{{Short description|Utility software developed by Samsung}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox software | logo = <!-- Image name is enough. --> | logo alt = | logo caption = | screenshot = Odin 3.14.png | screenshot alt = A screenshot of the Odin dialog box | caption = Odin 3.14 running on a Windows 11 machine, with a device ready for flashing plugged in | collapsible = <!-- Any text here will collapse the screenshot. --> | author = | developer = Samsung | ver layout = <!-- simple (default) or stacked --> | latest release version = {{multiple releases | branch1 = Window | version1 = v3 – 3.14.1<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 March 2018 |title=Patched Odin 3.13.1 |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/patched-odin-3-13-1.3762572/ |access-date=20 April 2026 |website=XDA Forums |language=en-US}}</ref> | date1 = {{Start date and age|2020|02|16}} | branch2 = Linux | version2 = v4 1.2.1-dc05e3ea<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 June 2022 |title=OFFICIAL Samsung Odin v4 1.2.1-dc05e3ea - For Linux |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/official-samsung-odin-v4-1-2-1-dc05e3ea-for-linux.4453423/ |access-date=20 April 2026 |website=XDA Forums |language=en-US}}</ref> | date2 = {{Start date and age|2022|06|03}} }} | latest release date = | programming language = | engine = <!-- or engines --> | operating system = (v3) Windows (v4) Linux | platform = | included with = | size = | language = English | language count = <!-- Number only --> | language footnote = | genre = | license = | alexa = | website = | standard = | AsOf = }}
'''Odin''' is a utility software program developed and used by Samsung internally which is used to communicate with Samsung devices in '''Odin mode''' (also called '''download mode''') through the thor protocol.<ref name="u-boot CONFIG_CMD_THOR_DOWNLOAD">{{Cite web |date=8 November 2017 <!-- CommitDate in git show --pretty=fuller 9b92a8d76ad7efdcda58a4da1a773cf4674cdc86 --> |title=Convert CONFIG_CMD_THOR_DOWNLOAD to Kconfig |url=https://source.denx.de/u-boot/u-boot/-/blob/9b92a8d76ad7efdcda58a4da1a773cf4674cdc86/cmd/Kconfig#L307 |access-date=17 December 2025 |publisher=Das U-Boot |language=en-US}}</ref> It can be used to flash a custom recovery firmware image (as opposed to the stock recovery firmware image) to a Samsung Android device. Odin is also used for unbricking certain Android devices.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 December 2023 |title=Odin Download: Samsung Firmware Flash Tool |url=https://magiskzip.com/odin-latest-version-samsung-firmware-flash-tool-download/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |website=Magisk ZIP |language=en-US}}</ref> Odin is the Samsung proprietary alternative to Fastboot.
There is no account of Samsung ever having officially openly released Odin,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Drake |first=Joshua J. |title=Android hacker's handbook |date=2014 |publisher=Wiley |others=Zach Lanier, Collin Mulliner, Pau Oliva, Stephen A. Ridley, Georg Wicherski |isbn=978-1-118-60861-6 |location=Indianapolis, IN |pages=488 |oclc=875820167}}</ref> though it is mentioned in the developer documents for Samsung Knox SDK<ref>{{cite web |date=17 October 2013 |title=Knox Glossary of Terms and Acronyms |url=http://www.samsung.com/at/business-images/resource/solution-brief/2013/12/samsung_knox_glossary-0.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030223121/http://www.samsung.com/at/business-images/resource/solution-brief/2013/12/samsung_knox_glossary-0.pdf |archive-date=30 October 2017 |access-date=4 July 2019 |website=Samsung.com |publisher=Samsung |location=Santa Clara, California}}</ref> and some documents even instruct users to use Odin.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Can I Change or Download the Device Firmware? |url=https://seap.samsung.com/faq/how-can-i-change-or-download-device-firmware |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613234120/https://seap.samsung.com/faq/how-can-i-change-or-download-device-firmware |archive-date=13 June 2018 |website=Samsung Enterprise Alliance Program}}</ref> Some other docs on Knox SDK reference "engineering firmware",<ref>{{cite web |title=How Can I Check If My Device Firmware is an Engineering or Commercial Build? |url=https://seap.samsung.com/faq/how-can-i-check-if-my-device-firmware-engineering-or-commercial-build |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613210649/https://seap.samsung.com/faq/how-can-i-check-if-my-device-firmware-engineering-or-commercial-build |archive-date=13 June 2018 |website=Samsung Enterprise Alliance Program}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How Can I Make My App Work Properly on a Device with Engineering Firmware? |url=https://seap.samsung.com/faq/how-can-i-make-my-app-work-properly-device-engineering-firmware |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613210710/https://seap.samsung.com/faq/how-can-i-make-my-app-work-properly-device-engineering-firmware |archive-date=13 June 2018 |website=Samsung Enterprise Alliance Program}}</ref> which presumably can be a part of the Knox SDK along with Odin. Publicly available binaries are believed to be the result of leaks. The tool is not intended for end-users, but for Samsung's own personnel and approved repair centers.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Crider |first=Michael |date=5 February 2018 |title=How to Manually Update Your Samsung Phone with Odin |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/341321/how-to-manually-update-your-samsung-phone-with-odin/ |access-date=13 May 2020 |website=How-To Geek |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Usage == Although none of the publicly available downloads are authorized by Samsung itself, XDA-Developers consider the files offered on their Forum the safest option. For the usage of Odin, the phone needs to be in Download mode. For this, some key combination need to be pressed, such as <code>Power</code> + <code>Volume Down</code> + <code>Home</code>, or <code>Power</code> + <code>Volume Down</code> + <code>Bixby</code>, or connect to a computer while performing the <code>Volume Up</code> + <code>Volume Down</code> key combination.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dumitru |first=Bogdan |title=Boot any Samsung Devices into Download Mode |url=https://www.odinflashtool.me/boot-any-samsung-devices-into-download-mode/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202210434/https://www.odinflashtool.me/boot-any-samsung-devices-into-download-mode/ |archive-date=2 December 2021 |access-date=11 September 2021 |website=Odin |language=en}}</ref>
In 2026, Samsung started requiring to enable the ''Maintenance mode'' in the system settings before it is possible to access download mode.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-12 |title=Samsung's latest update is a serious gut punch to Galaxy power users (Update) |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-disables-odin-removes-download-mode-3648469/ |access-date=2026-03-18 |website=Android Authority |language=en}}</ref>
The thor protocol that Odin implements is used in many Samsung devices, including in some devices co-developed by Google and Samsung like the Galaxy Nexus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=[Q] [Galaxy Nexus] broken recovery mode, is there ROM package for Heimdall? |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/q-galaxy-nexus-broken-recovery-mode-is-there-rom-package-for-heimdall.1738562 |access-date=2025-12-17 |publisher=XDA Developers forum}}</ref> There is also an implementation of the thor protocol in Das U-Boot<ref name="u-boot CONFIG_CMD_THOR_DOWNLOAD" />.
== Heimdall == [[File:Heimdall v1.4.1 GTK frontend.png|thumb|Graphical user interface for Heimdall running on Ubuntu]]
Heimdall is a free/libre/open-source, cross-platform replacement for Odin which is based on libusb.<ref>{{Citation |last=Dobell |first=Benjamin |title=Benjamin-Dobell/Heimdall |url=https://github.com/Benjamin-Dobell/Heimdall |access-date=20 April 2026 |publisher=Github}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Heimdall can be used on Windows, Linux, and Mac.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shukla |first=Rakesh |date=2023-04-09 |title=Flash Samsung Firmware with Heimdall & JOdin3 on Mac |url=https://technastic.com/flash-samsung-firmware-mac-heimdall-jodin3/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Technastic |language=en-US}}</ref> The name Heimdall, like Odin, is an allusion to Norse mythology; both Odin and Heimdall are among the deities of the Norse pantheon<ref name="glassechidna">{{cite web |title=Heimdall |url=https://glassechidna.com.au/heimdall/ |access-date=December 15, 2021 |website=Glass Echidna}}</ref>{{Non-primary source needed|date=May 2023}}. It can be used either through the command line<ref>{{Cite web |title=Install LineageOS on Samsung Galaxy S III (International) |url=https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/i9300/install/#installing-a-custom-recovery-using-heimdall |access-date=2025-12-17 |publisher=LineageOS |language=en-US}}</ref> or with its graphical user interface.
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Firmware and booting}}
Category:Android (operating system) software Category:Proprietary software Category:Samsung software Category:Windows software Category:Booting
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