How to Boot any Samsung Device to Download Mode

Sadique Hassan•Updated Nov 30, 2020

In this guide, we will show you the steps to boot any Samsung Galaxy device to the Download Mode. There are a plethora of tweaks that you could carry out on your Samsung devices. While its underlying OneUI is quite customizable in itself, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You could carry out tons of other modifications once you step into the custom development. Once you have unlocked the device’s bootloader, you could then flash a plethora of custom binaries.

These include flashing custom ROMs, custom recoveries, and even gaining access to the system partition via root. However, most of these tweaks (if not all) require your device to be booted to the Fastboot or Recovery Mode. But in the case of Samsung devices, there is no Fastboot or Bootloader Mode as such. Instead of that, you get the Download Mode (similar to the ones that Nokia and LG have to offer). So what exactly is the use of this Download Mode and how you could boot your Samsung device into this mode? Well, let’s check it out.

Table of Contents

What is Download Mode in Samsung?

Download Mode is similar to what the Fastboot Mode in other devices (such as Pixel and OnePlus has to offer). Also known as the Odin Mode, it allows you to flash various types of files including BL, AP, CP, and CSC. All these could be installed onto your device using the dedicated Odin Tool. Along the same lines, you could also unlock the device’s bootloader, flash TWRP, or the Magisk patched boot.img file via this mode and the aforementioned tool.

Likewise, Download Mode also makes it possible to flash stock firmware onto your Samsung devices. This in turn will help you to recover your device from a soft-brick or boot-loop state. With such a plentitude of perks involved, no doubt this mode is a boon for the tech enthusiasts. However, it could also lead to some confusion among the users. The reason? Well, there is no universal hardware key combinations to boot your Samsung device to Download Mode.

Just to reiterate this fact, consider this: Home, Power and Volume Keys | Power and Volume Keys | Power, Bixby, and Volume Keys | Volume and Power-cum-Bixby Keys | Volume Up + Volume Down keys only. These are the various key combinations through which you could boot a Samsung device to Download Mode. Isn’t that confusing? This is where this guide shall help you out. Follow along for the detailed instructions set.

How to Boot any Samsung Device to Download Mode?

Given below we have shared all the possible methods through which you could boot your Samsung device to Download Mode. Without further ado, let’s check them out.

Samsung Devices with Home, Power, and Volume Keys

Older Samsung Note and Galaxy devices that came with all the three Home, Power, and Volume Keys could boot their device to download Mode as follows:

Power off your device.
Then press and hold the Home + Volume Down + Power keys for a few seconds.
Now release all these keys and then press the Volume Up key to continue booting to Download Mode.

Samsung Devices with Power and Volume Keys (no Home Button)

If your device doesn’t have a dedicated Home button, then here’s what’s needs to be done:

Turn off your device.
Then press and hold the Volume Up + Volume Down + Power button for a few seconds.

Samsung Devices with Power, Bixby, and Volume Keys

if your device has a dedicated Bixby key, then follow the below steps:

Power off your phone.
Then press and hold the Volume Down + Bixby + Power key for a few seconds.
You will now be instructed to press the Volume Up button, do so and your Samsung device will be booted to Download Mode.

Samsung Devices with Volume and Power-cum-Bixby Keys

If your device has a single key that acts both as a Powe button as well as the Bixby key (newest Galaxy and Note series devices), then proceed with the below steps:

Power off your device.
Press and hold the Volume Up and the Power keys for a few seconds.
The device should now be booted to the Recovery Mode.
Use the Volume keys to select the Reboot to Bootloader option and hit the Power key to confirm this decision.
Your device will now be booted to Download Mode.

Boot Samsung Device to Download Mode Using only Volume Up + Volume Down

Some Samsung devices could be booted to Download Mod using only the Volume keys. here’s how:
Power off your device. Likewise, connect a USB cable to your PC.
Now press and hold the Volume Up+ Volume Down keys.
Keeping both these keys pressed, connect your device to the USB cable (which has already been connected to your PC).

Boot Samsung Device to Download Mode without using any Button

If your device’s Power, Home Bixby, or the Volume Keys aren’t responding, then the above instructions might prove to be quite challenging. Fortunately, there exists another method to boot any Samsung device to Download Mode that doesn’t involve any buttons or hardware keys. This process will be carried out using just a single ADB Command, as mentioned below.

First off, download and install the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC. This will provide you the necessary ADB and Fastboot binaries.
Likewise, also enable USB debugging on your device. This will help your PC identify your device in ADB mode. So head over to Settings > About Phone > Software Information > Tap on Build Number 7 Times > Go back to Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging.
Once done, head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
Finally, type in the following command in the CMD window to boot your Samsung device to Download Mode:
```
adb reboot bootloader
```

If you face the USB Unauthorized message, then please refer to this fix: How to Fix Unauthorized Device with ADB Commands [3 methods]. With this, we conclude the guide on how to boot any Samsung Galaxy device to the Download Mode. We have also shared the universal method that doesn’t require any hardware keys. With that said, if you have any queries, do let us know in the comments section below.

Tags:

ADBDownload ModeSamsung

jelabarre
11 months ago Reply
Nope, *NONE* of these work on a Tab 3 Lite (SM-T110).
Byron
1 year ago Reply
How do I
Remove/
change A forgotten Samsung Account on A Galaxy S8 mobile without resetting back to factory setting ? Please Help!
Lisette
2 years ago Reply
Hi, I’ve been trying to get into my tablet and I haven’t been able to. So I decided to factory reset it, and once I get to that point a “Selected SD Card …” thing pops up and if I press the up and down button at the same time it just move up and down uncontrollably. So at this point I don’t know what to do, since I can’t access it at all and I have no idea what to do now.
Sandra
3 years ago Reply
Hi, the solution you provided, worked! Thank you! I upgraded to Android 11, and my phone lost the ability to communicate off of speakerphone. Horrible! I own a international unlocked Samsung A20s. When I called Samsung’s helpdesk, I was told to buy a new phone..forget that! Just as an FYI, my CSC was BVO, (I tried many MXO, TPA and etc that didn’t work). After the flash was completed using Odin, an error came up on my phone (in Download Mode) stating that Android could not find a operating system, so the only choice I had was a factory reset. That factory reset downgraded the phone back to Android 10, UI 2.0. The solution truly helped and saved my phone. thanks again.
- Sadique Hassan
  3 years ago Reply
  Glad that this guide helped you out, Sandra.