Boot Android Devices into Fastboot / Recovery / Bootloader Mode

Whether you own an Android Smartphone or a tablet device, whether you are a noob, basic or advanced user, you need to be aware of certain things about your device. Booting your device into Odin/download/fastboot/ bootloader or recovery mode (stock or recovery) is a piece of knowledge you must have.

An Android device is a myth to the unknown when I got my first Android smartphone (LG Optimus One – an excellent and rare piece of work by LG), I was astounded to find out that in how many different modes it could boot. I know it sounds like a complete layman, but back then it actually was so. With time, not just the hardware and software has been revised, but also the resources, which act as a great source of knowledge for learners.

Today, almost 95% of the how-to or guide articles require you to boot Android devices into Fastboot mode, Recovery mode, Download mode, or Flash mode for the procedure to carry out. Rebooting into these modes can either be carried out universally for any Android device by the unified ADB commands listed below.

• Recovery Mode:

  adb reboot recovery

• Fastboot/Bootloader Mode:

  adb reboot bootloader

Related article: Most Frequently Used ADB and Fastboot Commands

But, it’s not always necessary that you’ll find a PC/Laptop nearby to perform this action. So, your respective OEM has already bothered to provide you with an alternative, you can do it by pressing a few key combinations while your phone is completely turned off. Generally, we provide these combinations in every article wherever necessary, but it is always a nice idea to accumulate everything in one spot.

With this end at the back of our mind, we bring together the keys to boot your Android device in download/fastboot/bootloader and recovery mode at a single spot. We aim to make this article a handbook for such purposes and therefore we have made a beginning with most recognized and popular brands like Samsung, LG, Motorola, HTC, SONY, Asus, etc. and we plan to add more brands and devices, making this article all-inclusive and, at the same time, an exclusive presentation from Droidviews.

Now, before you proceed any further, it is necessary to install ADB and Fastboot on your PC. Also, enable USB debugging on your device. To install ADB and fastboot on your PC, follow the links below depending upon the OS you use on your PC.

• Windows 
• macOS
• Linux

Disclaimer:

Please note that you will be able to boot your device in Custom Recovery only if it is rooted. We don’t hold any responsibility for any damaged devices. Understand the risks involved and proceed only then.

Also, this guide is progressive and will become lengthy with time, depending upon the number of devices we will add. Some specific device could actually have a different key combination or some device could behave differently, if you have any trouble with the following tutorial, or if you have pointed out a non-working key-combo, kindly drop a comment at the end of this article and we will be happy to help you.

 

The following instructions are applicable for all Google devices such as the Nexus 6, Nexus 5x, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Google Pixel, Pixel 2, Pixel 3, etc.

• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device.
  • Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time until you see the fastboot screen.
• Recovery mode
  • Boot your device into fastboot mode as mentioned above.
  • In Fastboot mode, press the Volume Down button twice to select Recovery then press the Power button to confirm the selection.
  • When you see the broken Android on your screen, press and hold the Power button then press the Volume Up button once. Your device should boot into recovery mode.

 

Old Samsung Galaxy devices with Home button

These instructions are applicable to almost all Samsung manufactured devices except the newer flagships without a home button. If you feel that your Samsung Device follows different criteria, mention it in comments and we shall update it in our article.

• ODIN/Download mode: Power off the device. Press and hold Volume Down, Home and Power keys altogether.
• Recovery mode: Power off the device. Press and hold Volume Up, Home and Power buttons altogether.

New Samsung Galaxy devices with Bixby button

Not a lot has changed in terms of the button combination over the years. The Bixby button simply replaces the home button in the above button combinations.

• ODIN/Download mode: Power off the device. Press and hold Volume Down, Bixby and Power keys simultaneously. Release the keys when you see a blue screen and press the Volume Up button to continue to boot into Download mode.
• Recovery mode: Power off the device. Press and hold VolumeUp, Bixby, and Power buttons simultaneously. When you see the Android logo on screen with a yellow triangle and exclamation mark, just tap on the screen to enter recovery mode.

New Samsung Galaxy devices with no Home & Bixby buttons

• ODIN/Download mode: Turn off your device. You can do so by holding the Volume Down + Volume Up + Power keys simultaneously for a few seconds. Release the keys when you get a screen with an exclamation sign. Press the Volume Up button to enter the Download Mode.
• Recovery mode: Press and hold the Volume Up + Volume Down + Power buttons at the same time. As soon as the screen turns off, release the Volume Down button and keep Volume Up + Power buttons pressed. Keep both the keys pressed until your device enters the recovery mode.

 

This methods given below will work for almost all HTC devices.

To enter into Bootloader mode, do this:

• Turn off your phone
• Hold down Volume Down + Power button
• Release the Power button when the device starts and continue to hold the Volume Down key until you see a white screen, that’s the bootloader.

To enter into Fastboot mode, do this:

• Turn off your phone
• Hold down Volume Down + Power button
• Release the Power button when the device starts and continue to hold the Volume Down key until you enter into the bootloader. [For some phones, bootloader mode itself acts as Fastboot mode]
• Scroll up or down with Volume keys and select Fastboot with the power key.

To enter into Recovery mode, do this:

• Turn off your phone
• Hold down Volume Down + Power button [older devices: Home + Power button]
• Release the Power button when the device starts and continue to hold the Volume Down key until you enter into the bootloader.
• Scroll up or down with Volume keys and select Recovery with the power key.

Exclusions:

HTC Legend

To enter  into Bootloader/Fastboot: (while turned off) Press and hold Down on Trackball + Volume Down + Power

To enter into Recovery: (while turned off) Press Down on Trackball + Volume Down + Power Highlight Recovery with the volume keys and select with the Power key.

 

LG is one brand which hasn’t quite figured this out itself. The OEM has been quite inconsistent with the button combinations for its devices that put them in different modes. Moreover, most of these button combinations pair up with a USB connection so you won’t be able to perform them without a computer. We’ll mention some of the newer LG devices from and how to enter into the different modes.

LG G5

• Download mode
  • With the device powered off, press and hold the Volume Up button while connecting the device to a PC using a USB cable.
  • Release the key as soon as the device boots into download mode.
• Recovery mode
  • Power off the device then press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously.
  • Let go of the buttons as soon as you see the LG logo on the screen then press and hold them again until it boots into recovery mode.
• Factory Mode
  • As with the recovery mode, press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons while the device is powered off.
  • When the LG logo appears, release only the Power key and keep holding the Volume Down key.
  • Now, press the Power button once while holding the Volume down key.
  • Let go of all the buttons when you see the factory mode on the screen.

Devices released after LG G5

Thankfully, for at least the couple of years devices from the company seem to follow a similar set of hardware button combinations to boot into Download mode and recovery mode. The instructions below should work with the LG G6, LG G7 ThinQ, LG G7 One and every other variant of the G7 out there.

• Download mode
  • With the device powered off, press and hold the Volume Up button while connecting the device to a PC using a USB cable.
  • Release the key as soon as the device boots into download mode.
• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device then press and hold the Volume Down button while connecting the device to a PC using a USB cable.
  • Let go of the buttons as soon as you see fastboot mode on the screen.
• Factory Mode
  • Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons while the device is powered off.
  • When the LG logo appears, release only the Power key and keep holding the Volume Down key.
  • Now, press the Power button once while holding the Volume down key.
  • Let go of all the buttons when you see the factory mode on the screen.

 

Motorola has been fairly consistent about this. But like many things that have changed about the company since being acquired by Lenovo, the button combination to boot into fastboot mode may also be changing. Here’s how you can boot Motorola devices into the fastboot and recovery modes.

• Fastboot mode
  • While the device is powered off, press and hold the Volume Down button and then the Power button. On some newer devices such as the Moto C Plus, Moto G6, etc. you may have to use Volume Up instead of Volume Down.
  • Release all the keys when you see the screen turn on. Your device should be in fastboot mode.
• Recovery mode
  • Boot your device to fastboot mode as shown above.
  • Use the Volume Down key so as to bring the Recovery option in the fastboot menu and press Volume Up to confirm.
  • When the broken Android logo appears, press and hold the Power button and then press Volume Up once to boot into recovery.

 

The instructions below will work for all the Sony Xperia devices. This includes the new XZ series as well as devices from the forgotten Xperia Z series, even older devices such as the Xperia SP.

• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device.
  • Now press and hold the Volume Down button and connect the device to a PC with a USB cable. You probably won’t see anything on the display but generally, a blue LED signifies that the phone is in fastboot mode.
• Flash mode
  • Similar to before, connect the device to a PC while it is powered off whilst also holding down the Volume Up key instead. Flash mode is generally signaled by a green LED.
• Recovery mode
  • Power on the device.
  • While it is turning on, you’ll notice the LED turn on.
  • Quickly press Volume Up or Volume Down button repeatedly two or three times.

Entering the recovery mode is a little tricky if you use custom recoveries. Depending on the recovery and kernel installed on the device, the timing of pressing the buttons can be a little different. The above instruction should work for most Xperia devices running the stock recovery.

 

The button combination mentioned below should work across all new Zenfones such as Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1, Asus Zenfone 5Z, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, etc.

• Recovery Mode
  • Press and hold Volume Down + Power button together while the device is powered off.
  • Let go of the Power button when you see the Asus logo but continue to hold the Volume Down button.
  • Release the Volume key when your device enters recovery mode.
• Fastboot Mode
  • Press and hold Volume Up + Power button together while the device is powered off.

 

This button combination is valid for all Huawei and Honor devices such as Huawei Mate 20 Pro, Huawei Mate 10, Huawei P20, Honor 8, Honor 8 Pro, Honor 9, Honor 10, etc.

• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device.
  • Press and hold Volume Down + Power button. Alternatively, you can also press and hold the Volume Down button while connecting the device to a PC using a USB cable.
• Recovery mode
  • Press and hold Volume Up + Power button while the device is powered off.
  • Release the buttons when you see the Huawei/Honor logo

 

Oppo has been pretty consistent with the button combinations and the following button combinations should apply to pretty much every Oppo device out there. The button combination remains the same for Realme devices.

• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device.
  • Press and hold Volume Up + Power button.
  • Release all buttons when you see fastboot mode.
• Recovery mode
  • Press and hold Volume Down + Power button while the device is powered off.
  • Release the buttons when you see the Oppo/Realme logo.

 

New Vivo phones like Vivo V9 Pro, Vivo Y83 Pro, Y81, etc. can be booted into fastboot or recovery mode using the button combinations below.

• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device.
  • Press and hold Volume Up + Power button.
  • Release all buttons when you see fastboot mode.
• Recovery mode
  • Press and hold Volume Up + Power button while the device is powered off.
  • Release the buttons when you see the fastboot mode.
  • Use the Volume buttons to navigate to the Recovery Mode option and select using the Power buttons.

Some older Vivo smartphones such as Vivo V11, Vivo Y93,  Vivo X23, etc. use a slightly different button combination to enter fastboot mode. The process to access the recovery mode after that remains the same.

• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device.
  • Press and hold Volume Down + Power button.
  • Release all buttons when you see fastboot mode.
• Recovery mode
  • Press and hold Volume Down + Power button while the device is powered off.
  • Release the buttons when you see the fastboot mode.
  • Use the Volume buttons to navigate to the Recovery Mode option and select using the Power buttons.

 

This applies to all OnePlus devices including OnePlus 6T, OnePlus 6, OnePlus 5T, OnePlus 5, OnePlus 3T, and OnePlus 3.

• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device.
  • Press and hold Volume Up + Power button.
  • Release the Power button when you see the OnePlus logo and keep holding the Volume Up button until you see the fastboot mode splash screen.
• Recovery mode
  • Reboot to fastboot mode as shown above.
  • In the fastboot mode, use the Volume keys to navigate to Recovery Mode and use the Power button to select it.
  • Alternatively, with the device powered off, press and hold Volume Down + Power button until you see the OnePlus logo.

 

To boot your Nokia device into fastboot mode, you’ll need to connect it to a charger or a PC using a USB cable while it is powered off.

• • Fastboot mode
    • Power off the device.
    • Connect the device to a charger.
    • Press and hold Volume Down + Power button. Keep the keys pressed until the device vibrates and you see Download mode on the top-left of the screen. A Powered by Android logo should also be visible in the center.

• Recovery mode
  • Turn off the device and connect it to a charger.
  • When you see the battery charging indicator, press and hold the Volume Up + Power buttons.
  • Release the keys when the Android logo appears. On most Nokia devices such as the Nokia 8, Nokia 7, Nokia 5, 5.1, Nokia 6, 6.1, etc. you should already be in recovery mode.
  • On devices such as the Nokia 1, press and hold the Power button again and press the Volume Up button once.

 

The button combinations mentioned below work for all Xiaomi devices from the original Xiaomi Redmi to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, Redmi Note 5, Redmi Note 5 Pro, Redmi Note 6, Redmi Note 6 Pro and devices like the Xiaomi Mi A1, Mi A2, Xiaomi Mi5, Mi6, Mi8, Mi Mix, Mi Mix 2, Mi Mix 3, etc. This also applies to all the Mi Pad versions.

• Fastboot mode
  • Power off the device.
  • Press and hold Volume Down + Power button.
  • Release the buttons when you see the fastboot screen.
• Recovery mode
  • With the device powered off, press and hold Volume Up + Power button.
  • You should now see a screen where you can select a language.
  • Use the Volume keys to select your desired language and press the Power button to confirm. Your device should then be in recovery mode.

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[Authors Note: This guide is really a piece of hard work (*sweating*). I would like to say again that this guide is a work in progress and I will continue to add new devices as they are launched. If you have to report a non-working /malfunctioning key-combo, just comment below and we will gladly have a look.]