Last Updated on September 21, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake
Installing a custom recovery is a great idea if you want to install a custom ROM on your Samsung Galaxy S3 device. Generally speaking, you need to install a custom recovery if you want to install a custom ROM; however, that isn’t always the case. It is possible to install CyanogenMod on your device and it comes with the CyanogenMod installer. That same CyanogenMod installer will also install CWM recovery on your device. You will get directed to installing a custom recovery during most guides with rooting and installing custom ROMs. However, a custom recovery like TWRP recovery is also useful for people who just want to use a better backup feature (NANDroid backups).
The Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP) is similar to ClockworkMod recovery but comes with a touch-based recovery environment. That means you don’t use the Power and Volume keys like you would with ClockworkMod recovery. Instead, you have the buttons on the device’s display as you would expect to find on a modern smartphone feature. Apart from that, there isn’t much difference — both TWRP and CWM recovery have the same features as each other.
Prerequisites
- Download your desired CWM Recovery version:
- Download the touch or non-touch version depending on your preference (touch display or navigation buttons). Also, download the tar file to flash with Odin and download the zip file to install via the custom recovery.
- You used to be able to build your own version of CWM on a section of the official ClockworkMod website; however, I believe that option is no longer available.
- This installs ClockworkMod Recovery version 6.0.2.5; they’re all the same version.
- Download the latest Odin.
- Install Samsung USB drivers from Samsung directly.
- From memory, the touch version of CWM is known as Philz Touch Recovery (there wasn’t a touch version of CWM when I covered these tutorials in my youth).
- My guides are more concise nowadays. If you need extra help, leave a comment.
How to Install Custom Recovery on Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300, I9305
- Boot the Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300 / I9305 into Download Mode.
- Install Odin and the Samsung USB drivers on the Windows computer. Get the latest drivers directly from Samsung so you have the latest version.
- Ensure Auto reboot is unchecked from the Odin interface.
- Click AP and upload the tar file.
- Click Start and wait for Odin to flash the tar file to your Galaxy S3.
- Boot to the newly installed CWM by pressing Volume Up + Home + Power buttons simultaneously.
In conclusion, that is how to install ClockworkMod Recovery on the Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300 / I9305. You can now root it by installing SuperSU from the CWM Recovery image you just installed. You can install the SuperSU zip from the CWM menu.