The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is quite a piece of work. When we tackled it in our full review of the Galaxy Note N8013, we saw for ourselves the device's strengths. Having the S Pen that we enjoyed from the original Galaxy Note gives us the power to create concept sketches on the go and to take notes during meetings or class, the Multi-screen feature that lets us multi-task, and the front-facing speakers that made media viewing a dream, we definitely couldn't stop thinking about this device.

Though the stock Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich is pretty smooth, users might want to make their experience with the Galaxy Note 10.1 even smoother. That's where custom ROMs come in, and if you're an Android veteran, this custom ROM will definitely be familiar to you.

CyanogenMod 10 (CM10) is based on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean and is definitely one of the most popular and most stable custom ROMs available in the Android developer communities. We can now enjoy the official CyanogenMod 10 on our Galaxy Note 10.1.

This guide provides the steps for flashing official CyanogenMod 10 nightly for the Galaxy Note 10.1.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Wi-Fi only and 3G variants, model number GT-N8013 and GT-N8000, respectively. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 GT-N8000 or GT-N8013 with ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery
  • Note: Some users have reported having troubles using certain CWM derivatives.  If you're experiencing issues with your CWM version, follow the steps below for installing CWM.
• Download the following files to your computer:
  • ClockworkMod Recovery (CWM_fromsource_08282012.tar, 5.72 MB)
  • latest CyanogenMod 10 nightly build for your variant of the Galaxy Note 10.1:
    • CM10 nightly for GT-N8000
    • CM10 nightly for GT-N8013
  • Google Apps (gapps-jb-20120726-signed.zip, md4sum: f62cfe4a827202899919fd932d5246d7)
  • Odin3 v3.07 (Odin3_v3.07.rar)
• A Windows PC, with RAR extraction software (e.g., WinRAR, 7-Zip, etc.) installed
• Handset USB drivers installed on the PC. You may install the drivers by installing Samsung Kies.
• Enable USB debugging on your handset.
• Disable antivirus, firewall, and other security software. Also disable Samsung Kies and other software that accesses your tablet. Such software can interfere with the procedure in this guide.
• Backup all personal data on your tablet to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

Installing ClockworkMod Recovery for the Galaxy Note 10.1

1. Extract Odin3_v3.07.rar into a folder on your PC.
2. Disconnect your Galaxy Note 10.1 from your computer, if it is connected.
3. Turn off your Galaxy Note 10.1.
4. Double-click on Odin3 v3.07.exe to launch it on your computer.
5. In Odin, click on the PDA button and select the CWM_fromsource_08282012.tar file.
6. Boot your Galaxy Note 10.1 into Download Mode by holding down the Power and Volume Down keys.  When the Samsung logo flashes the second time, release the Power button. You will see a warning screen. Press Volume Up to continue into Download Mode.
7. Connect your Galaxy Note 10.1 to your computer.  Odin should be able to to detect your tablet and display “Added!” in its message box.
8. Make sure that the Re-Partition option on Odin is not checked.
9. Click on START to begin flashing ClockworkMod Recovery to your Galaxy Note 10.1
10. When flashing is done, you should see a PASS message in the upper right corner of the Odin window. Your Galaxy Note 10.1 will also reboot.
11. You can disconnect the Galaxy Note 10.1 when you see the Samsung logo on the screen.

Installing CyanogenMod 10 for the Galaxy Note 10.1

1. Copy the CyanogenMod 10 and Google Apps packages to your Galaxy Note 10.1′s internal SD card.
2. Turn off your Galaxy Note 10.1.
3. Boot into ClockworkMod Recovery by holding down both the Power and Volume Up buttons for a few seconds.  When the Samsung logo flashes the second time, release the Power button but keep holding down Volume Up until the ClockworkMod Recovery menu appears.
4. Make a NANDroid backup by selecting Backup and Restore and select Backup.
5. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset. Confirm the action on the next screen.
6. Select Wipe Cache. Confirm the action on the next screen.
7. Select Advanced > Wipe Dalvik Cache. Confirm the action on the next screen.
8. Select Install ZIP from SD card > Choose ZIP from SD card and select the CyanogenMod 10 file to flash it.
9. Once CyanogenMod 10 has been flashed to your Galaxy Note 10.1, select Go Back.
10. Repeat step 8 to flash Google Apps.
11. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset. Confirm the action on the next screen.
12. Select Reboot System Now.

Congratulations! You now have CyanogenMod 10 and Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean running on your Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. In the comments section below, tell us what CyanogenMod 10 is like on your tablet.