Samsung recently released the LTE variant of the Galaxy S3, dubbed the Galaxy S3 LTE, in some countries. The device comes with LTE support, the quad-core Exynos processor (instead of the a dual-core one like in the US), and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box. And very quickly, the device has been rooted, and ClockworkMod recovery has been ported over to it, which will let people install custom ROMs on the Galaxy S3 LTE.

The guide below will help you root your Galaxy S3 LTE as well as install ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery on it, so that you can access system files and use apps that need root access, as well as install any custom ROM that comes out for it.

So let’s take a look at how the Galaxy S3 LTE can be rooted and how CWM recovery can be installed on it.

Compatibility

This guide below is compatible only and only with the Galaxy S3 LTE, model number GT-i9305. It’s not compatible with any other Galaxy S3. Check your device’s model in Settings» About phone.

Warning!

The methods and procedures discussed here are considered risky and you should not attempt anything if you don’t know completely what it is. If any damage occurs to your device, we won’t be held liable.

How to Root and Install ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery on Galaxy S3 LTE

How to Install ClockworkMod Recovery

This part of the guide will install ClockworkMod recovery on the device, which can then be used to root the phone if needed in the next part.

  1. [Optional] Just to be safe, backup all your apps, data and settings.  Backup your Apps and important data — bookmarks, contacts, SMS, APNs (internet settings), etc. This Android backup guide would help you.
  2. It’s important you’ve the proper drivers for the phone installed. If you have installed Kies, you already have the drivers installed. If not, download and install Kies from the link below and install it on your computer.
    Download Kies
  3. Download the CWM package.
    Download Link  |  Filename: I9305_CWM_Recovery.tar.md5
  4. Download Odin, which will be used to flash the firmware on your tablet.
    Download Odin   |  Filename: Odin3.zip
  5. Extract the contents of the Odin3.zip file on your computer to get a folder Odin3 with four files inside it.
  6. Turn off your phone. Then boot into download mode. To do so, hold down the Volume Down, Home and then the Power buttons together until a Warning!! message is displayed on the screen. Here, press Volume Up to enter download mode.
  7. Now, open Odin by clicking on the Odin3 v3.04.exe file which you obtained after extracting Odin3.zip in step 5.
  8. Then, connect the phone to the computer with the USB cable and wait for Windows to finish installing drivers. Odin will say Added!! in the message box on the bottom left if the phone is detected successfully. If not, make sure the drivers are installed (see step 2) and also try using a different USB port – preferably a USB port on the back if using a desktop computer.
  9. In Odin, click on the PDA button, then select the I9305_CWM_Recovery.tar.md5 file that you downloaded in step 3.
  10. Important! Do not touch any other button or make any other changes in Odin except selecting the required file as given in step 9. Make sure the Re-partition option is not selected.
  11. Now, hit the START button to start flashing ClockworkMod recovery on the phone. When the flashing is complete, your phone will automatically reboot — and when you see the Samsung logo, you can safely unplug the cable. Plus, you’ll get a PASS message (with green background) in the left-most box at the very top of Odin.
    • What to do if Odin gets stuck: If ODIN gets stuck and doesn’t seem to be doing anything, or you get a FAIL message (with red background) in ODIN, disconnect the phone from the PC, close ODIN, remove battery, re-insert it, then repeat the procedure from step 6.
  12. CWM recovery should be now installed on your phone. To test recovery, turn off your phone, unplug it if connected and then hold down the Volume Up + Home + Power buttons together till the screen turns on to boot into CWM recovery.

How to Root Galaxy S3 LTE

This part of the procedure will help you root any firmware or ROM if needed. You need to install ClockworkMod recovery for this, so make sure you followed the guide to install it above.

  1. Download the root file.
    Download Link  |  Filename: CWM-SuperSU-v0.96.zip
  2. Copy the CWM-SuperSU-v0.96.zip file to the internal storage on the phone.
  3. Boot into CWM recovery. To do so, turn off your phone, unplug it if connected, and then hold down the Volume Up + Home + Power buttons together till the screen turns on to boot into CWM recovery.
    Use volume keys to scroll up and down between options and power key to select an option in recovery.
  4. Select install zip from sdcard, then select choose zip from sdcard. Scroll to the CWM-SuperSU-v0.96.zip file on the and select it. Confirm installation by selecting Yes on the next screen.
  5. After installation is completed, select go back then select reboot system now to reboot the phone.
  6. Once the phone boots up, it will be rooted and you will be able to use any apps that need root access.

Your Galaxy S3 LTE should now have ClockworkMod recovery installed, which will allow you to install custom ROMs on the phone, and it should also be rooted. Have fun, and do let us know how it works!