Install TWRP Recovery on any Android Device

[UPDATE 1: February 2021]: I have written a new and detailed guide on this topic keeping in mind the A/B partition and Dual slot thing: How to Install TWRP Recovery on Android. So I would highly recommend you check that out the guide in place of this. However, if you already much knowledge regarding all this, then the below short guide should help you out as well.

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This guide contains a detailed instruction set on how to Install TWRP Recovery on any Android Device. TWRP Recovery is among the most famous and widely used Custom Recovery. In the beginning, it had to face tough competition from CWM. But once the latter got discontinued, it ruled supreme in the Android community. The best part about this recovery is the constant update that it receives. With each new update, it keeps on adding new features. Recently it added the ‘edl option’ which enables your device to boot into ‘download mode’.

 

Even for the fact that it keeps on incorporating the latest features, it hasn’t compromised on the stability front. All the features present in the recovery work in a streamlined and smooth manner. But why has it become so popular? It is because of the tons of features that it supports. Some of them include:

• Installing ZIP and Images file (including ROMs, Kernels, Magisk, etc).
• Formatting numerous Partitions present in your device.
• Using the Mount feature to mount the device’s Internal Storage. This enables easy transfer for files, even when the device is in recovery mode.
• Perform the ADB Sideload to directly flash zip files on your device from PC.
• Create an entire backup of your Android Device (including the system files).

Now let’s move on to the next section of the guide on how to Install TWRP Recovery on any Android Device. But before beginning with it, make sure to go through the prerequisites section below.

Prerequisites

1. Make sure to unlock the bootloader of your Android device. Refer to our guide on Unlocking the Bootloader of Android Devices.
2. Enable USB Debugging on your device. Go to “Settings” > “About Phone” > Tap on “Build Number” 7 times > Go back to Settings > “System” > “Advanced” > “Developer Options” > Enable “USB Debugging” from there.
3. Keep your device sufficiently charged. Minimum 50% is recommended.
4. Create a complete backup of all the available data on your device. This is because while installing the TWRP Recovery, you need to unlock the device bootloader which wipes the entire data. Even if your device is unlocked, it is recommended to be on a safer side and have a backup.

Downloads

1. Download ADB and Fastboot Platform Tools for executing various Fastboot commands.
2. Download the official TWRP Recovery for your device. If official recovery is not yet available, search for an unofficial one over XDA. Download both the .zip as well as .img files for your recovery, if it exists.
3. Download the latest USB Drivers for your device. Chances are it may already be present in your device. Just connect your device to PC and the drivers will be installed. Otherwise, search over at the device-specific pages.

Steps to Install TWRP Recovery on any Android Device

The tutorial on how to Install TWRP Recovery on any Android Device will be divided into two sections. In the first section, instructions regarding temporary booting the device to TWRP Recovery would be provided. In the next section, the procedure to permanently install it would be given. So, let’s get begin with the process.

Move the downloaded TWRP Recovery Image File (.img) inside the ADB and Fastboot > Platform Tools folder. Whereas for the Recovery Zip File, move it to your device’s Internal Storage.

Only follow this section if an image file for your device exists. Some devices, for example, Redmi K20 Pro, doesn’t have an image file for their TWRP Recovery. So users on such devices should ignore the below section and move onto the second step.

STEP 1: Temporary Boot your Device to TWRP Recovery

1. Connect your device to PC via a USB cable (make sure USB Debugging is enabled).
2. Navigate to the folder where you have installed ADB and Fastboot Tools > Platform Tools.
3. Inside that folder, while pressing the Shift key, right click on an empty space.
4. Select ‘Open PowerShell window here‘ or ‘Open Command Window here‘.
5. Move the downloaded recovery (the image file, not the zip file) inside the same ADB and Fastboot Tools > Platform Tools folder. Ignore if already done.
6. Rename the recovery to twrp. The complete file name would be twrp.img
7. Type in the below code in the PowerShell window to boot your device to fastboot mode:

   adb reboot bootloader

8. Now, boot your device to TWRP Recovery by entering the below code:

   fastboot boot twrp.img

   Your device will now be booted into TWRP Recovery. But it has not yet been installed permanently. Head over to the next section to do so.

STEP 2: Permanently Install TWRP Recovery on your Android Device

1. Transfer the TWRP zip file to your device’s internal storage. Ignore if already done.
2. Your device will already be booted to TWRP Recovery.
3. Tap on Install and navigate to the recovery zip file. Tap to select it.

   

4. Perform a right swipe to permanently install the TWRP Recovery.
5. [IMPORTANT] Don’t yet reboot to System. It will trigger the DM-Verity and your device will enter a bootloop. To avoid this, reboot your device to TWRP Recovery. Go to ‘Reboot’ and tap on ‘Recovery’.
6. Now you may reboot your device to Android OS.

With that, you have successfully installed the TWRP Recovery on your device. Go ahead and try out various custom ROMs or root your device via Magisk.

So, this was a detailed guide on how to Install TWRP Recovery on any Android Device. If you faced any issue with respect to any part of this guide, do let me know. Moreover, if you are not able to find the TWRP Recovery for your device, make a request via the Request Page or in the comments section below. Happy Installing!