How to Unroot Samsung Galaxy S4 [All Versions]

By
Usama M
-
44

Have you rooted your Samsung Galaxy S4 and modified it? or installed a custom rom? and now looking for a way to get rid of the root access and get back to the Factory state / stock firmware? Well, sometimes the root access becomes a pain in vein, specially when you have flashed mods or custom roms along with the root access and you want to get rid of it as soon as you can. Following the need, We will be having a look on how we can unroot the Samung Galaxy S4 and get back to the factory state. You just need to follow the steps explained below to the letter.

samsung-galaxy-s-4

To unroot your Samsung Galaxy S4, you need to flash a stock firmware / rom on your phone, this will unroot and remove all the junk from your phone as you will remove the factory data after completing the flashing process. So before we begin, you need to backup all the important data placed on your phone’s internal storage, contacts, call logs and messages. Also make sure that you have battery charged over at least 60%.

  • Check your device’s model in Settings > General > About Device > Model.
  • Download the latest stock firmware for your Galaxy S4 from HERE.
  • Make sure that you download the firmware for your device, according the model number properly.
  • Unzip the downloaded file, it should be an MD5 file the format should be .tar.md5.
  • Open Odin.
  • Put your device in download mode. In order to do so press and hold Volume Down + Home Button + Power Key simultaneously until you see the warning to continue. Press Volume Up to continue.
  • download-mode-500x397
  • Connect your phone to your PC.
  • As soon as Odin detects your phone, the ID:COM box on the top Right corner should turn blue or yellow depending upon your Odin version.
  • Select the PDA tab and give it the extracted / unzipped file, that is in .tar.md5 format. Make sure that only Aut0 Reboot and F. Reset Time are selected in Odin and all others are unchecked.
  • odin_explained
  • Hit start. It will take a few minutes while the process gets completed.
  • As soon as your device restarts, disconnect it from the PC, turn it off by pulling out the battery and wait for 30 seconds. Turn it on by pressing and holding Volume Up + Home Button + Power Key, it should boot into the recovery mode now.
  • Wipe / Reset Factory Data and Cache in recovery and restart.
  • Phewwww! That’s all. You’ve successfully unrooted your Samsung Galaxy S4 and its in the factory state now.

Please keep in mind that flashing a stock firmware following the above method will not get your device’s warranty back as it does not erase the binary counter. It is possible to gain the warranty back on Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 using Tirangle Away app, but the app doesn’t work on other variants due to the restrictions by Samsung. The method explained above is basically for unrooting your phone and getting it back to the factory state (as it comes out of the box).

We hope that the above method helped you. In case you face any problems, feel free to write us. We will try our best to help you out. Thank You!

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Usama M
Usama is a software engineer by profession and at TechBeasts.com he uses his expertise to solve everyday consumer tech problems with his main areas of interest being Android, iOS and Windows.

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44 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you thank you thank you! After a bad experience with CyanogenMod, this COMPLETELY saved my phone! Thank you so much!

  2. Must be with something with CyanogenMod as my phone has stopped working correctly. So I am following your instructions above and so far so good. Thanks for help

      • One question how long does it take the phone to reboot as it has been sitting for 10m mins + with Samsung logo flashing on and off the firmware finished uploading and odin says it passed. I am at the stage where the phone is rebooting before I pull the battery. Any ideas. Thanks

      • Something is definitely wrong the phone is not rebooting it is hanging on the Samsung Flashing logo. Please help. Thanks

      • Usama something has gone wrong. I now tries it 3 times and gets to the same step and seems to hang. After removing the battery, waiting for 30 secs, replacing the battery and holding the home, volume up and the power button the phone restarts and goes as far as the Samsung Flashing logo and seems to hang. I have followed your instructions above but I am struggling to get any further. Please help.Thanks

        • @gavinmcsherry:disqus how long its been since its hanging on the boot screen? Just boot into recovery and wipe your phone.
          and try booting it up, if it still doesn’t boot up, then wipe your phone once again and flash new firmware after wiping. It will definitely work.

          • Thanks I finally got it to work. I discovered I was holding the volume up, home and power buttons to long. I tried it again and let them go immediately after the phone vibrated turning on and it went into recovery mode and Wiped / Reset Factory Data and Cache and all is good now. Just a little heavy handed on holding the buttons. In the middle of restoring my back ups. Thanks once again.

      • Usama my phone is not entering recovery mode after pulling the battery and waiting 30 secs and the holding down volume up, Home and the power buttons. What I do now to fix this issue. Thanks

  4. how can i remove a custom room on my sg-s4 gt-19505…he have a samy deluse s5 room …..wich changed my s4 into a s5…at the model in setings says is sm-g900f wich is s5 snapdragon……. shuld i use the same steps or diferent steps?
    +1
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  5. I have followed the instructions but when I get to the point of clicking start on Odin, I get this: Added!!

    Enter CS for MD5..

    Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..

    Please wait..

    M919UVUFNB4_M919TMBFNB4_M919UVUFNB4_HOME.tar.md5 is valid.

    Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..

    Leave CS..

    Odin v.3 engine (ID:4)..

    File analysis..

    SetupConnection..

    Initialzation..

    Get PIT for mapping..

    Firmware update start..

    aboot.mbn

    NAND Write Start!!

    FAIL! (Auth)

    All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1

  7. I’m trying to download the stock firmware for the Galaxy s4 SGH-M919…I see there are 4 I can download….does it matter which one?

  10. hi

    recently i upload CyanogenMod on my galaxy s4 /9505 now version 4.4.4 but i am not happy with tht , i want to go back stock /original firmware ,

    i am trying to upload latest version using odin , odin not recognizing my phone or some error

    pls help me how to back to stock/ original firware

  12. Can anyone recommend somewhere I can download firmware that ISN’T corrupt? I’ve tried from a couple of places (stockroms.net and samsung-updates.com) and I can never decompress the .zip because it’s always corrupted. I’ve tried decompressing it on a Mac and a PC, using every kind of decompressing app I can find. I need to remove cyanogenmod from my phone so I can attempt to unlock it.

  13. Thanks very much for this guide!

    I’m trying to remove Cyanogenmod from my S4 GT-I9505, but always get this same error. Any suggestions where I’m going wrong?

    I9505XXUEMK8_I9505O2UEMK1_I9505XXUEMK8_HOME.tar.md 5 is valid.
     Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
     Leave CS..
    <ID:0/003> Odin engine v(ID:3.1005)..
    <ID:0/003> File analysis..
    <ID:0/003> SetupConnection..
    <ID:0/003> Initialzation..
    <ID:0/003> Get PIT for mapping..
    <ID:0/003> Firmware update start..
    <ID:0/003> SingleDownload.
    <ID:0/003> sbl1.mbn
    <ID:0/003> NAND Write Start!!
    <ID:0/003> sbl2.mbn
    <ID:0/003> sbl3.mbn
    <ID:0/003> rpm.mbn
    <ID:0/003> aboot.mbn
    <ID:0/003> FAIL! (Auth)
    <ID:0/003>
    <ID:0/003> Complete(Write) operation failed.
     All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)

    • @idiscussthings:disqus FIND a PIT file for your device and flash it. It should work afterwards.
      You can use PIT tab to flash a PIT file.

      • Since I wrote that, I’ve managed to get the phone back up and running firstly on Cyanogenmod, then on WanamLite, using PhilZ Touch, by following the instructions here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np_nlFALMbQ

        But, in WanamLite, typing *#0011# brings up a menu, but not the ServiceMode menu I need to unlock it. So I still need to install a stock ROM.

        I’ve tried installing a stock ROM the same way (copy zip to SD card, install with PhilZ Touch) but it always fails, with a “[bad]” error right at the start.

        I’ll try the PIT method when I get the chance – hopefully in the next day or two. I plan to follow this guide here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2265477

  14. Thanks for this guide!

    I’m trying to remove Cyanogenmod from my S4 GT-I9505, but keep getting this error in Odin:

    I9505XXUEMK8_I9505O2UEMK1_I9505XXUEMK8_HOME.tar.md 5 is valid.
     Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
     Leave CS..
    Odin engine v(ID:3.1005)..
    File analysis..
    SetupConnection..
    Initialzation..
    Get PIT for mapping..
    Firmware update start..
    SingleDownload.
    sbl1.mbn
    NAND Write Start!!
    sbl2.mbn
    sbl3.mbn
    rpm.mbn
    aboot.mbn
    FAIL! (Auth)

    Complete(Write) operation failed.
     All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)

  15. i want to remove cyanogenmod 11 from my s3 and go back to the official , i downloaded oden but the thing is i can’t find the propere firmware for my phone… i have a galaxy s3 GT-I9300 I9300BXXGNF1 i used to have jellybean 4.3 on my official version and it became kitkat 4.4.4 with th cyanogenmod. pls help i’m so deseperat !!!!

  16. Sorry, but I don’t see an option for USA T-Mobile for a Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505). Please tell me if I have overlooked something.

    • @disqus_zIwtwVJBze:disqus You need to select your device on the firmware page and it will give you your desired firmware. And T-Mobile S4 is not I9505. It has a different model number. Please retry finding the firmware.

      • Thanks. I figured it out. I didn’t notice the drop-down box on the left side of the page to choose a model. Under CyanogenMod, it reports model GT-I9505. Before, it was SGH-M919. I am downloading that one right now.

        Thank you.

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