How to Install TWRP on Galaxy S9 Snapdragon

This guide walks you through installing Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP) on a Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S9 (SM-G9600/960U/960U1). TWRP is a custom recovery that lets you flash custom ROMs, kernels, and mods, and create full system backups. You’ll need to unlock your bootloader first, which wipes your phone, so back up everything before starting.

What You’ll Need

• A Snapdragon Galaxy S9 (check in Settings > About Phone; the model number should be SM-G9600, SM-G960U, or SM-G960U1). Exynos models (SM-G960F) have a different process.
• A Windows PC (the tools below are Windows-only).
• A USB cable that supports data transfer.
• Odin 3.13.1 or newer (a Samsung flashing tool).
• The TWRP image file for your specific model (download from the official TWRP site, choose your device).
• Odin-compatible TWRP tar file (often named twrp-3.x.x-x-dreamqlte.img.tar).
• Latest Samsung USB drivers installed on your PC.
• Optional: a microSD card or USB OTG drive to store backups.

Step-by-Step

1. Enable Developer Options: Go to Settings > About Phone > Software Information, then tap “Build Numberâ€� seven times. You’ll see a toast saying you’re a developer.
2. Enable OEM Unlock: In Settings > Developer Options, turn on “OEM Unlocking�. This is critical; without it, flashing will fail.
3. Back up your data: Unlocking the bootloader will wipe your phone. Copy photos, contacts, and files to a computer or cloud service.
4. Power off your phone.
5. Boot into Download Mode: Press and hold Volume Down + Bixby + Power simultaneously. When the warning screen appears, press Volume Up to continue.
6. Unlock the bootloader: On the first boot after enabling OEM Unlock, the phone will show a warning about unlocking. Press Volume Up to confirm. This wipes your device and restarts it. Set up the phone minimally (skip Wi-Fi and Google sign-in) and re-enable Developer Options and OEM Unlock.
7. Prepare Odin: Extract the Odin zip you downloaded. Right-click Odin3.exe and select “Run as administrator�.
8. Connect your phone: Boot your phone back into Download Mode (Volume Down + Bixby + Power). Connect it to your PC via USB. In Odin, the “ID:COM� box should turn blue and show a COM port number. If not, reinstall USB drivers or try a different cable/port.
9. Load the TWRP tar file: In Odin, click the “AP� button and select the TWRP .tar file you downloaded. Do not touch the BL, CP, or CSC slots.
10. Disable auto-reboot: In Odin’s Options tab, uncheck “Auto Rebootâ€�. This prevents the phone from booting into the stock system, which would overwrite TWRP.
11. Flash TWRP: Click “Start� in Odin. The process takes a few seconds. When you see “PASS!� in green, disconnect the USB cable.
12. Boot directly into TWRP: Immediately press and hold Volume Up + Bixby + Power. Release all buttons when the TWRP logo appears. If the phone reboots into the system, you’ll need to redo the flash.
13. Allow system modifications: On first boot, TWRP will ask if you want to keep the system read-only. Swipe to allow modifications. This is necessary for flashing later.
14. Done: You now have TWRP installed. You can reboot to system by selecting Reboot > System. The stock ROM will boot normally.

Common Mistakes

• Using the wrong TWRP file: Downloading the Exynos version will not work on Snapdragon. Always verify your model number.
• Forgetting to enable OEM Unlock: Without it, Odin will fail with a “SW REV CHECK FAILâ€� error.
• Letting the phone auto-reboot: If you leave Auto Reboot checked, the phone boots into the stock system, which replaces TWRP with the stock recovery. You must uncheck it.
• Not booting directly into TWRP after flash: If you let the phone boot normally, you’ll have to reflash. Always boot into recovery manually.
• Using a USB hub: This can cause connection drops. Plug directly into a motherboard USB port.

Tips

• After installing TWRP, immediately create a full backup (including EFS partition) to your microSD card. This can save you if something goes wrong later.
• Keep the TWRP tar file and Odin on your PC for future use. You may need to reflash if you update the stock firmware.
• If you plan to root, flash Magisk (a zip) via TWRP right after installation, before booting the system, to avoid dm-verity issues.
• Use a cable that came with the phone or a high-quality third-party one. Cheap cables often cause Odin to fail.
• Disable Windows driver signature enforcement if Odin doesn’t recognize the device on Windows 10/11.

Troubleshooting

• Odin says “FAIL!â€� with “SW REV CHECK FAILâ€�: This usually means the bootloader is locked. Go back to Developer Options and ensure OEM Unlock is enabled, then repeat the process.
• Odin doesn’t detect the phone: Reinstall Samsung USB drivers, try a different USB port, or restart your PC. Also, make sure you’re in Download Mode, not just powered on.
• Phone boots to a black screen after flashing: This is often because you didn’t boot directly into TWRP. Hold Volume Up + Bixby + Power until the TWRP logo appears. If it doesn’t, reflash TWRP with Auto Reboot unchecked.
• TWRP asks for a password/decryption: This happens if your data is encrypted. In TWRP, go to Wipe > Format Data and type “yesâ€�. This wipes your data but removes encryption.
• Phone stuck in a boot loop: Boot into TWRP, wipe Cache and Dalvik, then reboot. If that fails, restore your backup from TWRP.
• “Custom binary blocked by FRP lockâ€�: This means Factory Reset Protection is active. You need to log into your Google account on the phone before flashing. If you can’t, you’ll need to bypass FRP (which is beyond this guide’s scope).

Frequently Asked Questions

Will installing TWRP void my warranty?

Yes, flashing a custom recovery typically voids Samsung’s warranty. However, you can revert to stock firmware with Odin to restore the warranty status (though the bootloader unlock counter may remain).

Do I need to root after installing TWRP?

No, TWRP and root are separate. TWRP is a recovery tool; rooting (via Magisk) is optional and gives you superuser access.

Can I install TWRP without unlocking the bootloader?

No. The bootloader must be unlocked first. On Snapdragon models, this is done via the OEM Unlock toggle in Developer Options.

Will TWRP be removed if I update the system via OTA?

Yes, OTA updates typically restore the stock recovery. You’ll need to reflash TWRP after an OTA update.

Can I use TWRP to go back to stock recovery?

Yes, you can flash the stock recovery image via Odin, or simply flash stock firmware, which includes the stock recovery.

Is it safe to install TWRP on my Snapdragon Galaxy S9?

If you follow the steps carefully, it’s generally safe. The main risk is data loss during bootloader unlock. There’s also a small chance of bricking if you flash a wrong file, so double-check your model.

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