In this guide, we will show you a couple of methods through which you can find the Bootloader Version on your Samsung device. There could be quite a few instances wherein you would want to downgrade the OS on your device to an older version. For instance, if the current OS is buggy, has a few performance issues, battery drainage is much faster, or the device is getting overheated, then in all these instances, your best bet is to roll back the OS to the earlier stable build.
Likewise, when an OEM releases a new update, it’s in the alpha and beta stages before finally moving over to the stable on. So if you are among the tech enthusiasts who wish to test out new and bleeding-edge features, then you would probably install the testing build of the OS. However, it goes without saying that these testing builds are always prone to bugs and issues.
Once again, downgrading the OS is the best route that you could take in such cases. However, as opposed to other Android devices, carrying out a downgrade in Samsung is quite complicated. You cannot simply pick up the lower OS version and flash it onto your device, even if it belongs to your region as well as the Country Specific Code [more popularly known as CSC].
Instead, you’ll first have to find the Bootloader Version on your Samsung device and if that is in sync with the rollback rule [explained below], then only a downgrade is possible. So in this guide, we will make you aware of a couple of nifty methods through which you could get this job done, after which, we will explain the downgrade rule as well. So without further ado, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
How to Find Samsung Bootloader Version for Downgrading OS
We have listed two different methods that will help you get this job done. Go through them once and then try out the one that is in sync with your requirements.
Via Settings Menu
- First off, head over to Settings > About Phone > Software Information.
- Then refer to the Build Number, which will be along the following lines:
Value 1. Value 2. Value 3. Value 4 TP1A.220624.014.G781BXXU5HWE1
- So refer to the fourth value. The fifth number from its right is your Bootloader Version.
- In our example, as could be seen in the attached screenshot, the Bootloader Version is 5.
NOTE: While the general rule of thumb is to look at the Build Number, but you could also check out the Baseband Number as the Value 4 in the Build Number is the Baseband Number itself. So referring to the fifth number from the right of the Baseband version should also get the job done.
Via Recovery Mode
- First off, download and extract Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC.
- Then enable USB Debugging and connect your device to your PC via USB.
- Now open the CMD inside platform-tools and type in the below command:
adb reboot recovery
- Then refer to the third line at the top. You’ll see the Value 1/Value 2/Value 3.
11/RP1A.200720.012/G781BXXSAHXD1
- The fifth digit from the right in the Third Value is your Bootloader Version.
- For example, in the attached screenshot, the Bootloader Version value is A.
Samsung Bootloader Versions as Alphabets?
While in the first method [Settings menu], the bootloader version number was 5, which is quite understandable. But in the second example [as well as in the below screenshot], we have A as its version, so is that possible? Well definitely yes, Samsung Bootloader versions could be alphabets as well. While the Bootloader versions start from 0 all the way up to 9, but after that, it moves over to A, B, C, D, and so on, all the way up to Z which signifies that it is a beta build.
What is the Samsung Downgrade Rule
This is the most important part of this guide: You can only do a downgrade from a lower bootloader version firmware to a higher bootloader version firmware. In other words, you cannot downgrade from a higher bootloader version to a lower bootloader version. In this regard, when it comes to numerical values, then it’s quite easy to understand that 6<7<8<9 and so on. But what about the alphabet?
Well, in terms of alphabets, the order is A<B<C<D, and so on. So for the alphabet, A is the smallest among them. But if we combine both the alphabet and numbers, then the order will be 8<9<A<B<C, and so on. So A is larger than 9, B is larger than A, and so on. Let’s now try and understand with the help of an example.
If the Bootloader Version for Android 14 firmware is 5, then you can do a downgrade to Android 13 firmware having Bootloader Version 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, and so on. However, you cannot do a downgrade to Android 13 firmware having Bootloader Version 4, 3, 2, or 1.
So on that note, we round off this guide regarding the Samsung Bootloader Version. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments section. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
