Last Updated on September 18, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake
Anyone who has been rooting the Android operating system since we first found out how to root a device would know all about the Free WiFi Hotspot that was available once you had done just that to your device. A free WiFi hotspot isn’t anything magical these days, but the idea from yesteryear regarding the WiFi hotspot is a great example of what you can do with a rooted Android device. Things have evolved from back then, and now we have other uses for rooting the Android OS that makes it worthwhile. Things like overclocking the CPU or freezing your system apps, so they don’t take away from your hardware performance are two ways anyone can buy a low-end or mid-range device and get more juice out of it.
Rooting your Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo is always going to be useful for installing more apps. There are apps out there that can help your backup, freeze or remove the system apps from Samsung, overclock, give you a terminal command prompt window and much more. There are also other reasons top root the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo, which have to do with installing custom ROMs. A custom ROM on the Note 3 Neo is giving the device new custom firmware to use.
The rooting file in this guide for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo smartphone is based on the KOT49H.N7505LUBUCNH1 firmware which was part of an Android 4.4.2 KitKat software update rolling out to many regions. It did not roll out to everyone region–and it doesn’t matter either. You do not need to be running that same firmware build number on the Note 3 Neo smartphone for this guide to work.
Files You Need
- Download the new CF-Auto-Root file for the SM-N7505L on Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
Rooting the Galaxy Note 3 Neo smartphone will always void the Samsung warranty. You can get the warranty working again by unrooting the smartphone. Unrooting the Neo is usually done by flashing the stock ROM, or in this case, removing the SuperSU application which can be done from within the SuperSU app. Note that any device that has Samsung’s Knox security will never get the warranty working again.
By unlocking the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo smartphone, so it is free from any phone carrier network restrictions, you are then able to flash firmware from any phone carrier network still on the same SM-N7505L model number. We recommend you unlock your Galaxy Note 3 Neo device so you can flash firmware from one of the more popular smartphone carrier networks that are with your model number to give you a greater chance of success. Note that this is just a recommendation and not necessarily a requirement.
Double-check the file in the guide matches up with the model number of your device. The wrong file can brick your smartphone.
It’s tough for Chainfire to keep up with firmware updates for each phone carrier network of each device. Sometimes these new updates can bring new bootloader with them, and when that happens, your device will not boot up properly. You can fix it by flashing the stock ROM on the device. Also, when that happens, Chainfire wants you to submit the new recovery.img file to the official CF-Auto-Root XDA Developers thread so he can fix it. It’s up to you to send the new files.
Rooting the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo SM-N7505L running on Android 4.4.2 KitKat software updates
- Enable the USB Debugging Mode from the Galaxy Note 3 Neo settings so you can connect to the computer properly.
- Log in to your Windows computer with the administrators password so you can use the flashing tool.
- Download and install the Samsung USB Drivers on your Windows computer. (Installing them is easy: just download the file, double-click and open it from the default downloads folder, click Next > Next > Finish and you’re done).
- Extract the CF-Auto-Root package for the Note 3 Neo smartphone to the computer.
- Double-click the Odin executable that is on the desktop.
- Do not make any changes from the Odin user interface default settings. (The default Settings should show the Auto Reboot button is on and the Re-partition box is left empty).
- Boot the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo smartphone in download mode and then connect it to the Windows PC with the USB cable you normally use for charging the battery.
- Wait a few seconds and then check you have the ID: COM port lighting up either a yellow or blue color, signifying that your Samsung drivers are working.
- Click the AP button.
- Browse the desktop for the rooting file for the Note 3 Neo device and then upload the file to that same location.
- Click the Start button.
- Look over at the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo’s display and wait until it says that it is installing the SuperSU, cleaning up the cache partition, and refreshing the stock recovery.
- Look at the Odin user interface for when it gives you a green box with a pass message within the box letting you know that it is finished.
In conclusion, that’s how to root the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo SM-N7505L running Android 4.4.2 KitKat software updates. Upon device reboot, you should now see the SuperSU application from your app drawer. That’s the app that is going to ask you if you would like it to grant the root permissions. Say yes to any app that you have installed and no to anything else that might request it from you one day. Do not let anything into your apps that you do not recognize.
The developer of the rooting app, Chainfire, states that each device must get into recovery mode before the guide works. Anyone who does not see the SuperSU application might have that problem. You can always boot the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo smartphone to recovery mode manually instead after the flashing finishes, and it should now be rooted.
Moreover, anyone who does get the Samsung USB Drivers working and the Note 3 Neo into recovery mode but still cannot seem to get the device rooted can try installing a new version of the Odin flashing application. There are a few versions you can try, and some people report some versions are not working and others working for them. It just depends on the device and the version.