How To Load a Custom ROM on the Samsung Galaxy S II (All Versions)

Rooted your Galaxy S II and now you want to try your luck with some custom ROMs? Maybe even flash an Ice Cream Sandwich ROM and give that a go? Here’s how to do just that.

I. Before You Begin

1. You MUST have done our How To Root the Samsung Galaxy S II procedure.

II. Load a ROM

1. Head over to our ROMs section, choose your device.

2. Select a ROM for your device and save it to your computer (do NOT extract it, leave it as a .zip file).

3. Plug your phone in and mount the internal storage so we can transfer files to it.

4. Copy the ROM .zip file over to the root of the internal storage (NOT in any folders, just on the internal storage or sdcard itself).

5. Turn the phone off, then turn the phone back on by holding down Volume Down and Volume Up buttons and tap Power button until the device vibrates, then let go of the power button but keep holding the volume buttons until the recovery mode comes up.

6. Once in recovery mode, scroll to Backup, then select Backup and wait for the phone to backup its current ROM.

7. Once it is done, select Wipe Data

8. Then select Install zip from SD Card

9. Select Choose zip from sd card.

10. Select the ROM’s zip file you loaded onto the internal storage or sd card earlier and wait for it to flash.

11. Once done, select reboot system now.

12. (Optional) Repeat to load a different ROM.

Reported Issues:

Issue: Getting an error when trying to flash the ROM?

Solution: Try to save the ROM .zip file to the internal storage of the phone instead of the SD card and flash it from there through recovery.