How to Flash a Custom Recovery on the Samsung Galaxy S4 (Video)

So you’ve rooted your Samsung Galaxy S 4 and are ready to get into the more… complex… tinkering? First thing you’ll need is a custom recovery image then. A custom recovery image allows us to boot into recovery mode on the device (a mode that we can access before loading the actual operating system) and be able to change things about the operating system. Things like changing the kernel to allow us to overclock the processor and increase performance, flash custom ROMs to have different UI’s, and even backup our entire device’s memory in case anything happens to it while tinkering. All in all, a custom recovery on the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a brilliant idea for any tinkerer. Here’s how to install a custom recovery on the Samsung Galaxy S4.

I. Before You Begin

1. You MUST be rooted already. If you aren’t head to our How To Root the Samsung Galaxy S4 procedure, follow that, and return here to continue.

II. Flash the Custom Recovery on the Samsung Galaxy S4

1. Head to the Play Store on your device.

2. Search for ROM Manager and install it.

3. Open ROM Manager.

4. Upon opening ROM Manager, it should tell you you need to flash a custom recovery, click on ClockworkMod Recovery under Install or Update Recovery. If it doesn’t prompt you for this, just select Recovery Setup and then choose ClockworkMod Recovery.

5. Select No to Touch Recovery.

6. Select to allow it forever in the Superuser Request that pops up.

III. Check to Make Sure the Recovery Installed

1. In ROM Manager, select Reboot into Recovery.

2. Select OK.

3. If you see ClockworkMod Recovery after it reboots, you’re all set.

4. Click Reboot System Now.

5. Select Yes to both options that appear and wait for the device to reboot.

IV. Flash a Custom ROM (Optional)

1. Head to our How To Flash a Custom ROM procedure to begin flashing ROMs on the device or head to our How To’s section and choose the Galaxy S4 to see our other how to’s.