Unlocking the phone's bootloader may give you some benefits. For the price of voiding your warranty and the risk of bricking your phone, you can customize and tweak your phone. Unlocking your Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH-I535 will allow you to flash custom kernels, custom recoveries, and even flashing Android 4.1 Jelly Bean via custom ROMs.
Unlocking the bootloader may sometime require you to flash files via Odin or work at a command prompt, which newbie Android users are afraid of trying. XDA Developers member Dingus tries to solve this problem by creating the app VZW GS3 EZ-Unlock (Bootloader) for the phone. This app will allow you to easily unlock your phone's bootloader. No need to flash files via Odin or type in confusing codes in the command prompt. All you need to do is to launch the app and let it do the rest.
This step-by-step guide shows you how to unlock the bootloader on the Galaxy S3 I535 via an Android app.
Warning
- The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3, model number SCH-I535. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
- Once you have unlocked your phone's bootloader using this app, you must not receive any over-the-air (OTA) updates or via Samsung Kies. Doing so will result in bricking your phone. You will have to manually flash updates via Odin or ClockworkMod Recovery. You may also try relocking your bootloader via the app before applying OTA updates.
- 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
- Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH-I535 with root access. For additional help, you may check the following guides:
- Download the VZW GS3 EZ-Unlock (Bootloader) app from the Google Play Store.
- NOTE: In case this app is removed from the Google Play Store or doesn't install on your phone, you can download EZ-Unlock-11.apk (1.97 MB) and install it on your phone. Make sure to enable Unknown Sources from Settings > Security. You will also need a file manager app such as ES File Explorer File Manager installed on your phone.
- Backup all personal data on your phone 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.
Instructions
- Download and install the VZW GS3 EZ-Unlock (Bootloader) app on your mobile phone.
- If you have downloaded the APK file, open the file manager app, locate the APK file, and tap it to install it on your mobile phone. Make sure to enable Unknown Sources to install the APK file.
- Launch the VZW GS3 EZ-Unlock (Bootloader) app.
- When prompted, tap the Grant/Allow button to allow root access.
- Tap the Unlock button on the app to begin unlocking your phone's bootloader.
- After the unlocking process is complete, your phone's bootloader will be unlocked and you can close the app.
- NOTE: Once you have unlocked your phone's bootloader, you must not receive any over-the-air (OTA) or via Samsung Kies updates on your mobile phone. Doing so will result in bricking your phone. You will have to manually flash updates via Odin or ClockworkMod Recovery. You may also try relocking your bootloader via the app before applying OTA updates.
Congratulations! You have successfully unlocked the bootloader of your Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH-I535.
(banner photo courtesy of .Bala/Flickr)
