How To Boot into Samsung Download Mode

The basic system of Android OS is that it has a bootloader, through which your phone starts up every time you boot your phone. be it any skin of Android every Android smartphone has a bootloader, fastboot and a recovery. While most of the OS like OnePlus, Xiaomi and Samsung do allow to enter into recovery for a few different purposes, but it is advised not to enter if you don’t know what you are doing. Oneplus’s recovery can be used to flash oxygen OS firmware, same is the case with Xiaomi. However, with Samsung, it’s slightly different. As recovery doesn’t have such options. To flash firmware manually on a Samsung Galaxy device you need to enter download mode. So here are some of the methods through which you can enter into download mode on a Samsung Galaxy device.

Also see: How To Boot Samsung Devices Into Recovery

In This Article show

Whats is Download Mode On Samsung?

As mentioned above most of the OEMs use recovery and fastboot to root, or to flash firmware manually, Samsung instead has download mode, through which you can flash the firmware. Although it is not that easy as it is with other OEMs. For instance, OnePlus provides compressed flashable firmware files on their website, all you need to do is download it go to recovery, and use ADB commands to sideload the zip file into your phone. But with Samsung, you have to use download mode and Odin software on your PC, as Samsung phones don’t support fastboot commands. Download mode is basically a custom OEM-made fastboot mode that needs a specific tool through which it can communicate and execute commands, like Samsung needs Odin, for LG it is Flash Tool, and Nokia uses OST tool.

How To Boot Samsung Devices Into Download Mode

The download mode on Samsung Galaxy devices is also known as Odin Mode. When you have entered into download mode on your Samsung Galaxy phones or tabs, you will be able to install firmware binaries like BL, AP, CP, and CSC using the Odin tool. This comes in handy, if your device is stuck in boot loops, or if you are unable to turn on your phone, or if there are any other issues with the OS. In fact, up to a certain update if the bootloader version doesn’t change you can even downgrade to an older version of the OS as well.

Enter Download Mode On Samsung Galaxy Devices

There are 3 simple ways through which you can enter into download mode on Samsung devices they are as follows:

Using hardware key combinations
- Use Volume up + Volume Down buttons
Samsung 300k Tool or Samsung Download Mode tool
Using the ADB commands

The last two methods can help you boot into download mode without even pressing the keys or buttons of your phone. So if your volume buttons aren’t working or for some reason, you can’t press them to use the other methods.

Samsung Download Mode Key Combinations

To enter the download mode on Samsung devices, there are several different ways through which you can enter it. Also, in some cases, it also varies between the device to the device and the running OS. Like the latest One UI 3.0 and 3.1 have different methods to enter into download mode, while other devices running older One Ui versions have different methods to enter into download mode.

On Samsung Devices with Home, Power and Volume Buttons

Phones like Samsung Galaxy S2, S3, S4 Galaxy S5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S7/S7 Edge, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy Note 7, etc. have Power, Home, and Volume buttons. So follow the method mentioned below to enter into download mode:

Turn off your phone or tablet.
Now press and hold the Home + Volume Down + Power keys altogether for 3 seconds.
Release the keys and then again press the Volume Up key until you see download mode.

On Samsung Devices With Power and Volume Keys

While a few Samsung devices like the A8 (2018) and others which doesn’t have a home button but only has volume and power keys, then use the method mentioned below to enter into download mode-

First, Power off your Galaxy device.
Now, Hold the Volume UP + Volume Down + Power buttons all three at the same time for 3 seconds or so.
You will see a light blue screen saying download mode.

On Samsung Devices with Power, Bixby and Volume Keys

Samsung’s flagship series like the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9, Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 9, etc. comes with Power button volume rockers and an extra Bixby button. if you have a device with a Bixby button then use the method mentioned below to enter into download mode.

Switch off your Galaxy Smartphone.
Now, press and hold the Volume down + Bixby + Power keys altogether at the same time for 3 seconds.
Now, on the next screen, you will be prompted to confirm to enter into download mode, press the volume up button to confirm it. Now, you will see the download mode screen.

On Samsung devices With Volume and Power/Bixby keys

There are a few devices where the power button doubles as a Bixby button as well like the Note 10, Galaxy A90, Galaxy A80, Galaxy A70, Galaxy A50, Galaxy A40, etc. So to boot into download mode on such devices follow the steps mentioned below.

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy device.
Now, Press and hold the Volume up and Power button at the same time for 5 seconds.
Your device will boot into recovery mode. Here you will see things written in orange and blue, you need to use the volume keys to navigate through the menu, and the power button to select an option.
Navigate to reboot to bootloader using the volume down key and then press the power button.
Your Samsung Galaxy device will boot into download mode.

Samsung Galaxy S20/S21 Download Mode

The latest flagship smartphone series by Samsung the Galaxy S20 and s21 series have a slightly different method to enter into download mode than the rest. Due to security reasons, you cannot boot into download mode using the volume key combinations. Samsung has changed the method to enter into download mode for the devices that are running on One UI 3.1 like the Galaxy S20, S21 Note 20 series and older phones as well. To enter into download mode with devices running One Ui 3.1 follow the method mentioned below.

Turn Off Your Galaxy Phone.
Connect it to your computer using a USB cable.
Wait for 5-10 seconds, now hold the Volume up + Power keys simultaneously for 7-10 seconds.
Keep the buttons pressed until you see Android recovery mode.
Once you enter the recovery mode on your Galaxy device, navigate to Reboot to bootloader using the volume keys and then select it using the power button.
Your phone will boot into download mode or Odin mode.

Using Volume Up + Volume Down keys Only

If by chance your device’s power button is not working, you can boot into Odin mode or download mode using the volume keys as well.

Turn off your Samsung phone from the quick settings option.
Press and hold the Volume UP + Volume down key together.
While holding the buttons, plug the USB into your device’s type-c port.
Make sure that the USB cable is connected to your PC or your charger and is turned on.

How To Enter Samsung Download Mode Without using Keys

Well, all of the methods mentioned above do require some kind of key combination to enter into download mode. However, there are a few other ways through which you can enter into download mode even without pressing any of the keys on your smartphone. Although the following method would require a PC and a USB cable and ADB drivers installed on your PC.

How to Enter Download Mode ON Samsung Using ADB Command

ADB Commands are very powerful, we always underestimate the power of ADB drivers and their commands. But we can root, unlock bootloaders, give read and write permissions to an app, or in this case we can even boot our Samsung Galaxy devices into download mode using ADB only. So to boot into Download mode or recovery mode of your phone using ADB, follow the method mentioned below.

Install the latest Samsung USB driver if you don’t have it installed already, this is very important without the driver ADB commands won’t work properly.
Download the latest Platform-tools ( ADB and Fasgtboot tools ) for Windows, Mac, or Linux and save it to a handy location on your PC.
Now, Extract the downloaded zip.
Open the extracted folder called platform tools.
Launch the command prompt, to do so simply put your cursor at an empty place inside the platform-tools folder, press Shift key + Right-click on your mouse and select open Command Prompt/ PowerShell WIndow here from the context menu.
Now Enable USB debugging on your Samsung device. To do so Go to >> Settings >> Developer’s options >> Enable USB Debugging.
Connect your phone to the computer using a USB cable and make sure your device is unlocked while you are executing commands.
Now type adb devices to check if the device is connected properly or not, after hitting enter, check your phone there will be a prompt asking for access, click on allow.
Check that you get a string of alphanumeric values in the command prompt window.
Now type, adb reboot bootloader This will reboot your smartphone into download mode.

Samsung Download Mode Tool

The Samsung 300k is a great tool to help you boot into download mode. It is a very small yet powerful tool to help you in booting into download mode. Follow the steps below to download the Samsung 300k download mode tool and how to enter into download mode using the Samsung 300k tool.

Download Samsung 300k tool.zip.
Temporarily turn off your antivirus program, as it might interfere, and call the Samsung 300k tool a virus and remove it, so it’s better to disable the antivirus for a while.
Now unzip the downloaded file and open the extracted folder.
Now Enable USB debugging on your Samsung device. To do so Go to >> Settings >> Developer’s options >> Enable USB Debugging.
Launch Samsung 300k tool.exe file.
Finally, click on the big resistance-like icon on the left side of the program window.
That’s it your Samsung device should boot into download mode automatically.

Conclusion

Now, you have found so many ways to enter into download mode, go ahead and enter into download mode and you are ready to flash the firmware on your Samsung Galaxy devices, make sure you know how to use Odin. Also, you can download Samsung galaxy firmware from here.