What is Android Download Mode and How to Use it

Android phones come loaded with loads of features many of which you never actually get to use. One of these features is Download mode that comes with most Samsung devices. The purpose of this mode is to help you flash various types of files on your device. If you are a normal user and you do not tweak your device much, it is unlikely you will need to use this mode.

However, if you are someone who prefers to tweak every bit of their Android phone, you are actually going to love this mode. Using this mode, you can perform so many customizations on your device that would not otherwise be possible. The following guide takes a look at various features of the Download or Odin mode.

Further Reading: How to Use Reboot to Bootloader on Android >

What Does Odin Mode Do

Now that you know what Odin mode is (both Odin and Download mode are the same), you would probably be interested in finding out what this mode can do for you. There are actually several things you can do with this mode on your Samsung Android phone or tablet.

The following is a list of things you can do with the Odin mode.

Use 1. Flash a Custom Firmware

One of the many things you can do with the Odin mode is that you can install custom firmware on your device. Since firmware is basically the core system of your device, you cannot install it while your phone is already running the system.

Therefore, you can put your phone into the Download mode, which does not load the main core system, and then you can flash the custom ROM or firmware of your choice on your device.

There are loads of firmware available for various devices. All you need to do is download and flash them off using Odin on your device.

Use 2. Install Application Packages

While the easiest way to install apps on an Android device is to use the Google Play Store, there are certain apps that need to be installed using the Odin tool. Mostly, these are core apps like Google apps that you need to flash after the firmware has been installed on your phone.

With the Download mode, you can get all these apps flashed on your device in a few easy clicks. This eliminates the need to manually install each app on your phone or tablet.

Use 3. Flash a Custom Recovery

If you ever root your device, you are going to have to install a custom recovery to be able to get the most out of root access. A custom recovery basically replaces the stock recovery on your device, and it allows you to flash various files on your device.

One way to install a custom recovery on your phone or tablet is to use the Download mode. You can load your favorite recovery in the Odin tool, and then use the Odin mode on your device to flash the recovery off.

Also Read: What is Android Recovery Mode and How to Use It >

Use 4. Install Custom Kernels

While custom kernels are not as popular as custom ROMs, they help you perform many tasks that are not possible with the stock kernel. For example, a custom kernel lets you overclock your CPU – something that you cannot do with the stock kernel.

On Samsung Android phones, one of the ways to install these kernels is to use the Download mode. Get the kernel of your choice, use the Odin, and install the kernel on your phone or tablet.

Use 5. Flash the Stock Firmware

If a custom firmware is not working as it should, or if you have other issues on your device, you can use the Odin mode to flash the stock firmware on your device. What flashing the stock ROM will do is it will install the pure stock Android operating system on your phone or tablet.

This erases any of the modifications you have made to your device and allows you to start from scratch. This means any of the mess-ups you have done will also be cleared.

Is Odin Mode Bad

You might probably wonder if it is a good idea to use the Odin mode. The answer actually depends on what you want to do with the mode and how confident you are in using it. You can use the Odin mode to flash various good files on your phone. In this case, the Odin mode turns out to be a really good mode as it helps you get the most out of your device.

How to Enter Odin Mode

If you would like to use the Odin mode and you are not sure how to go about entering it on your device, the following should help you out. The following shows how to enter the Download mode on both an Android phone and a tablet.

How to Enter Odin Mode on a Samsung Phone with Home Button

The procedure to enter the Odin mode on most Samsung phones is pretty much the same. All you need to do is press a key combination and your phone reboots into the aforesaid mode. There is really nothing else that you need to do.

If your phone has a Home button, the following is how you enter the Download mode.

Step 1. Turn your phone off.

Step 2. Press and hold down the Home + Power + Volume Down buttons at the same time.

Step 3. You will see a prompt on your screen. Press Volume Up to enter the Odin mode.

Your phone is now in Odin mode.

How to Enter Odin Mode on a Samsung Tablet

If you use a Samsung Android tablet, you can enter the Odin mode as easily as you can on a Samsung phone. In fact, rebooting into the Download mode on the tablet is easier than doing so on a phone, and that is because most tablets do not feature a Home button. That means one less button to use to enter the aforementioned mode.

The following is how you get your tablet into Odin mode.

Step 1. Power off your tablet.

Step 2. Press and hold down the Volume Down + Power buttons at the same time.

Your Samsung tablet should now be in Download mode.

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What to Do When Stuck in Odin Mode

The Odin mode works just fine most of the time. However, if you experience any issues as your phone gets stuck in the mode, you can follow the following tips to exit the mode on your device.

Fix 1. Force Reboot the Device

If your phone or tablet is stuck in the Download mode and it will not come out regardless of what you do, you can force your device to turn off and that should potentially fix the issue for you. Make sure you do this when no files are being flashed on your device, or you risk the chance of bricking your device.

To force reboot your device, simply press and hold down the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time. Your device will leave the Download mode and reboot normally.

Fix 2. Pull Out the Phone Battery

In some cases, force rebooting will not work and your device will continue to be on the Download mode screen. If this happens, you can use a physical trick to quit the mode on your device.

If your phone or tablet has a battery that can be removed, pull the battery out of your device and this should turn your device off. When your device is off, it is out of Download mode.

You can then turn your device on and it should boot-up in normal mode.

Fix 3. Install the Samsung Stock Firmware

If your device still refuses to come out of the Odin mode, you can actually flash the stock firmware on your device and that should put an end to this misery.

You need to download the firmware that is specific to your device model, load the appropriate files in the Odin tool on your computer, and then allow the files to be flashed on your phone or tablet.

Once the flashing process has finished, your device will return to normal.

What is Downloading Do Not Turn Off Target Samsung?

Downloading Do not turn off target happens when your enter Download mode on Samsung to flash a custom OS or something else. And this page usually means that there are some failures and software glitches.

You can choose to exit the download mode with power+home+volume down simultaneously. If that did not work for your Samsung, try more methods to fix downloading do not turn off target.

The Bottom Line

Whether you want to know what Download or Odin mode is, or you want to know the features of this mode, the guide above describes everything in detail about this mode that comes preloaded on your Android devices. We hope the guide helps you.