How to Downgrade Samsung from Android 11 to Android 10 (OneUI 3.0 to 2.0/2.5)

Sadique Hassan•Updated Feb 15, 2024

In this guide, we will show you how to downgrade any Samsung device from Android 11 to Android 10, i.e from OneUI 3.0 to OneUI 2.0 or 2.5. To begin with, we will show you how to download the Android 10 stock firmware for your Samsung device. After this, we will list out the steps to extract the BL, AP, CP, CSC, and Home CSC files from the downloaded firmware. Finally, we will show you how to flash these files onto your device using the Odin Tool. This will in turn result in the installation of Android 10 firmware on your Samsung device and hence the downgrade process will stand complete. Follow along.

Samsung wasn’t really known to be the OEM that rolled out faster Android updates. However, as of late, things are changing and for good. The early signs were already evident in the rollout of OneUI 2.0 and with its third iteration, the OEM further concreted the evidence of faster updates. The S20s and the Note20s have already received the latest OneUI 3.0 Android 11 updates. Likewise, many other Samsung devices are in the Beta or testing phases and should be blessed with the said update sooner than later.

However, the latest build of any software isn’t really polished and has a few rough edges. And if you are on a beta build, all these things are pretty much evident by themselves. As a result, the user experience might turn out to be quite buggy, which infact is the last thing that one would want. In this regard, waiting for a stable update is one option, but that isn’t the feasible or viable one for many.

This is because the stable update might take some time in reaching your device. So what else could be done? Well, the best bet is then to downgrade any Samsung device from Android 11 to Android 10, i.e from OneUI 3.0 to OneUI 2.0 or 2.5. And in this guide, we will help you do just that. Follow along for the instructions.

Table of Contents

Check Bootloader Version Number Before Downgrading Samsung

Before you downgrade your Samsung device from Android 11 to 10, you should first check if your device is currently compatible with this rollback. For that, go to Settings > About Phone and check out the Baseband/Build version. The fifth digit from the right is the Bootloader version for your Samsung device. So if the Version number is S918BXXS3AWF7, then the Bootloader Version is 3. As a result of this, you cannot roll back to an OS version with a lower Bootloader version.

The only way you can roll back is if the firmware has the same bootloader version. So if Android 11 is on U3 or S3 and Android 10 is on U3 or S3, then you can go downgrade to Android 10. However, if Android 10 is U3 or S3 and Android 11 is U4 or S4, then you cannot downgrade your Samsung device.

How to Downgrade Samsung from Android 11 to Android 10 (OneUI 3.0 to 2.0/2.5)

Before we list out the instructions, we will request you take a backup of all the data on your device. Once done, proceed with the below steps

STEP 1: Download Samsung Downgrade Firmware

UPDATE 1: As of now, Frija is only able to download the latest available firmware for your device. So if you wish to download an older firmware, you should go for the SamMobile website or the Update site.

To begin with, you will have to download the Samsung Android 10 (OneUI 2.0 or 2.5) downgrade firmware. In this regard, you could either use the Frija Tool or use the SamMobile website. As far as the tool is concerned, you may refer to our detailed guide on How to Download Samsung Stock Firmware/ROM via Frija Tool.

firmware frija tool imformation

On the other hand, if you wish to stick with the website, then SamMobile is a great option. You just need to enter your device’s Model Number and it will list out all the firmware ever released by Samsung for your device. Download any of the Android 10 (OneUI 2.0 or 2.5) firmware for your region and then move over to the next step.

STEP 2: Extract Samsung Downgrade Firmware

extracted samsung stock firmware files

Now that you have downloaded the firmware, extract it to a convenient location on your PC. After extraction, you should get the following five files: Keep them handy, as they will be used to downgrade your Samsung device from Android 11 to Android 10, i.e from OneUI 3.0 to OneUI 2.0 or 2.5.

STEP 3: Install Odin

Next up, it’s time to install Odin on your PC. So download it from this link and then extract it. You should see around four-five, double click the EXE file to launch the tool.

STEP 4: Boot Device to Download Mode

You will now have to boot your Samsung device to Download Mode. This is because Odin would only be able to recognize and hence interact with your device in Download Mode. So to boot your device to this mode, you may refer to our detailed guide: How to Boot any Samsung Device to Download Mode.

STEP 5: Install Samsung Android 10 (OneUI 2.5/2.0) Downgrade Firmware

Now that we have checked all the requirements, it’s time to install the Android 10 firmware file onto your Samsung device via Odin. Follow the below steps for that:

Connect your device to PC via USB cable. Make sure that is booted to Download Mode.
Launch the Odin Tool on your PC. The ID COM section should be highlighted and should display a Port number as well. This signifies that the tool was able to recognize your device.
It’s now time to load the BL, AP, CP, and CSC files to Odin. Here’s how it could be done:
- Click on BL and upload the BL firmware file
- Then click on AP and upload the AP firmware file. This might take some time.
- After this, click CP and load the CP firmware file.
- Finally, click CSC and upload the Home_CSC file (make sure it’s the Home_CSC file and not the normal CSC).
Once you have loaded all four files, go to the ‘Options’ section of Odin and check Auto Reboot and F.Reset Time (see below image).
Finally, hit the Start button and wait for the process to complete.
As soon as the installation is done, you should get the PASS message and your device will boot to the OS. You may now disconnect it from your PC and close the tool.

That’s it. These were the steps to downgrade any Samsung device from Android 11 to Android 10, i.e from OneUI 3.0 to OneUI 2.0 or 2.5. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.

Tags:

Android 10Android 11DowngradeOneUI 2.0OneUI 2.5OneUI 3.0SamsungStock FirmwareStock ROM

Taufik

3 years ago Reply

Hi, Can I downgrade from Android 11 (Une UI 3.1) to Android 10?
My phone model SM-A515F
Alie Alias Kamara

3 years ago Reply

Am from Sierra Leone My problem is they sent me Samsung Galaxy A32 5G from American but it’s shows Network lock. How to go about it now?
Rumal

3 years ago Reply

I have A507FNXXU6DUJ2 that is boot loader version 6 and can’t find the same one. Do we know if A507FNXXU5BTH3 will work?
Samandar

4 years ago Reply

i also tried to lower android 11 to 10 but an error is happening. How can you help me please. turns out to be failed. .
chris

4 years ago Reply

any assistance to do this to a galaxy a01? it seems like the hardest model to find ANY info on
dougl

4 years ago Reply

Once you install the downgrade to Android 10, do you need to do anything to prevent it from automatically upgrading to Android 11?
Manju Lal Suthar

4 years ago Reply

Hi,

When I try to downgrade, it says update failed, software rev mismatch
Knives

4 years ago Reply

Ciao ho eseguito i passaggi ed ho sbloccato il bootloader del mio samsung a21s, cancellando tutti i file. Quando vado in modalità Download però mi compare ancora OEM LOCK: OFF(U) e Odin si blocca in fase BOOT. Come mai non si sbloccato il bootloader?
Jesse Blanchard

4 years ago Reply

When I found my files from SamMobile there is no CP file. I also tried Friya and still no CP. I have a Samsung Tab A 10.1 and Odin will only give me a “Complete (Write) operation failed”. Is this due to the missing file or some other problem? I am looking everywhere but not finding any answers.

Thanks.
bhavesh yadav

4 years ago Reply

is it safe to downgrade.
Eric

4 years ago Reply

Hello, I first tested the process going to 10 to 9 on an sm-t580. I noticed the CP file type was not include in the firmware download. Tried it anyway and everything worked successfully. Am now trying to go from 11 to 10 on an sm-t580. Still no CP file included when downloading from sam mobile or updato. When trying to load though Odin it fails everytime. Wondering if this is because the CP file isn’t there. Any thoughts?
Paras bali

4 years ago Reply

I want downgrade my Samsung galaxy a21s android 11 to 10 I have questions my phone will hang after downgrade ? and how can I save my all data all apps data, phone setting data, file manager data ?
Hamid

4 years ago Reply

Hi bro, i dont know how i can find android 10 frameware wait bootloader equal to android 11 , so i cant downgrade it because it have older bootloader , how shoud i fix it ?
Is there a frameware for android 10 that have boot loader equal android 11?
My phone is galexy a80 .
Sory , my English is poor 😢
Junel

4 years ago Reply

Do you have to root your device before downgrading or it’s ok to downgrade without rooting your phone? I’m using samsung A50 and after the android 11 update my phone keeps having issues like system ui stop working, no audio, videos on fast forward, can’t make or receive calls and a lot of apps started to crash more often.
- Tarun
  
  4 years ago Reply
  
  junel same issue in my Samsung A50…now is your problem fixed or not? please let me know how to downgrade 11 to 10?
- Sadique Hassan
  
  4 years ago Reply
  
  Hi Junel, you do not have to root your device in order to downgrade it.
The Blitz

4 years ago Reply

Hello, i entered download mode and i see
“OEM LOCK: ON(u)”

is it still okay for me to dowgrade to android 10?

I also chose the 10th december android 10 update from sammobile, after choosing country and model number, my booatloader will be same right? İt wont be a problem?

Edit: I do not want to void my warranty. Does this method void warranty?
The Blitz

4 years ago Reply

Hello, i entered download mode and i see
“OEM LOCK: ON(u)”

is it still okay for me to dowgrade to android 10?

I also chose the 10th december android 10 update from sammobile, after choosing country and model number, my booatloader will be same right? İt wont be a problem?
Jared

4 years ago Reply

Hi. I have an unlocked S10e on VZW network. I was having problems with Android 11 and followed your instructions to download to Android 10. Everything went fine and received the “Pass” response in Odin. Problem being the phone hangs up on reboot and goes to Android Recovery. What where I go wrong and how do I fix it without doing a factory reset?
George

4 years ago Reply

Hello there,

I have a Galaxy Tab S7. I am trying to downgrade to Android 10. I live in the US and there is no US region for any of the Android 10 options. In addition, I have downloaded different firmwares and none of them contain the CP file after extracting. What can I do in this situation?
Thanks,
Bert

4 years ago Reply

Hi, Thanks for a very clear tutorial. I have a Samsung S10e that automatically upgraded to android 11. I have to downgrade to android 10, because of work considerations. All steps you have described are working fine. Except for the last. Odin connects fine in download mode and starts downloading OK, but everything hangs at ‘recovery.img’ The download bar on the phone is full, but in Odin the progress bar isn’t moving at all. No idea where I’m going wrong.

Regards,
Bert
- Sadique Hassan
  
  4 years ago Reply
  
  Hi Bert, sorry for the late reply. Were you able to fix this issue or are still facing it?
  - Bert
    
    4 years ago Reply
    
    Yes, the problem was fixed. I missed the instruction to look for exactly the same bootloader (versions are numbered) that was installed on the phone. So when I installed Android 10, oct. 2020 version all went well, because that version has the same bootloader as Android 11. Earlier Android 10 versions have an older bootloader, so they cannot be installed. Samsung simply does not allow downgrading bootloaders.
    - Quentin
      
      4 years ago Reply
      
      Hello, can you explain more sentence: versions are numbered? I tried to downgroad, but had to back to revision 11 linked to same first issue. Thanks in advance.
Alvin

4 years ago Reply

Hi,
I have an S10 SM-G9730. I followed the steps mentioned and everything worked until it finished downloading and started to reboot. The first one I tried was G9730ZHUDTL2. After it was rebooting, it went to the recovery page and said “Cant Load Android System” with the options to try again, factory reset, and look at the logs. I was able to go into Recovery Mode and power off and start in Download Mode again and tried an earlier version which was G9730ZHU4DTJ3 which resulted in the same thing. I was able to recover my phone without having to factory reset by installing the latest Android 11 version but I was wondering why it would not work.
Martin

4 years ago Reply

Hi. Thanks for this tutorial. Before I go ahead I would just ask if you consider it necessary regarding my issues.

I’ve a Galaxy S10+ and upgraded a few days ago. Then many apps started to stop working after a seconds. They seemed to start working correctly if I reinstall them.

But the most annoying thing is that the chromecast icon disappeared from all apps. I now read that it’s a thing between Samsung and Google. I tried to use the Home app, but it doesn’t work well and does not support all apps that before showed the chromecast icon. Like Poweramp, Swedish national television and radio, YouTube etc. I send the audio to my speakers through the chromecast on the tv.

Is there another way to get the chromecast working again directly from the apps or must I downgrade?

Regards
Martin
Farhad

4 years ago Reply

Why don’t you state how to extract the firmware?
I’ve downloaded the file but it comes as .enc4 with no option to extract… I had to download it with another program just to finish the second step, after trying for days.
- Sadique Hassan
  
  4 years ago Reply
  
  Hi Farhad, while Frija downloads the firmware in encrypted .enc4 format, but it then decrypts it as well and gives us the firmware in ZIP format as the final output, which could then easily be extracted via WinZIP or WinRAR. You might have mistakenly closed Firja right after the download was completed but before the encryption process started. If that was not the case, then please let me know your device name.
Steve Sesay

4 years ago Reply

Hello,
Does the downgrade have any impact on my documents in my s10 device?
Thanks
- Sadique Hassan
  
  4 years ago Reply
  
  Yes Steve, it might lead to a data loss. So please take a backup beforehand to be on a safer side.
Bader

4 years ago Reply

Hello,
I have a problem, when I search for my samsung firmware on frijia, I can only access to the android 11 and i cannot change it to android 10, how can i DL the android 10 version ?
I also tried the sam website and it doesn’t work either.
Thanks in advance,
Léo
- Odunayo
  
  3 years ago Reply
  
  What might stop Bluetooth,WiFi and hotspot to stop working on Samsung A10s
- Sadique Hassan
  
  4 years ago Reply
  
  Hi Bader, I have checked for quite a few Samsung devices and SamMobile does have older firmware as well. Could you let me know your device name?
  - NYANGOS
    
    3 years ago Reply
    
    Hi i also have a problem… I downloaded my firmware from samfirm website but it says failed
  - vasile jescu
    
    4 years ago Reply
    
    i have the same problem ..I would like to downgrade to android 9 but frija gives me only he latest version of android 11…how do I get the software i need?
    - Kiley Westendorff
      
      4 years ago Reply
      
      I am running into the issue of not being able to find ATT firmware at all. Any recommendations on an alternative method? Ive been at this for 2 weeks straight. Searching day and night.
    - Sadique Hassan
      
      4 years ago Reply
      
      Hi Vasile, in that case, you could use the SamMobile site.
      - greg
        
        4 years ago Reply
        
        Hi I’m looking for the android of SM-T575 but I can’t get it on frija I’ve only the Android 11 to choice :/ any solutions?
Andre

4 years ago Reply

Thanks for the walkthrough. I have a locked US Verizon phone. Do I need to worry about the bootloader version at all? I’m currently on Android 11, trying to downgrade to 10. I found the FW from the sammobile site

Some other forum were briefly mentioning to make sure bootloader is the same, but I can’t find much information about it. I wanted to do my due diligence before proceeding. One UI 3.0 is ruining my phone and I want to revert back … please advise, thanks.
- Thomas
  
  3 years ago Reply
  
  My crashes on vbmeta so I couldn’t do the downgrade!
  - DoctorLomp
    
    2 years ago Reply
    
    You forgot to mention that if the current firmware binary is higher than the firmware binary you downloaded, this method will fail.
- Sadique Hassan
  
  4 years ago Reply
  
  Hi Andre, Yes you need to have the same bootloader.