In this guide, we will show you the steps to install OTA updates on your rooted Samsung device. Under normal circumstances, installing OTA updates is quite a simple task. Just head over to Settings > Software Update section of your device and grab hold of the latest pending update. However, the path to update gets extremely difficult if your device is currently rooted. And if you own a Samsung device, then this route is all the more complicated.
Well, you should now have been used to the unconventional method that the OEM for each and every task, whether it’s unlocking the bootloader, rooting the device, flashing files in Download Mode instead of Fastboot, and the like. So if all its tasks have deviated from the normal path, how could installing OTA updates on the rooted Samsung device be left far behind!
In this regard, your first course of action should be to get hold of the AP file from the latest firmware, then patch it via Magisk, and flash it via Odin. However, you shouldn’t only flash the patched AP file, instead, you’ll also have to flash the rest of the firmware files. Talking about which, as opposed to rooting, herein you can flash the Home_CSC file instead of the CSC file because the process doesn’t require a data wipe. So with that in mind, let’s get started with the process.
How to Install OTA Updates on Rooted Samsung
While the below process will not wipe off any data from your device, still take a complete device backup, just to be on the sadder side. Thedroidwin will not be held responsible if something happens to your device or data after carrying out the below steps.
STEP 1: Download Latest Firmware
- To begin with, download and extract the latest firmware for your device from SamFW or the Frija Tool.
- Once downloaded, extract it onto your PC so that you get the AP, BL, CP, CSC, and the Home_CSC files.
STEP 2: Patch AP via Magisk
You’ll now have to patch the AP file [which you have just extracted from the firmware] via Magisk. Follow along.
- First off, transfer the AP file from the extracted firmware to your device.
- Then launch the Magisk app and tap on Install > Select and patch a file.
- Now choose the AP file and tap on Let’s Go. The patching will now start.
- Once done, you should get the magisk_patched.tar file inside the Download folder.
- Transfer this file to inside the same directory where the rest of the firmware files are present.
STEP 3: Boot to Download Mode
Next up, you will have to boot your Samsung device to Download Mode so that the Odin Tool can identify it and you can subsequently flash the patched AP file. So you may either refer to our detailed guide on How to Boot Samsung Device to Download Mode or check out the below shorter steps and get this job done:
- Download and extract the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
- Then enable USB Debugging and connect your device to PC via USB.
- Now open the Command Prompt window inside platform-tools folder.
- Type in the below command to boot your device to the Download Mode
adb reboot download
STEP 4: Flash Patched AP via Odin
The last step involves flashing the patched AP file via Odin. As told before, you cannot only flash the patched AP, instead you’ll have to flash the rest of the firmware files as well, namely, BL, CP, and Home_CSC. Likewise, there’s no need to flash CSC, instead the Home_CSC will get the job done. This is because there is no need for a device format since we are installing the update over an already rooted device. With that in mind, let’s get started.
- To begin with, download and extract Odin on your PC.
- Then load the following files to the Odin tool:
- First off, click ‘BL‘ and load the BL firmware file.
- Then click ‘AP‘ and load the magisk_patched.tar file.
- After this, click ‘CP‘ and load the CP firmware file.
- Finally, click ‘CSC‘ and load the Home_CSC firmware file.
- Once all the files have been loaded, go to the Options tab and checkmark Auto Reboot.
- Finally, click Start to begin the process. Once done, you should get the PASS!‘ message.
- Likewise, your device will automatically reboot to the latest OS update with root intact.
So these were the steps to install OTA updates on your rooted Samsung device. If you have any queries with regard to the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
FAQ: Can I Flash Just the Patched AP File?
No, you cannot simply flash just the patched AP file, instead you’ll also have to flash the BL, CP, and the Home_CSC files. If you end up flashing just the AP, then the Odin Tool might shrink the userdata partition on your device. O to avoid that from happening, please always flash the entire firmware. Moreover, you do have the liberty to choose Home_CSC instead of CSC and avoid a data wipe when install OTA updates on your rooted Samsung.
