Read the guide below and watch the YouTube video which is extremely useful and shows you an update process in real time.
Only perform this procedure if you are confident in doing so and it is at your own risk.
Apparently, Skoda has stated this will be the last major software version update for the Skoda Octavia Mk4s, although I imagine the mid-Mk4 facelift models will get further updates. I applied the update to my Octavia Estate First Edition 2021 plate and all seems to have gone smoothly but it goes without saying manually update only if you are confident performing the procedure and it's at your own risk. FYI, I updated from version 1969.
You will need an ExFat formatted USB-C type drive - oddly my Sandisk Micro SD Card with USB-C adapter wasn't detected by my Octavia so I switched to a 1TB USB-C Lacie hard drive I had lying around and that worked fine. You can tell if your drive is "compatible" and has mounted when you start the update process as, at one stage you will have to select either "USB1" or "USB2" - if a drive is mounted/detected one of these will be in bold.
1. Download the compressed package from one of the two links below:
Octavia Infotainment Update Version 1985 - Google Drive
https://e.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZSh8xZ7iUQu9K1u4uwTGbHqtxFE7m0OFtV
2. Create a temporary folder on your PC or Tablet, for example, MU1985
3, Locate the downloaded compressed file package and then right-click on it or press and hold on it, so the menu appears and it should offer you the opportunity to Extract here or elsewhere, tell it to extract the files to the MU1985 folder and let it get on with it. When it has finished extracting the files you will have the following TWO folders (previously there has been a third file but not this time, just the two folders below):
Data
Meta
4, Copy the above two folders directly to the root of your ExFat formatted UB-C drive. These two folders need to be at the root / top level of the USB-C drive, not contained in any other folder and you don't want anything else on that drive THERE MUST BE NO OTHER FILES / FOLDERS THAN THIS. Once done you are ready to move to your car to start the update.
5, Insert your USB-C drive into one of the front USB ports and put your car in ignition mode, which you need to do to apply the update, just press the Start Stop button on its own, without depressing the Clutch / Brake which you would do if you were starting the engine I also switched off the climate control before proceeding although I imagine the Update process would disable its functioning anyway. At this point, you must have a full or very well-charged car battery so that the car doesn't shut down halfway through the process. The ignition needs to be ON, the Engine needs to be OFF (NOT RUNNING)! DO NOT START IT DURING THE PROCESS.
6. Hold the "Menu" button until the engineering menu appears.
7, Watch this video which essentially shows you in real-time the update process. It's in German but it's easy to follow and the video relates to software version 1941 but it's essentially the same process.
https://youtu.be/4AsSbGd3caU
Be warned, there are moments when the screen goes black, the system reboots and the CPU upgrade stage looks like it has frozen but it hasn't. Just be patient, let the system do its thing and you should get a successful update of your system.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MUST THE PROCESS BE STOPPED ONCE IT HAS STARTED OTHERWISE YOU'LL MORE THAN LIKELY NEED A NEW INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM.
Notes.
After it has finished updating the system, give it a couple of minutes to ensure that all is well and like it shows on video press resume an wait for about 90s or so and the system will restart just, like in the video.
DO NOT START THE CAR UNTIL THE SYSTEM HAS RESTARTED
After the update the built-in manual is unlikely to be available for about 48hrs, it does come back!
You will more than likely receive another OTA update, it's OK to accept it.
Ultimately if you are at all worried about doing it, take it to a VW Independent or Skoda dealer and ask them to do it for you.