How to Flash a Custom Recovery on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (Verizon) with Locked Bootloader

Every Android device has, what is called, a recovery image on it. This is basically a part of the Android operating system that you or the manufacturer can access if your device becomes unresponsive and then use it to restore your device.

A custom recovery image, however, is a recovery image that a developer has altered that can not only help the device if it becomes responsive, but also has the added benefits of allowing us to make major changes to the operating system and have even further customizations on your device.

In this procedure, we’ll show you how to flash a custom recovery on your Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (Verizon).

After flashing a custom recovery on Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (Verizon), you’ll be able to:

• Perform full backups of your device (literally save EVERYTHING from it).
• Increase your device’s performance (after flashing something called a kernel
• Increase your device’s battery life.
• Flash custom ROMs (these make it possible to flash a newer version of Android, totally new user interfaces, add tons of new features, and much more).

Interested? Here’s how to flash a custom recovery on your Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (Verizon):

I. Before You Begin

1. You must be rooted before you can do this procedure. Please head to our How to Root the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 procedure and finish it, then come back to this one and continue.

2. This procedure works fine on locked bootloader as well.

II. Downloading Required Files

1. Download Safestrap Recovery APK and save it to your Desktop.

Safestrap Recovery APK (Download link’s given in the first post)

III. Flashing a Custom Recovery on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (Verizon) with Locked Bootloader

1. Connect your device to your PC via USB cable.

2. Copy the Safestrap Recovery APK from your Desktop over to the root of your SD card.

3. Once it’s been copied, you can disconnect the device from your PC.

4. Open File Manager on your device and tap on the APK you just copied and it’ll install.

5. Once the APK has been installed, open it from your App Drawer.

6. Hit Install Recovery in the app and it’ll flash the recovery on your device.

7. Once the recovery’s been flashed, reboot your device.

8. You’re all done!

All set! Now, you can head to our How to Flash a Custom ROM procedure for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (Verizon) to open up a whole new world of customizations for your Android device!

By the way, don’t be scared, you can always put your device back to stock by heading to our Rooting How To’s section, finding your device, and doing the How to Unroot listed for it there.