The Samsung Galaxy E5 is a decent smartphone that gets a great deal better once you hack the system internal with root access. The rooting scene has never been stronger, with many people electing to root just for the root-requiring applications only.

If you wish to update the Galaxy E5 with the latest version of Android, you’ll need to do that with all the custom ROMs available. XDA is a great resource for finding those third-party developers who make custom ROMS for you. Android 4.4.4 KitKat is not too bad, but it is way behind the latest versions of Android Lollipop — we even have Android M now out as a Developer Preview 2 which is getting a lot of love.

Samsung Galaxy E5

Nevertheless, before you head into the guide, it’s best to learn everything you need before starting the root concept. It’s important that root users are experienced Android users. With so many rooting methods being patched by future software update issued by Google, many are requiring unbricks or flashing a stock firmware version to get out of trouble. If you are experiencing any worries, it’s best to head directly to Sam Mobile and download the official firmware build for your device manually. Now upload that firmware through the Odin tool and flash it. That should get your Galaxy E5 out of trouble.

You must use a Windows computer running Windows XP or newer. We are now up to Windows 10. You cannot use this guide if you are using Apple’s operating system or Linux. The reason being that the Odin tool is made by Samsung developers for Windows OS only.

You might need to unlock the Developer Options menu before starting the guide. You can get that job done by heading to the Settings of your Android device, followed by the About Device menu. Now tap over the build number seven times or until the screen says you’ve unlocked the Developer Options menu. Android included this feature for fun, or because most people don’t use it. However, it’s incredibly important for most people who want to connect the Windows PC.

Now you are able to go back to the original Android Settings menu and enter the Developer Options menu. from inside the Dev options, enable the USB Debugging Mode.

Rooting the Samsung Galaxy E5 running Android 4.4.4 KitKat

  1. Download the file for the model number you own SM-E500F, SM-E500H or SM-E500M.
  2. Download the Odin 3.09 from this page.
  3. Now you must extract both packages, which means unzip the files.
  4. You should see the Odin executable file inside the Odin folder. Double-click and run the Odin application and leave it waiting on the desktop for a minute.
  5. Check the options in Odin. You ought to see the Auto reboot and F Reset Time options checked. The re-partition box should remain unchecked — that one’s extremely important.
  6. Now turn off the Samsung Galaxy E5 completely by holding the Power button down for 10 seconds and letting go.
  7. Reboot the E5 holding this button sequence: Power + Volume Down + Home and then release the buttons. Now press Volume Up on the next screen and it will enter the Download Mode.
  8. Connect the Samsung Galaxy E5 to the Windows computer and wait for Odin to detect the device. You should notice the ID: COM ports changing color.
  9. Click the Start button found in Odin and the flashing will now happen. Leave your device until it reboots — it does this because we told Odin to when we checked the Auto reboot button.
  10. Once you see the pass message on Odin’s display, disconnect from the computer and regain control of your Google account on the Galaxy E5 smartphone.

You can double-check that everything worked well by installing the root checker application. There are a few different trusted variants available at Google Play. The one we are showing you today is just one example.