Database Users

Debrand Your Samsung Galaxy S6 [GUIDE]

This tutorial will help uk samsung galaxy s6 owners to debrand the S6 if locked to a network it will also get rid of all the network carrier bloatware and the good thing about this it will then allow you to get OTA Updates Quicker because u wont need to wait for your carrier to test the firmare before rolling it out Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ey2Qn_n0t4

Wouldn't this trip the flash counter which would also mean losing your 2 year warranty?
Sent from my SM-G920F using XDA Free mobile app

Cybermax93 said:
Wouldn't this trip the flash counter which would also mean losing your 2 year warranty?
Sent from my SM-G920F using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
I believe since you're flashing official firmware, it won't be tripped. I bought an S6 from Germany and flashed with 3 UK firmware and can confirm my KNOX counter hasn't tripped.

Japultra said:
I believe since you're flashing official firmware, it won't be tripped. I bought an S6 from Germany and flashed with 3 UK firmware and can confirm my KNOX counter hasn't tripped.
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I've skimmed through the tutorial video and it doesn't seem to have tripped Knox.
I'm looking to switch my s6 from TEL (Telstra AU) to XSA (Open AU).
Has anyone else tried to do this?
Cheers

will this work with an att s6

samdroid711 said:
I've skimmed through the tutorial video and it doesn't seem to have tripped Knox.
I'm looking to switch my s6 from TEL (Telstra AU) to XSA (Open AU).
Has anyone else tried to do this?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just did it with the Optus S6. Worked perfectly.

Can't find firmware for US
I'm on a T-Mobile Galaxy S6 right now. I want to follow your tutorial, even if I am in the US should I use the UK firmware model you used in the video? Is there a special international unlocked firmware for the US version (like there is one for Spain, for UK, etc).
Also, if the UK model will work on my T-Mobile phone in the US, will I suffer battery hits because the phone will be looking for UK bands or will it recognize that I'm in the US and will only look for the US bands? Thanks!!

madscientistdam said:
This tutorial will help uk samsung galaxy s6 owners to debrand the S6 if locked to a network it will also get rid of all the network carrier bloatware and the good thing about this it will then allow you to get OTA Updates Quicker because u wont need to wait for your carrier to test the firmare before rolling it out Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ey2Qn_n0t4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for making it but a quick written guide is much faster

Georgules said:
I'm on a T-Mobile Galaxy S6 right now. I want to follow your tutorial, even if I am in the US should I use the UK firmware model you used in the video? Is there a special international unlocked firmware for the US version (like there is one for Spain, for UK, etc).
Also, if the UK model will work on my T-Mobile phone in the US, will I suffer battery hits because the phone will be looking for UK bands or will it recognize that I'm in the US and will only look for the US bands? Thanks!!
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Click to collapse
It would look for bands based on the SIM I believe, but whether you can flash another region ROM is questionable. I thought there was something to prevent that, but I'm new to Samsung. I'm also curious if this will work. If it does, I'll just purchase an AT&T version as opposed to an unlocked one and then use this process.

bugsy said:
It would look for bands based on the SIM I believe, but whether you can flash another region ROM is questionable. I thought there was something to prevent that, but I'm new to Samsung. I'm also curious if this will work. If it does, I'll just purchase an AT&T version as opposed to an unlocked one and then use this process.
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Well the BTU model has always meant internationally unlocked in terms of Samsung devices, so hopefully this will work. I'm trying to flash it on my T-Mobile device and then rooting it. Does anybody have any idea how to change the model number of the phone to BTU as well so I can get OTA updates?

@madscientistdam
Looks like there is another BTU build added to the sammobile site wonder if anyone will receive a ota?
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/SM-G920F/BTU/

Received an ota this morning guys, and it was the new build I posted above this post.

Just did this to my Vodafone AU S6 and it worked a treat. Also got an OTA update after a couple of reboots. Knox is still intact. Should work for other Aussie telco phones. Fixed my random freeze's and reboots that where happening flat out at one stage.
*Update- still getting random lockups, even after setting up as a new phone (using no backup). Flash went fine though...

Question. Would this be good for an Ireland Three carrier S6?
Cheers!

Debrand an American S6 Edge (Verizon) for use in Germany
Hi!
You write in your video tutorial that you don’t suggest it for American smartphones. I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge from America (Verizon branded, firmware: G925VVRU4BOG9) and want to use it in Germany. So far, I have some annoying limitations (I can’t send text messages and I can’t roam). Do you – or anyone else reading this – have a hint or even a little tutorial for me? I’m so annoyed as neither Samsung nor Verizon or my German SIM card provider FONIC offers me support. The phone was a present from an American friend. So I’m not the original customer. I guess that’s one reason they don’t help. Whatever: I’ll appreciate your help! Thanks…

xkenikax said:
Hi!
You write in your video tutorial that you don’t suggest it for American smartphones. I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge from America (Verizon branded, firmware: G925VVRU4BOG9) and want to use it in Germany. So far, I have some annoying limitations (I can’t send text messages and I can’t roam). Do you – or anyone else reading this – have a hint or even a little tutorial for me? I’m so annoyed as neither Samsung nor Verizon or my German SIM card provider FONIC offers me support. The phone was a present from an American friend. So I’m not the original customer. I guess that’s one reason they don’t help. Whatever: I’ll appreciate your help! Thanks…
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Just try the tutorial, you don't have a working phone right now, the worst that could happen is a hard brick

godutch said:
Just try the tutorial, you don't have a working phone right now, the worst that could happen is a hard brick
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Click to collapse
And a hard brick is exactly what I don’t want to risk…

this I assume only works on the International 920F version of these phone, you can flash most any region on these (hence international is your first clue), this does not however work on the (American Carrier) branded phones like Sprint, ATT, Verizon, US Cellular ect ect , these are I am told firmware specific, I tried flashing T-Mobile firmware on a sprint phone and brick city, I mean even sprint could not get it back up flashing sprint firmware with their jig... so beware. U.S. Based Carriers got you under their thumb.

debrand
Hi just bought s6 edge on vodafone uk, firmware ver.5.1.1 G925FXXU3QOKN is there any chance to get it debranded.I was think to flash BTU one G925FXXU3COI9.is that safe and csc will be changed to BTU.I see lot debrand was done with firmware change from 5.0.2 to 5.1.1. is that thesame story 5.1-5.1

pwamik said:
Hi just bought s6 edge on vodafone uk, firmware ver.5.1.1 G925FXXU3QOKN is there any chance to get it debranded.I was think to flash BTU one G925FXXU3COI9.is that safe and csc will be changed to BTU.I see lot debrand was done with firmware change from 5.0.2 to 5.1.1. is that thesame story 5.1-5.1
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Click to collapse
Hi, did you proceeded through the debranding?
I'm also on the same firmware and want to flash a BTU one and just wanted to know if you succeed !

Samsung Pay Australia

Hello fellow S8 users,
I've recently purchased a Samsung S8 SM-G950FD from eBay as I wanted the Dual SIM capability. Version image attached, I'm not entirely sure where it's from.
Unfortunately the Samsung Pay version on the phone is in Chinese as are the promotion, images attached.
Can someone tell me if it's possible to get the Australian version on Samsung Pay on this phone?
Can I just update the ROM to an Australian version? If so, would I end up losing the Dual SIM capability?
Any help on this would be much appreciated.
Thank you.

Any suggestions?

kuri_2k said:
Hello fellow S8 users,
I've recently purchased a Samsung S8 SM-G950FD from eBay as I wanted the Dual SIM capability. Version image attached, I'm not entirely sure where it's from.
Unfortunately the Samsung Pay version on the phone is in Chinese as are the promotion, images attached.
Can someone tell me if it's possible to get the Australian version on Samsung Pay on this phone?
Can I just update the ROM to an Australian version? If so, would I end up losing the Dual SIM capability?
Any help on this would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your Australia cards should work as Australia already have support for Samsung Pay. I have setup few of my Indian cards with Australian version phone. I guess you need to bear with the Chinese though. Updating XSA room will definitely disable the Dual sim option and I am not sure 950FD support 950F.

venki5star said:
Your Australia cards should work as Australia already have support for Samsung Pay. I have setup few of my Indian cards with Australian version phone. I guess you need to bear with the Chinese though. Updating XSA room will definitely disable the Dual sim option and I am not sure 950FD support 950F.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeh the Samsung Pay Application doesn't like my American Express Card....
It states that Amex is not supported in my country, but in fact it's working on my Samsung S6, and my Gear 3.
So you think changing the firmware to AU I would lose the Dual SIM capabilities?
It might just be easier to try and get the Samsung Pay and Samsung Pay Framework from AU ROM and extract it to mine maybe?

If it's anything like the S7, you should be fine putting the Australian firmware on it. I got an S7 edge from the UAE and had to flash German firmware and the T-Mobile CSC to it for spay to finally work. It'll be trail and error, but the multi sim function never went away for me.

Since almost all the international S8/S8+s are on the multi CSC ROM, all you need to do is reset your phone (preferably from the recovery menu) and put in the Oz SIM and reboot. All the regional features are activated, and you get Oz SPAY.
Using that method, I am currently using the India SPAY on an Afghanistan S8+ (Dual sim) and Taiwanese S8 and both work with all cards.

cooolzzz_guy said:
Since almost all the international S8/S8+s are on the multi CSC ROM, all you need to do is reset your phone (preferably from the recovery menu) and put in the Oz SIM and reboot. All the regional features are activated, and you get Oz SPAY.
Using that method, I am currently using the India SPAY on an Afghanistan S8+ (Dual sim) and Taiwanese S8 and both work with all cards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've actually tried to restore to factory setting 6+ times with an assortment of sim cards from Vodafone, Optus, Telstra, Macquarie (Telstra variant), samsung pay keeps loading up as Taiwanese version (Chinese)...
I've recently asked a friend to extract his Samsung Pay & Framework.apk, it still loads Taiwan Samsung pay.
I think it's region locked?
I'm going to try and restore to XSA Firmware, apparently this worked for the S7 guys, whilst retaining Dual Sim functions.

neoslink1 said:
If it's anything like the S7, you should be fine putting the Australian firmware on it. I got an S7 edge from the UAE and had to flash German firmware and the T-Mobile CSC to it for spay to finally work. It'll be trail and error, but the multi sim function never went away for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! You've just reaffirmed what I actually just read in another forum, going to give it a try and will update my findings.

kuri_2k said:
I've actually tried to restore to factory setting 6+ times with an assortment of sim cards from Vodafone, Optus, Telstra, Macquarie (Telstra variant), samsung pay keeps loading up as Taiwanese version (Chinese)...
I've recently asked a friend to extract his Samsung Pay & Framework.apk, it still loads Taiwan Samsung pay.
I think it's region locked?
I'm going to try and restore to XSA Firmware, apparently this worked for the S7 guys, whilst retaining Dual Sim functions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try to factory reset from recovery? Vol up + Bixby + power, wait for few seconds it goes into recovery. Put the regional SIM in, then reboot. It will reboot twice and activate SIM specific features (prominently tells you that it's doing so).
Also please post a screenshot of the Settings->Software information screen (Service provide SW ver. is 2nd last row) both before and after you complete the process.

Someone recommended me this solution after I had a similar problem with my UAE S8 and flashing other country firmware no longer works without supporting SIM card. Download Samsung Pay version 2.7.03 and try that.

oplix said:
Someone recommended me this solution after I had a similar problem with my UAE S8 and flashing other country firmware no longer works without supporting SIM card. Download Samsung Pay version 2.7.03 and try that.
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Click to collapse
Worked for me as well !!

oplix said:
Someone recommended me this solution after I had a similar problem with my UAE S8 and flashing other country firmware no longer works without supporting SIM card. Download Samsung Pay version 2.7.03 and try that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean flashing other country firmware no longer works without supporting SIM card ?

vortexmak said:
What do you mean flashing other country firmware no longer works without supporting SIM card ?
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Click to collapse
Means that it doesn't matter which firmware you flash if you don't have the country's sim card because s8 will default back to factory CSC. Only way to change CSC without root is to flash with the supporting sim card installed.

cooolzzz_guy said:
Since almost all the international S8/S8+s are on the multi CSC ROM, all you need to do is reset your phone (preferably from the recovery menu) and put in the Oz SIM and reboot. All the regional features are activated, and you get Oz SPAY.
Using that method, I am currently using the India SPAY on an Afghanistan S8+ (Dual sim) and Taiwanese S8 and both work with all cards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just came across this post. Wondering if the same method works with the dual sim version of S7 (G930FD)?
Thanks.

TopGun2000 said:
Just came across this post. Wondering if the same method works with the dual sim version of S7 (G930FD)?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has anyone here got the Australian Samsung Pay app onto the Taiwanese dual-sim model? I purchased an S8+ at $799 (compared to the RRP of $1349) but I don't want to factory reset if I don't have to.

Anyone got spay working? Pkease share what firmware version are you using.

SM-G950W firmware question.

Okay, so I've been gifted a Samsung Galaxy S8 from my mother who lives in Canada, and I will only use it in Europe, as I live here. She bought it blindly, without any knowledge about model numbers and stuff. The guy at the Samsung store told her he unlocked it, and he was right as I have no problem using my sim in it, despite being the Canadian model, coming with some Rogers carrier apps. Now my question is, can I flash a firmware from the country I live in, that being Romania? So flashing a SM-G950F firmware on a SM-G950W phone. I know it sounds silly but I want to be sure.

No you can't, you can only flash canadian/us firmware, but better to stick with canadian xac firmware since its unbranded.

peachpuff said:
No you can't, you can only flash canadian/us firmware, but better to stick with canadian xac firmware since its unbranded.
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Click to collapse
okay, thank you very much!

International Firmware

Before I start, this is the first android phone I've ever owned so the question may or may not be stupid.
So I live in India and I saw the trade-in deal for the S8. I was in need of an upgrade (iPhone 6) so I went for it as I was heading to the U.S soon. I heard that the international version gets updates sooner than the unlocked U.S version. Can I just change my firmware to international, get earlier updates with no drawback? If yes then why have I not seen a lot on this?

Pretty sure the firmware is locked to the device unless you root. I had an unlocked international S6(920?F) . It updated a lot earlier than the W released in Canada.
Sent from my SM-T820 using Tapatalk

ExLite23 said:
Before I start, this is the first android phone I've ever owned so the question may or may not be stupid.
So I live in India and I saw the trade-in deal for the S8. I was in need of an upgrade (iPhone 6) so I went for it as I was heading to the U.S soon. I heard that the international version gets updates sooner than the unlocked U.S version. Can I just change my firmware to international, get earlier updates with no drawback? If yes then why have I not seen a lot on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the device you get is G950F (international) then updates will come sooner. If you get any other version they are for specific regions, so if you get G950U (US unlocked) you can't flash international firmware to it. Can only flash firmware for the model you get.

callumbr1 said:
If the device you get is G950F (international) then updates will come sooner. If you get any other version they are for specific regions, so if you get G950U (US unlocked) you can't flash international firmware to it. Can only flash firmware for the model you get.
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Click to collapse
Then what are the benefits of people switching carriers for example? There seem to be a bunch of threads giving a tutorial on how to change firmware to different carries e.g. From a T Mobile to Unlocked.

ExLite23 said:
Then what are the benefits of people switching carriers for example? There seem to be a bunch of threads giving a tutorial on how to change firmware to different carries e.g. From a T Mobile to Unlocked.
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Click to collapse
For stuff like WiFi calling, voLTE, removal of bloat some csc tweaks

Guess that's unfortunate.

Galaxy s8 SM-G950U Didn't Recieve Android 9 Update

I have the snapdragon variant of the s8 and I regularly check for updates but the last update it got was from july 2018. I would like add that I live in the UK and it is an unlocked version of the S8. Is there a way to obatin the one ui update manualy as I cant get it through the US version of the samsung members app either?

Ash.Ahamed said:
I have the snapdragon variant of the s8 and I regularly check for updates but the last update it got was from july 2018. I would like add that I live in the UK and it is an unlocked version of the S8. Is there a way to obatin the one ui update manualy as I cant get it through the US version of the samsung members app either?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can download the latest at updato.com or sammobile.com and flash using the latest odin tool

Here u can find and download manually android pie for your model
https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s8/SM-G950U/
But u can also use updato.com for faster download speed.
Be sure to use latest Odin 3.13.3
Edit: it seems @TheMadScientist was a bit faster then me

Would I still be able to have the unlocked version of the s8 or will flashing the update lock it to a specific sim career?

Ash.Ahamed said:
Would I still be able to have the unlocked version of the s8 or will flashing the update lock it to a specific sim career?
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Click to collapse
Depends if you download the U1 bit 5 firmware or the U firmware These devices are hardly locked to any carrier if it is sim unlocked Switching is so easy now

Thanks for the quick replys guys, I was thinking of flashing this firmware for the UK unlocked s8.
https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s8/SM-G950U/BST/download/G950USQU5DSD3/268481/
Would I be able to flash different firmware afterwards if this one doesn't work out properly?
BTW I have attached a picture of my current software details: https://m.imgur.com/a/v7j79L4
IMG]https://m.imgur.com/a/v7j79L4[/IMG]

Ash.Ahamed said:
Thanks for the quick replys guys, I was thinking of flashing this firmware for the UK unlocked s8.
https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s8/SM-G950U/BST/download/G950USQU5DSD3/268481/
Would I be able to flash different firmware afterwards if this one doesn't work out properly?
BTW I have attached a picture of my current software details: https://m.imgur.com/a/v7j79L4
IMG]https://m.imgur.com/a/v7j79L4[/IMG]
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Click to collapse
Yes you can flash another. That's boost Mobile a cdma sprint subsidiary
If your carrier is a gsm it won't work more than likely but as long as you stay bit 5 you can flash any of them

Ohh I see I didn't know it was cdma, uk uses gsm only so a tmobile firmware would make more sense such as this one https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s8/SM-G950U/TMB/download/G950USQU5DSD3/272406/