A custom recovery is the first thing to install if you want to install a custom ROMs. Some rooting guides don’t need a custom recovery, while others do. We know with most of the Samsung Galaxy S5 handsets, you do not need a custom recovery installed before rooting because Chainfire’s CF-Auto-root tool works with Odin without need to install SuperSu from a custom recovery.

Samsung Galaxy S5

The Files You Need

  • Download the CWM recovery file from this page.
  • Download the Windows Odin flashing tool from this page.
  • Download the Samsung USB Drivers.
  • These are the steps to install CWM touch recovery (Philz touch) on the Canadian Samsung galaxy S5 smartphone with model number SM-G900W8. All the Canadian S5’s come with that model number. If you want to be sure, you can head to the Settings > About Device and check what model number your device is from that screen.

Installing CWM Recovery On The Samsung Galaxy S5 (SM-G900W8)

  1. Download the CWM recovery file on the Windows computer. It will automatically download above the taskbar.
  2. Wait until that download finishes and then click the arrow on the right side of that file. It will bring up a new menu.
  3. Choose the ‘show in folder’ option from that menu. The CWM recovery file should be automatically highlighter.
  4. Click and drag that folder over to the desktop on the computer.
  5. Follow the same steps, only this time move the Odin file over to the desktop. You should now have two files — Odin and the custom recovery — zipped and on the desktop.
  6. Right-click over the files one at a time and choose the ‘extract here’ option. Now you will see the files you can use for each of them appear on the desktop.
  7. Click on the one that says Odin and run that tool.
  8. Long-press the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone until you are sure that it is off — that is sometimes 10 seconds for Samsung devices.
  9. Reboot in the download mode so you can connect it to the computer and download files. It’s the like bootloader mode for other devices.
  10. Press the Volume Down + Home + Power buttons to get in the download mode.
  11. Press the Volume Up button when you see a warning screen.
  12. Connect the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone to the Windows PC where you have the custom recovery and the Odin tools waiting.
  13. You will see the ID: COM port changes color if it detects your device. That happens when the drivers are working.
  14. Click the AP/PDA button and browse the desktop for the custom recovery file.
  15. Click the Start button.
  16. Odin is now flashing that custom recovery on your S5 smartphone.
  17. When you see the pass message your device will automatically reboot.
  18. Now you can plug from the computer and use the custom recovery to install custom ROMs or even get root access if you need to install SuperSU.

Troubleshooting

If your Odin ID: COM port doesn’t light up, it probably means the drivers are not working. We gave you the link to install the drivers in the ‘files you need’ section. If you did download them and still have the same problem, try rebooting the computer and trying the guide again. Sometimes the drivers may need a reboot before the programs pick them up.