Install Custom Recovery on Samsung Galaxy Infinite

Installing a custom recovery on your Samsung Galaxy Infinite opens the door to flashing custom ROMs, creating full backups, and gaining deeper control over your device. This guide walks you through the entire process, from enabling developer options to booting into your new recovery. Before you begin, make sure your phone is fully charged and you have a Windows PC with a USB cable.

What You’ll Need

Samsung Galaxy Infinite (SM-G3815 or similar variant)
A Windows PC with internet access
USB data cable (not just a charging cable)
Odin3 software (latest version, e.g., 3.13.1)
Samsung USB drivers installed on your PC
Custom recovery image file (e.g., TWRP or ClockworkMod) in .tar or .tar.md5 format
Backup of your personal data (photos, contacts, etc.)

Step-by-Step

Back up your data. Connect your phone to the PC and copy any important files to a safe location. While flashing recovery doesn’t normally wipe data, a mistake can cause a boot loop, so it’s better to be safe.
Enable Developer Options and USB Debugging. Go to Settings > About Phone and tap Build Number seven times. You’ll see a message that Developer Mode has been enabled. Then go back to Settings > Developer Options and turn on USB Debugging.
Install Samsung USB drivers. Download and install the official Samsung USB drivers on your PC. This ensures your computer can communicate with the phone in download mode.
Download Odin and the custom recovery. Get the latest Odin3 (a tool for flashing Samsung devices) and a compatible custom recovery for the Galaxy Infinite. For TWRP, look for a file named something like twrp-3.x.x-x-s3ve3g.img.tar. Make sure it’s specifically for your model (SM-G3815).
Extract Odin. Right-click the Odin zip file and choose Extract All. Open the extracted folder and run Odin3.exe as administrator (right-click > Run as administrator).
Power off your phone. Press and hold the Power button, then tap Power Off. Wait for the screen to go completely dark.
Boot into Download Mode. Press and hold Volume Down + Home + Power simultaneously. When the warning screen appears, press Volume Up to continue. Your phone should now show a green Android robot and the text “Downloading…”
Connect your phone to the PC. Plug the USB cable into your phone and then into your PC. In Odin, you should see a blue or yellow box in the top-left corner saying Added!! along with the COM port number. If you don’t see this, reinstall drivers or try a different USB port.
Load the recovery file into Odin. In Odin, click the AP button (or PDA in older versions). Browse to where you saved the custom recovery .tar file and select it. Do not touch any other options—leave Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time checked, and make sure Re-Partition is unchecked.
Start the flash. Double-check that the file is loaded and the correct COM port is showing. Click the Start button. The process takes about a minute. When it finishes, Odin will show a green PASS! message, and your phone will reboot automatically.
Boot into recovery. If the phone doesn’t reboot into recovery automatically, power it off, then press and hold Volume Up + Home + Power until the recovery menu appears.

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong recovery file. Flashing a recovery meant for a different device can brick your phone. Always verify the model number (SM-G3815) and the recovery’s compatibility.
Unchecking Re-Partition. This option should always be left unchecked unless you’re flashing a full firmware package. Enabling it can wipe your partition table.
Not installing USB drivers. Without the correct drivers, Odin won’t recognize your phone, and the flash will fail.
Using a USB hub. Connect the phone directly to a USB port on your PC. Hubs can cause connection drops during flashing.
Interrupting the process. Don’t unplug the cable or turn off the PC while Odin is flashing. This can corrupt the recovery and leave the phone in a boot loop.

Tips

Keep a backup of your stock recovery. You can download the original firmware from SamMobile or similar sites and extract the recovery.img to restore later if needed.
After flashing, the first boot into recovery may take a little longer. Be patient.
If you plan to install a custom ROM, also download the corresponding Google Apps (GApps) package and transfer it to your phone’s internal storage before flashing the ROM.
Use a dedicated USB port on your PC (preferably USB 2.0) for stable connectivity.
Write down your phone’s model number and Android version before searching for files. This prevents downloading incompatible software.

Troubleshooting

Odin doesn’t detect the phone. Reinstall the Samsung USB drivers, try a different USB cable (make sure it’s a data cable), or switch to a different USB port. Also, ensure the phone is in Download Mode, not just powered on.

Flash fails with “FAIL!” message. This usually means the recovery file is incompatible or corrupted. Re-download the recovery file from a trusted source and try again. Also, check that you’re using the correct Odin version (3.09 or newer is recommended).

Phone is stuck in a boot loop after flashing. This can happen if the recovery wasn’t compatible. Boot into Download Mode (Volume Down + Home + Power) and flash the stock firmware using Odin. If that doesn’t work, try booting into recovery (Volume Up + Home + Power) and performing a factory reset from there.

Recovery menu doesn’t appear. You may be pressing the wrong key combination. For the Galaxy Infinite, it’s Volume Up + Home + Power. Release the keys when the phone vibrates or the Samsung logo appears.

Touch screen doesn’t work in recovery. Some custom recoveries require you to use the volume keys to navigate and the power button to select. If that’s the case, use the hardware keys.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will installing a custom recovery void my warranty? Yes, flashing any custom software typically voids the manufacturer’s warranty. You can usually restore the stock firmware to reclaim warranty status, but it’s not guaranteed.

Can I use Odin on a Mac? Odin is Windows-only. On a Mac, you can use a virtual machine or a tool like Heimdall, but the process is more complex.

Do I need to root my phone first? No, installing a custom recovery does not require root. In fact, the recovery itself can be used to root the phone by flashing a SuperSU or Magisk zip.

Will this wipe my data? Flashing a recovery alone doesn’t wipe your data, but the first boot into recovery might ask to keep system read-only. If you choose to modify system, it may trigger a factory reset. Always back up before proceeding.

What if I want to go back to the stock recovery? Download the stock firmware for your model, extract the recovery.img, and flash it via Odin in the AP slot. Alternatively, you can flash the entire firmware package.

Is it safe to use TWRP instead of ClockworkMod? Yes, TWRP is widely used and generally more user-friendly with touch support and a graphical interface. Just make sure you download the version specifically for the Galaxy Infinite.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →