How to Root the Samsung Galaxy S5 (Verizon)

Verizon has that habit of keeping the bootloaders locked on their devices and the same has been done with the Samsung Galaxy S5 that comes from them. Since bootloader’s locked, you’ve a limited number of options to customize your device. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t root your device or can’t have a custom recovery. You’ve got both of these and the guide below discusses how to go about getting both.

Root on the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S5 has been achieved with Towelroot, and a custom recovery has been possible with Safestrap. Here’s the entire procedure for you to root your Galaxy S5 from Verizon and flash a custom recovery on it:

I. Before You Begin

1. This could void the warranty of your device. We won’t be held responsible for anything that happens from doing this tutorial so please proceed at your own risk.

2. This uses the universal Towelroot method to gain root on the device.

3. This should also flash a safestrap recovery on your device.

How to Root the Samsung Galaxy S5 (Verizon)

To root and flash a custom recovery on your device, what you’re going to do is use an app to first root your device and then use another app to install the recovery. Here’s how to do that:

II. Downloading Required Files

1. Download Safestrap APK and save it to your desktop.

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

III. Rooting the Samsung Galaxy S5 (Verizon)

1. Launch a web browser on your device and head over to the Towelroot website to download the app.

2. Click on the big Lambda icon on the site and the app should begin to download on your device.

3. When the app’s downloaded, close the browser.

4. Head to Menu > Settings > About phone and tap on Build number for 7-8 times and it’ll say you’re a developer. You just unlocked the developer menu on your device.

5. Head to the newly unlocked menu at Menu > Settings > Developer options and turn on the option for USB debugging.

6. Head to Menu > Settings > Security and enable Unknown sources.

7. Launch File Manager and tap on the Towelroot APK to install the app on your device.

8. When the app’s installed, launch it from your app drawer.

9. Tap on make it ra1n in the app and it’ll start rooting your device.

10. Wait for the app to root your device.

11. When it’s done rooting, head over to the Google Play store and download and install SuperSU and BusyBox on your device.

12. Launch SuperSU from your app drawer and allow it to update the binaries.

13. Reboot your device.

And there you go!

Your Samsung Galaxy S5 from Verizon is now rooted and is all ready to be loaded with a custom recovery. Here’s how you can flash one on your device:

IV. Flashing a Custom Recovery on the Samsung Galaxy S5 (Verizon)

1. Plug in your device to your PC using a USB cable.

2. Copy Safestrap APK from your desktop over to the internal SD card storage on your device.

3. When Safestrap APK’s copied, unplug your device from your PC.

4. Head to Menu > Settings > Security and ensure that Unknown sources is enabled.

5. Open File Manager and tap on Safestrap APK to install the app on your device.

6. Launch the app after it’s installed on your device.

7. Agree to the terms and conditions that are shown on the app screen to move forward.

8. Tap on Install Recovery in the app to install a custom recovery on the device.

9. Wait for it to install a custom recovery on your device.

10. When it’s done installing a recovery, reboot your device.

Congrats! A safestrap recovery was successfully flashed on your Verizon variant of the Samsung Galaxy S5.

From now on, whenever you boot your device, you’ll see a splash screen allowing you to access either the stock ROM or the recovery mode. Choose the latter one if you wish to access the newly installed recovery mode where there’re tons of options for you to check out.

Since what you’ve flashed on your device is a safestrap recovery, you’re limited to choosing a custom ROM for your device as you can only flash those custom ROMs on your device that are safestrap compatible. But you should definitely check out our custom ROMs section to see if there are ROMs that you can flash on your device.