the phone to Flashmode. The LED should blink Green and Flashtool will do its work.
  
  
• When it says "flash completed, restart your phone.", restart your phone. Your new firmware is ready to use.

Ref:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-xz/how-to/guide-flashing-firmware-xperia-phones-t3860048

Buying cheap Sony Z3 D5803 phones from Hong Kong can have its difficulties. Firstly they will probably come with an old 2014 version of Android 4.4.4 - Kitkat. You will find that a lot of apps won't run on this old version on Android - so you will need to do an update.

Problem is that the Hong Kong D5803 wasn't issued for Australian carriers like the D5833, so these phone have difficulty updating to the new versions Android. The Sony Z3 can, in theory, be updated offically to Android 6.1.

Android updates from these phones are normally distributed through the phone carrier (Telstra, Optus, etc) via the phone's operating system Settings > About Phone > Software Update. The problem is, if it's an Asian D5803 phone, and you are in Australia, your phone won't update.

 You can try downloading and installing the XperiaCompanion software here and doing an update - and failing that - a repair. 

If you still cannot update your phone, the next step is to "Flash" your phone - which will install the Sony Update manually via a Computer without relying on a phone carrier. Its like updating firmware. To do this...

1. Download FlashTool: http://www.flashtool.net/downloads.php
   
   
2. Run FlashTool - it will create a firmwares folder in C:\Users\yourusername\.flashTool
   
   
3. Download the firmware: https://forum.xda-developers.com/z3-compact/general/list-stock-firmwares-d5803-d5833-t2906706
    (You may need to download the Central Europe - CE - file)
   
   
4. Save the Firmware to C:\Users\yourusername\.flashTool\firmwares
   
   
5. Plug the phone into the PC with a USB cable, run Flashtool.
   
   
6. Select the following...
   
7. Select the firmware and select all items in the wipe box...
8. 
9. Follow instructions

References:

• http://www.flashtool.net/index.php
• https://forum.xda-developers.com/z3-compact/general/list-stock-firmwares-d5803-d5833-t2906706

Trying to find a way to export all your Illustrator layers into photoshop? Do they keep coming over as flattened?

You would think the Adobe programers would talk to each other to get this running smoothly - but no!

Try this...

1. Open the file in Adobe Illustrator
2. Select everything
3. Go to Object >> Expand
4. Export the file as psd.
5. The open the psd file in Photoshop - and hopefully you will see all the layers