Downgrade Samsung One UI 5.0 to One UI 4.0: Android 13 to Android 12

In this guide, we will show you the steps to downgrade your Samsung device from One UI 5.0 to One UI 4.0 aka Android 13 to Android 12. The thirteenth iteration of the OS has just been rolled out by the South Korean conglomerate. It brings in a slew of goodies, some UI changes, and a few under-the-hood changes as well. However, at the time of writing, it is still in the beta stage, hence a few bugs and issues are along the expected lines.

We have already documented the likes of excessive battery drainage and Android System Intelligence incompatibility issues, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. There are a truckload of other noticeable issues that you might come across during your daily usage of the latest One UI version.

While this is something that we all knew before getting into the beta tester domain, however, it might still prove to be a challenging task in effectively using your device with such a buggy usage experience. if you also echo this thought, then the best bet is to downgrade your Samsung device from One UI 5.0 to One UI 4.0 i.e. Android 13 to Android 12. And in this guide, we will show you how to do just that. Follow along.

Check Bootloader Version Number Before Downgrading Samsung

Before you downgrade your Samsung device from Android 13 to 12, 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 13 is on U3 or S3 and Android 12 is on U3 or S3, then you can go downgrade to Android 12. However, if Android 12 is U3 or S3 and Android 13 is U4 or S4, then you cannot downgrade your Samsung device.

Downgrade Samsung One UI 5.0 to One UI 4.0: Android 13 to Android 12

While there exist two different methods through which you could carry out this downgrade process- using the Samsung Members App and using Odin, but there’s an important point to keep in mind. If you had initially upgraded to One UI 5.0 Android 13 using the Samsung Members App [by getting enrolled as a beta tester from within the app], then you could opt for any of these two methods to perform the downgrade.

However, if you had performed the upgrade via ADB Sideload or Alliance Shield App, then you could only carry out the downgrade via Odin, using the Samsung Members app is not possible in such a scenario. Moreover, irrespective of the method you opt for, your device will undergo a reset, so please take a backup beforehand and then only proceed with the below steps.

Downgrade from Android 13 to Android 12 via Samsung Members App

1. To begin with, launch the Samsung Members App on your device.
2. Then tap on the Settings icon situated at the top right.
3. After that, tap on One UI Beta Program Status.
4. Finally, click on the Withdraw button and wait for the process to complete.
5. Your device will undergo a wipe and then boot to One UI 4.0 Android 12.

Downgrade from Android 13 to Android 12 via Odin

Given below are the steps to downgrade your Samsung device from One UI 5.0 to One Ui 4.0 using Odin. Follow along.

STEP 1: Download Samsung USB Drivers

In most instances, as soon as you connect your device to a PC via USB cable, the associated USB drivers are automatically installed. However, if that isn’t the case with you, then you may manually install the drivers as well. To do so, get hold of the official USB Drivers from the below link and launch the setup file. Then proceed with the on-screen instructions to install onto your PC.

Download: Samsung USB Drivers

STEP 2: Download Odin

Next up, download the Odin Tool. This will be needed to flash the Android 12 OneUI 4.0 firmware onto your Samsung device for the downgrade process. So grab it from the below link and then extract it to any convenient location on your PC.

Download: Odin3-v3.14.4.zip

STEP 3: Download One UI 4.0 Downgrade Firmware

You will now have to download the Samsung One UI 4.0 downgrade firmware. In this regard, you should use the Frija Tool. However, this tool will only come in useful till One UI 5.0 is in the beta stage. As soon as it reaches the stable build for your device, then you would have to instead use the SamMobile website or the Update site.

This is because Frija only uploads the latest stable build. Till Android 13 is in the beta state, Frija will keep on uploading the Android 12 firmware. But as soon as Android 13 for your device gets live, Frija will also start uploading the Android 13 build. So you will then have to refer to the SamMoble or SamUpdate website.

STEP 4: Extract Samsung OneUI 4.0 Firmware

Once you have downloaded the firmware, extract it to any convenient location on your PC. Doing so shall give you the AP, BL, CP, and CSC files, which we will be using to downgrade your Samsung device from One UI 5.0 (Android 13) to One UI 4.0 (Android 12).

STEP 5: Boot your Samsung 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. Or refer to the shorter instructions:

1. To begin with, power off your device.
2. Then press and hold the Volume Down + Bixby + Power buttons (or Volume Down + Home + Power on older devices) for around 5 seconds.
3. Once you see the Warning screen, just press the Volume Up key to boot your Samsung device to Download Mode.

STEP 6: Install One UI 4.0 Downgrade Firmware via Odin

1. To begin with, connect your device to the PC via USB cable. Make sure it is booted to Download Mode.
2. Then head over to the folder where you had extracted Odin and double click on the Odin3_v3.14.4.exe file to launch the Odin Tool.
3. You should now see the ID:COM port of the tool is highlighted. This signifies that the tool is able to recognize your device and the connection stands successful. So you may now proceed ahead to load the BL, AP, CP, and CSC files to Odin.
4. First off, click on the BL button, navigate to the extracted firmware file and select the BL file from there.
5. Then click on AP and upload the AP firmware file. This might take some time.
6. After this, click CP and load the CP firmware file.
7. Finally, click CSC and upload the Home_CSC file (make sure it’s the Home_CSC file and not the normal CSC).
8. 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).
9. Finally, hit the Start button and wait for the process to complete.
10. 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 13 to Android 12, i.e from One UI 5.0 to One UI 4.0. 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.

• How to Change CSC Codes in Samsung Devices
• Unbrick Samsung | Flash Stock Firmware via Odin
• How to Fix Samsung Bootloop due to Prenormal KG/RMM state
• Extract PIT File from Samsung Firmware: Unbrick Guide
• How to Nand Erase and Re-Partition Samsung via Odin