Last Updated on May 31, 2019 by Mathew Diekhake
You must install a custom recovery — whether it is Philz touch, CWM or TWRP recovery — if you want to install a custom ROM. Since the Samsung Galaxy S5 has been so popular, often the reason is to install a custom ROM when people want a custom recovery. You need the custom recovery to upload the zip files the ROM comes with or it doesn’t work; that’s why a stock recovery is useless in this area. Most people get root access with Chainfire’s CF-Auto-Root which uses Odin and therefore you can install this custom recovery on the S5 before or after having root access.
The Files You Need
- Download the CWM recovery file from this link.
– it’s the Philz touch version of ClockworkMod recovery. - Download the Odin flashing tool from this page. You can use any version, but the version around Odin 3.09 is best, since it came out at a similar time.
- Download the Samsung USB Drivers.
- These are the steps to install CWM recovery on the Sprint Samsung Galaxy S5 with model number SM-G900P. If your device is with Sprint, it will have that same model number. However, you can check that by heading to the Settings > About Device.
Installing CWM Recovery On The Samsung Galaxy S5 (Sprint)
- Download the CWM recovery and the Odin files to the desktop.
- After you download them, they should appear just above the taskbar.
- Click the small arrow on the right side of the files one at a time and choose the ‘show in folder’ option.
- Now drag the file over to the desktop.
- Extract the custom recovery and the Odin tool on the desktop by right-clicking over the files and selecting the ‘extract here’ option.
- Run the Odin flashing tool by double-clicking over the file.
- Turn off the Samsung Galaxy S5 by long-pressing are swiping and selecting to turn it off.
- Reboot in the download mode, you need to connect to the Odin flashing tool. Do that by holding the Volume Down + Home + Power keys.
- Hit the Volume Up key when you get to the warning screen.
- Connect the S5 to the Windows computer where Odin and the custom recovery are waiting.
- The Odin ID: COM port will change color if the Samsung driver is working.
- Click the AP or PDA button found in Odin and upload the custom recovery file you prepared earlier. Remember to upload the extracted copy and not the original zipped file.
- Click the Start button and wait for Odin to finish flashing the custom recovery on your device.
- Odin will soon give you a pass message and the automatically reboot your Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone.
- Now you are safe to unplug it from the computer and use the custom recovery.
You can usually boot your device in the custom recovery mode by switching it off by long-pressing the Power button. Now reboot it by holding the Volume Up + Home + Power buttons. If you already have root access, you can download the Quick Boot tool from the Google Play Store.