Last Updated on August 20, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
A custom recovery image replaces the stock recovery image, meaning you can only have one of them running on the Samsung Galaxy S5 at any time. T‑Mobile’s Galaxy S5 (model number SM‑G900T) ships with a stock recovery that handles basic troubleshooting and system recovery. A custom recovery like TWRP builds on those features by adding advanced options for flashing custom ROMs, kernels, and other ZIP packages.
These ROMs and kernels are always installed in .zip format, and a custom recovery is required to upload and flash them. The custom recovery partition is also essential for properly installing the SuperSU ZIP package. Although SuperSU is available from the Google Play Store, installing it from the Play Store alone does not enable root access. Rooting the Galaxy S5 SM‑G900T requires loading the SuperSU ZIP from a custom recovery and flashing it just like a ROM or kernel. That is what we are preparing the device for today.
Required Downloads & Prerequisites
- This guide flashes TWRP Recovery to the T‑Mobile Samsung Galaxy S5 (SM‑G900T). If you plan to root the device with SuperSU, you can use TWRP or other custom recoveries such as ClockworkMod, and then flash the SuperSU ZIP the same way.
- You must have the T‑Mobile Samsung Galaxy S5 with model number SM‑G900T. Several U.S. variants of the Galaxy S5 exist, and only one belongs to T‑Mobile. Flashing this TWRP image on a different model may fail or even brick the device. You can confirm your model number by navigating to Menu > Settings > About Device > Model Number.
- Installing a custom recovery image like Team Win’s TWRP Recovery will void the warranty on the Galaxy S5. Warranty can be restored by flashing the stock recovery on Samsung devices that do not use Samsung Knox. Devices with Knox will permanently trip the Knox counter.
- Download the TWRP Recovery for T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone with the SM-G900T model number.
- Download the Odin flashing tool for the Windows computer.
- Download the Samsung USB Drivers for the Windows computer before you get started with the guide.
Installing TWRP Recovery on the T-Mobile version of the Samsung Galaxy S5 (model number SM-G900T)
- Log into the Windows computer using an administrators account so that you can use the Odin flashing application.
- Unlock the Developer Options menu on the T-Mobile S5 smartphone so you can use the options that are on that menu.
- Enable the USB Debugging Mode on the Galaxy S5 smartphone so you can do some developmental work on the Android software.
- Install the Samsung USB Drivers on the Windows computer so that the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone can be detected by the flashing application when it is running on the computer.
- Extract the Odin and the TWRP Recovery packages to the desktop of the computer so you can use them.
- Double-click on the Odin flashing tool’s .exe file so that the Odin flashing app opens up and you can see the user interface with all of its buttons.
- Boot the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone by T-Mobile into the download mode and then connect it to the computer using the USB cable.
- Check the Odin app on the computer shows a yellow or blue ID: COM port and a word appears on the screen telling you that it is “added.” (No message and no color from Odin is telling you that the Samsung USB Drivers you were supposed to install earlier are not yet working. You can try installing the Universal Windows ADB Driver if the ones from Samsung are not working on the computer. If you are positive that you have the drivers installed, then it might be that you are not logged into the computer as an administrator. Those who cannot get access to the administrators account can sometimes right-click on the Odin app before it is open and choose to run it as an administrator instead).
- Click the AP button from the Odin app user interface and then browse the desktop of the TWRP file that you extracted earlier.
- Click the Start button from the Odin app on the computer and wait for the custom recovery to finish flashing to the phone.
In conclusion, that is how to install Team Win’s TWRP Recovery on the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone so you can start flashing ROMs, kernels and even achieve root access to the internal system. Those looking to find out how to root the device can read up on everything there is to learn for rooting the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone with the SuperSU application.