How to Root Your Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9500)

Ready to start rooting your Samsung Galaxy S4? For those of you with the GT-i9500 model GS4, this quick video will walk you through the entire rooting process using Odin and CWM.

Step 1:

Power off you Galaxy S4 and hold down Volume Down, Center Home, and Power buttons together for about 5 seconds.

Step 2:

When you see the warning screen, let go of all buttons then hit the Volume Up button to enter ODIN Download mode.

Step 3:

Connect a micro-USB cable from your Galaxy S4 to your computer.

Step 4:

Next, download CWM recovery for your Galaxy S4. ClockworkMod is currently available for GT-i9500, Sprint SPH-L720, and T-Mobile SGH-M919 models.

Also download ODIN, Samsung USB Drivers, and SuperSU Zip files.

Step 5:

Unzip ODIN and run the odin3 v1.85.exe file by double-clicking on it.

If you see a yellow highlighted box like shown below, you are good to go, if not, double-click on the Samsung USB drivers EXE file you downloaded earlier and install drivers, then unplug/re-plug the micro-USB cable to your phone. You should see yellow highlighted box.

Next, choose PDA, then browse to the CWM recovery you downloaded earlier for your Galaxy S4. (It’s a file ending in .tar) Hit Start to begin flash CWM recovery to your phone.

Step 6:

This will flash a custom CWM recovery to your Galaxy S4 and your phone will reboot.

If you see “PASS!” that means everything went successfully.

Step 7:

Next, after your phone reboots, copy the SuperSU zip file you downloaded earlier to anywhere on your Galaxy S4.

Step 8:

Power off your Galaxy S4 then hold down Volume Up, Center Home, and Power buttons together.

Step 9:

When you see the Samsung logo, keep holding down Volume Up and Center Home buttons but let go of the Power button.

Step 10:

Once in CWM Recovery, choose “install zip from sdcard” and hit the Power button.

Step 11:

Choose “choose zip from sdcard” and hit the Power button.

Step 12:

Choose “0/” directory and hit the Power button.

Step 13:

Browse and find the SuperSU zip file you copied over earlier and hit the Power button.

Step 14:

Choose “Yes” and hit the Power button.

Step 15:

This will install su binaries and SuperSU superuser app on your phone. This essentially “roots” your Galaxy S4.

Step 16:

Go back to main menu and choose “reboot system now”, then hit Power button. Your Galaxy S4 will reboot.

Step 17:

Once rebooted, you should find SuperSU app in your app drawer.

Step 18:

Run the SuperSU app once and update the binaries.

Step 19:

You can verify you have full root by downloading and opening rooted app like Titanium Backup app (which I highly recommend for backing up/freezing/un-installing your apps).

You should see a Superuser request window pop-up!

Done

Congratulations, you have fully rooted your Galaxy S4!