Guide to Install stock firmware on Galaxy S10, S10E or S10 Plus

Samsung recently released the new smartphones of its flagship carrier series. The S series. Galaxy S10 is precisely what the people have been waiting for. It has turned all people’s expectations into reality. The phone has excellent hardware, the latest software, and a brand-new design. Suppose you are into flashing custom firmware. There comes the point when you need to return to stock and install stock firmware on Galaxy S10. This guide covers all the methods you can use to install stock firmware on Galaxy S10.

Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10 have the latest O infinity screen with a punch hole for the front camera. It features an almost edge-to-edge display screen, which makes this series stand out from the rest of the smartphones of this era. Although, smartphones of the Galaxy S10 series come with a hefty price tag. They are considering the specs, hardware, and design of these. The new S10 and S10 Plus are worth the price tag. The Galaxy S9 series didn’t make much difference in the market, but this latest series, consisting of Galaxy S10, S10E, S10 Plus, and Galaxy Fold, has impacted the customers.

Galaxy S10 and S10+ have three back cameras. In contrast, S10+ has five cameras, three on the back and two on the front. The S10E model has two cameras on the back and one on the show. These cameras feature live focus and many other cool features. I will be able to talk more about these cameras and their results once I get my hands on them.

NOTE: This guide won’t install stock Android (like on Google Pixel) on your Galaxy S10. It is for installing stock firmware that officially comes with Galaxy devices. There is no possible way to install stock Android on Galaxy smartphones.

Why do you need to install Galaxy S10 or S10 Pl stock firmware?

Several methods can be used to install Galaxy S10 or S10 Plus stock firmware. I will be covering most of them. However, these methods can be used to unroot your phone and return it to stock firmware. That will allow you to receive the OTA updates.

Suppose your phone has got into some software problem or is stuck in a bootloop at the startup. You have tried all the other options, like wiping the cache partition, hard reset, or factory reset. Still, installing the stock firmware can draw a line between hardware and software problems if the issue persists. If you install stock firmware on Galaxy S10, the issue persists. It shows that the problem lies with the hardware. You need to take your phone to customer service and get it checked.

Before we move forward, know that this guide will not void your Galaxy S10 warranty. We are going to use the official tools. SmartSwitch and ODIN will install the officially signed firmware on Galaxy S10. After installing stock firmware using this guide, you will receive all the OTA updates on your phone.

Install stock firmware on Galaxy S10, S10E, or S10 Plus using Smart Switch:

If you are uncomfortable using ODIN, Smart Switch is the best solution to any software problems. In addition, you can backup all your data on your PC using a Smart switch. First, install Galaxy S10 or S10stock firmware E and retrieve the backed-up data onto your phone.

There might be some limitations while using the smart switch. For example, sometimes, if you have bought a phone from another country and downloaded a smart switch in another country. It can raise issues, like the inability to distinguish the device model, etc. The typical error that arises while using a smart switch is “The model information you have entered cannot be verified. The device initialization cannot proceed. Please contact the serviccentreer”.

The only thing you need for this guide is a working computer, whether running on Linux, Windows, or MAC and an active USB data cable for your Galaxy S10.

Following are the steps to install stock firmware on Galaxy S10 to fix bootloop or unroot your device:

1. First of all, install SmartSwitch on your computer.
2. Now, connect your Galaxy S10 using an original data cable.
3. SmartSwitch will recognize your phone and display its details.
4. Next, you must install stock firmware on your Galaxy S10 using the Emergency Software Recovery and Initialization option.
5. In this menu, you have to select “Software Update & Initialization.”
6. Now, you will see the list of available firmware for your phone. If you find Android Pie in it, select it.
7. Now, follow the onscreen instructions. Once the whole process is complete, your phone will reboot.
8. Now, you can restore the backup you made using SmartSwitch to get all the data back on your phone.

Note: Using the Emergency Software Recovery feature, the smart switch might ask you for a Recovery Code. Suppose you don’t have a recovery code. You can install stock firmware on your Samsung Galaxy S10 via Device initialization instead of the Emergency Software Recovery option in the smart switch. You will need your Galaxy S10’s model number, which can be SM-GN73N, SM-GN73W, or any other. You can find it on the back of your phone or the box of your phone. You will also need your device’s serial number, which you can find in your phone box.

Once you follow the onscreen instructions to install stock firmware on Galaxy S10, your phone will restart, and you can set it up as a new phone. Although, the process is pretty self-explanatory and easy. If you still have issues with it, call me or try the method below.

Guide to installing stock firmware on Galaxy S10 using ODIN:

When Smart Switch was nonexistent, everyone used ODIN to flash stock firmware on Samsung smartphones. SmarSwitchch does not support many of Samsung’s middle-tier and low-tier smartphones. ODIN is their only rescue software if there are any issues or problems. Using ODIN to install stock firmware on Galaxy S10 seems a little dangerous. It is hazardous if you screw yourself up somehow, like flashing the wrong firmware or unplugging your phone in the middle of flashing. I have used it for years, and it has never caused any problems for me while flashing firmware or recoveries.

There is a limitation on ODIN; it is only for Windows. No version is supported on MAC or Linux. So, if you don’t have a Windows computer, you might have to borrow it from someone. Some solutions include using a virtual machine to install Windows on MAC to flash the firmware, but it is not recommended as virtual machines are very slow.

Prerequisites:

Yomustto, take care of some prerequisites before you move on to the guide.

• You will have to download and install Samsung drivers for Windows.
• Download ODIN 3.13.1.
• You must also download the latest Samsung Galaxy S10 or S10 Plus firmware. (Enter your Galaxy S10 model number and look for your country’s newest Android 9 Pie firmware. You will find more details on how to find the appropriate firmware for your phone below)
• Ensure your phone is charged and its battery is above 50%.
• Turn on USB Debugging on your Galaxy S10:
  • Go to Settings -> About Device, -> Tap on Build number 7 times.
  • Now Go back to Settings -> Developer Options -> Turn on USB debugging.
• Back up all the data present in your Galaxy S10 using this guide.

First, you can install Samsung drivers for Windows on your PC. These drivers are on your phone, so your PC can recognize your phone. Also, if you previously connected your phone to your PC and transferred some data, your laptop will probably have these drivers.

Now comes the part where you have to find the appropriate firmware for your Galaxy S10. If your phone is carrier-free, you can install any firmware from any country if your phone is branded like Vodaphone AT&T&t, Sprint, etc. Then, you must install the specific firmware concerning its country and brand. If you flash unbranded on the branded phone, your phone won’t work, and you will have to reinstall the appropriate firmware If you install the latest version of precisely the same firmware on your phone. Again, if the country and firmware are the same, you won’t lose the data on your phone.

How to Install Stock firmware on Galaxy S10 or S10 Plus via ODIN:

In the guide below, you need to be careful with the steps. Perform them as mentioned. Otherwise, you can screw up your phone pretty severely.

1. First of all, turn off your Galaxy S10.
2. Now go to Download Mode by pressing and holding the Bixby, Power, and Volume down buttons. Release the buttons when you see a warning on the screen.
3. Press the Volume up button to proceed to Download Mode.
4. Open ODIN and connect your phone to your PC using a USB data cable. You will see “Added” in the OD logs.
5. You will see your phone has a connection with your PC. The ID: COM on ODIN will change to blue. (If the colourer didn’t change, the PC failed to recognize your phone. Ensure you have installed the correct drivers and that the drivers were installed successfully. Sometimes, the fault lies in the USB cable)
6. In ODIN, you will see several tabs, and you will have to select files that correspond to each account. For example, click on CP and locate and select the CP file from the extracted firmware. Next, click on AP and select the file with AP in the name. Similarly, add the BL file in the BL tab.
7. Suppose you want to factory reset while you install stock firmware on Galaxy S10. First, select the CSC file in the CSC file. Otherwise, load the HOME_CSC instead.
8. Make sure F.Reset.Time and Auto-Reboot options are checked in the ODIN. Suppose there is any other option checked. Uncheck it.
9. Now everything is ready, press the “Start” button. The whole process will take around 5-9 Minutes. Once done, your phone will reboot.

Important Note: Do not disconnect your Galaxy S10 while flashing is in the process, even if it takes a long time. If flashing fails, use another version of ODIN and repeat the process. In some firmware, you will find only the AP file; in some versions of ODIN, you will discover PDA instead of AP if only one AP file exists in the extracted firmware. Just load the AP and flash the firmware.

That is all installing stock firmware on Galaxy S10, S10E, or S10 Plus using SmartSwitch and ODIN. Suppose you have any questions or queries regarding any of the methods above. You can write in the comments or contact me using the email address below. You can also message me on Facebook if you need help regarding anything mentioned in this guide.