Last Updated on January 5, 2023 by Mathew Diekhake

Like CWM, TWRP recovery is a custom recovery designed to give your Galaxy Alpha more features. The two main features Alpha owners will want to get familiar with include the NANDroid backup button and the ability to upload zip files from the internal SD card. In addition to the extra features, you can still use the TWRP for recovering the device if something goes wrong. Alpha owners usually do this by taking a factory reset from within the recovery mode.

These are the steps to flash TWRP recovery on the Samsung Galaxy Alpha:

Samsung Galaxy Alpha

Files You Need

  1. Download the TWRP recovery for the Samsung Galaxy Alpha smartphone from this page.
  2. Download the latest version of the Odin flash tool from this page.
  3. Download the universal ADB driver from this page directly to the computer and install the driver before you continue with the guide.
  4. These steps to install a custom recovery on the Samsung Galaxy Alpha are made for the model number SM-850. It should work for all variants of the SM-850 device. You can check your Alpha model number by turning it on and tapping the Menu > Settings > About Device > Checking the build number.
  5. You must have a Windows PC to follow this guide. Moreover, you are voiding the warranty on the Alpha by removing the stock recovery and replacing it with a custom recovery.

Installing a Custom Recovery on the Samsung Galaxy Alpha

  1. Download the TWRP recovery and the Odin packages directly to the computer.
  2. Move them from the default downloads location to the desktop. They usually can be found in the ‘downloads’ folder. from there, you can click and drag them over to the desktop.
  3. Right-click over the TWRP file and select the “extract here” option from the menu.
  4. Repeat the aforesaid step for the Odin flash tool so it too is extracted to the desktop.
  5. Double-click on the Odin executable and the Odin app will open the user-interface on the desktop.
  6. Make sure you have installed the ADB drivers before going ahead from this point.
  7. Turn off the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and reboot it up in download mode. You can get the Alpha in download mode by pressing the Volume Down + Home + Power keys.
  8. Check the Alpha’s display for when it tells you to press the Volume Up button and press that same button.
  9. Connect the Alpha smartphone to the computer using the USB cable.
  10. Since you installed the ADB drivers, the box should light up and say “added” from the Odin user-interface.
  11. Click the AP or the PDA button and upload the TWRP file you extracted on the desktop earlier.
  12. Click the Start button and the Odin flash tool will now flash it on your Alpha device.
  13. Wait for the Odin app on the computer to give you the pass message and for your Alpha to reboot automatically. Those who never see the Alpha reboot should do that automatically.

You can now learn how to boot the Samsung Galaxy Alpha up in the custom recovery mode using the hardware key commands, or go on to root the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and install the Quick Boot app from the Google Play Store. The Quick Boot app is the app we use on our devices, but it requires your device to be rooted for it to work.