How to Flash a Custom Recovery on the LG Optimus G (Sprint)

ClockworkMod Recovery offers some of the great features for the Android Devices that help users get the most out of their devices. Such as ability to replace their current ROM with a custom one, making nandroid backups and the list goes on. A custom recovery also helps flash mods and tweaks, if you aren’t yet ready to install fully-featured custom ROMs. If you own a Sprint LG Optimus G smartphone and want to install ClockworkMod Recovery on it, then follow the following guide.

I. Before You Begin:

1. You must have rooted your device before doing this procedure. Please head to our How to Root the LG Optimus G (Sprint) procedure first, finish it, then return to this procedure and continue.

2. Make sure that the battery level on your device is not less than 60%.

II. Downloading Required Files:

1. Optimus G Toolkit (Download link’s given in the first post)

III. Unlocking Bootloader of the LG Optimus G (Sprint):

1. Download and place the Toolkit on your Desktop.

2. Double-click on the Toolkit file and it should launch.

3. Enable the USB debugging function on your device by heading to Menu>>Settings>>Developer options>>USB debugging.

4. Once enabled, connect the device to your PC via USB cable.

5. Now, in the toolkit, click on Unlock Bootloader button.

Optimus G Toolkit
Click on the Unlock Bootloader button

6. Follow the on-screen instructions.

7. And you’re done!

Great! The bootloader of your device has been successfully unlocked. Let’s see how you can flash a custom recovery on it.

IV. Installing ClockworkMod Recovery on the LG Optimus G (Sprint):

1. Turn ON the USB debugging on your device from Menu>>Settings>>Developer options>>USB debugging.

2. Connect the device to your PC using the USB cable.

3. Double-click on the toolkit file and it should launch.

4. In the toolkit, click on Install Custom Recovery button.

Optimus G Toolkit
Click on the Install Custom Recovery button

5. Select ClockworkMod Recovery when it asks which recovery to install.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions.

7. You’re all done!

Brilliant! Your device is now equipped with a custom recovery and you now have ability to flash custom ROMs and Mods!

V. Flash a Custom ROM (Optional):

1. If you are ready to flash custom ROMs on your device, head to the How To Flash a Custom ROM on the LG Optimus G (Sprint) to learn how to do that.

Image Credit: UberGizmo

If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.

If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum.

This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our Android How To’s, head here.

4 thoughts on “How to Flash a Custom Recovery on the LG Optimus G (Sprint)”

  1. I had to have my LG Optimus G flashed to Cricket about 6 months ago – everything worked wonderfully until I changed my phone number with a few weeks ago. Now my calls and texts work fine, but I have no mobile data or MMS.
    I’ve tried changing the applicable settings via the menus from dialing 3845#*970#, #3282##, and ##MyCricketNumber/MDN#.. some stick after reboot and most don’t.
    I’ve researched the issue for weeks and in the process have obtained CDMA Workshop and QPST 2.7 (both both builds 363 and 366).

    With CDMA workshop a bunch of settings come up, but I’m terrified to change anything due to mixed instructions from various forums…
    QPST installs fine, and I’ve added the COM port from Device manager and can see my phone showing connected in QPST Configuration, but when I open any other client I can’t access the phone. For example, in Service Programming the phone selection window comes up, and I see my phone. Under phone it says Unknown, ESN is correct, Phone Number is incorrect, Banner is blank, and Port is correct. I select it and click OK, and I get a message that says “Online Connection Failure: Unspecified Error. EFS explorer shows all the same info for the phone selection box, and when I click OK here that box goes away but nothing else comes up.

    I know, I know.. at this point I should just pay the money and have someone reflash it for me, but the fact that it worked before and all that’s changed is the phone number has me convinced that there’s some sort of simple-ish fix I can handle out there.

    Last thing I tried was GO SMS – settings, mms, fill apn manually, entered the correct Cricket settings, exited and re-entered to be sure they stuck (they did), sent MMS, failed. Went back into settings and my manually entered settings had changed to MMSC of http://mms.sprintpcs.com, no proxy, and no port.

    Posting this as a last hail mary of a hopeful attempt to get this fixed without paying again – if anyone has any ideas, advice, instructions, or anything else helpful to throw at me, please, it’d be superfantastic to get it done myself after all I’ve already put in.

    Sorry for the novel, and sorry for the ignorance and greenness I’m sure I’ve made apparent :/

    Oh.. and have a freakin’ wonderful weekend! 🙂

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