Sure, it took a lot of time but T-Mobile finally gave the Galaxy S8 Active users their Android 9 Pie OTA update. However, if you are unable to get the Pie OTA from T-Mobile, you can download the firmware file and install the Pie update yourself. The installation process is quite simple. Given all the rage is about Android 10 now, so much that the S10 and Note 10 devices may get Android 10 anytime now, S8 Active users may feel a bit aggrieved by the delayed rollout of their Pie update.
Download T-Mobile Galaxy S8 Active Android 9 Pie firmware
- T-Mobile S8 Active Android Pie firmware (version G892USQU5CSG7)
- Filename: G892USQU5CSG7_G892UOYN5CSG7_TMB.zip
- Size: 3.67GB
Click the link above to download the Android Pie firmware for the T-Mobile S8 Active.
Related: What is Android 10 update
How to install Android 9 Pie update manually on T-Mobile Galaxy S8 Active
To install the Android Pie update manually on your T-Mobile Galaxy S8 Active, follow the guide below.
Disclaimer
Installing an official firmware through Odin doesn’t void your device’s warranty, but it remains an unofficial process and thus you need to be cautious of it. In any case, you only are responsible for your device. We won’t be liable if any damage occurs to your device and/or its components.
Backup, backup, backup!
Make sure you back up important files stored on your device before proceeding with the steps below so that in case something goes wrong you’ll have a backup of all your important files. Sometimes, firmware installation may delete everything on your device!
Step-by-step Guide
Step 1. Make sure you have downloaded the firmware on your PC. Search our site for it if you don’t have it already.
Step 2. Install Samsung USB driver (method 1 on the linked page) first of all. Double-click the .exe file of drivers to begin the installation. (Not required if you have already done this.)
Step 3. Also, download Odin PC software (latest version).
Step 4. Extract the firmware file now. You can use free software like 7-zip for this. Install 7-zip, then right click on firmware file and under 7-zip, select ‘Extract here’. You should get files in .tar.md5 format now. (You may a bunch of files, and you will find text like AP, BL, CP or CSC etc. written at the beginning of those files.) We will be loading this file into Odin, to be installed on the device.
Step 5. Extract the Odin file. You should get the Odin exe file (other files could be hidden, hence not visible).
Step 6. Disconnect your Galaxy device from PC if it is connected.
Step 7. Boot your device into download mode:
- Power off your device. Wait for 6-7 seconds after the screen goes off.
- Press and hold the three buttons Volume down + Bixby + Power buttons together until you see the Warning screen.
- If your device has a home button, use Volume down + Home + Power buttons combo.
- If your device doesn’t have a home or Bixby button, then use Volume down + Volume up + Power buttons combo.
- Press Volume Up to continue to download mode.
Step 8. Double click on Odin .exe file (from step 5) to open the Odin window as shown below. Be careful with Odin, and do just as said to prevent problems.
Step 9. Connect your device now using the USB cable. Odin should recognize your device. It’s a must. When it recognizes, you will see Added!! message appearing in the Log box in the bottom left, and the first box under ID:COM will also show a no. and turn its background blue. Look at the pic below.
- You cannot proceed until you get the Added!! message, which confirms that Odin has recognized your device.
- If you don’t get Added!! message, you need to install/re-install drivers again and use the original cable that came with the device. Mostly, drivers are the problem (look at step 2 above).
- You can try different USB ports on your PC too.
Step 10. Load the firmware files into Odin. Click the AP button on Odin and then select the .tar.md5 file from above. See the screenshot below to find how the Odin window will look like after you have loaded the files.
- Click on BL tab, and select the file beginning with BL text.
- Click on AP tab, and select the file beginning with AP text.
- Click on CP tab, and select the file beginning with CP text.
- [Different!] Click on CSC tab, and select the file beginning with HOME_CSC text. If HOME_CSC file isn’t available, then select the file beginning with CSC text.
About CSC file: Using the HOME_CSC file won’t reset your device, and data on the phone shouldn’t be deleted. However, when we select a regular CSC file, and it results in CSC on the device being different than that in the CSC file, your phone will be formatted automatically. You can even choose to ignore loading the CSC file, that may do alright too. But if it doesn’t work out, repeat the whole process and select CSC file this time around.
- Info: When you load files, Odin checks the md5 sum of firmware file, which takes time. So, simply wait until that’s done and the firmware file is loaded. Don’t worry if Odin gets unresponsive for a while, it’s normal. Binary size will also show up in Odin.
One firmware file? If you got only one firmware file after extracting the zip, it’s okay too. It would begin with AP, and has to be loaded to the AP tab in Odin. Ignore other tabs in Odin. That’s it.
Step 11. Click on Options tab, and make sure Re-partition checkbox is NOT selected. Don’t use PIT tab, ever.
Go back to the Log tab now, as it will show the progress of the firmware installation when you hit the start button in the next step.
Step 12. Verify that everything is okay as mentioned above. When satisfied, click the Start button on Odin now to start flashing the firmware on your device.
Wait till the installation is finished, after which your device will reboot automatically. You’ll get PASS message as shown below upon successful installation from Odin.
Some errors you may run into, and with respective solution.
- If Odin gets stuck at setup connection, then you need to do this all again. Disconnect your device, close Odin, boot device into download mode again, open Odin, and then select the file and flash it again as said above.
- If you get FAIL in the top left box, then also you need to flash the file again as stated just above.
Done! Your T-Mobile S8 will be now rocking the Android 9 Pie update.
FYI, the Galaxy S8 is not eligible for the Android 10 update that comes with a lot of new cool features. The S9, S10, Note 9 and Note 10 will be flagship devices to get the Android 10 update in the form of One UI 2.0 update, as even the Galaxy Note 8 will lose out.
Find the full list of Samsung device to get Android 10 update here.
Need help? Sure, let us know via comments below.
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