Sometimes the new way of doing things has its ups and downs. Some say that something is lost with digital music. Anyone who has had to deal with a skipping record or who has never paid a dime for music might argue that the benefits outweigh what was lost. Perhaps it is still nice sometimes, though, to put on a record and hear uninterrupted music on a tangible disc, free of ads. After a firmware upgrade on your Samsung, you may long for the good old days of when you still knew how to work your phone. Even if you’re savvy with technological changes, updates can bring other unwelcome features, such as slower Wi-Fi, crashing apps, and freezing or lagging performance. Marshmallow has left a bitter taste in the mouth of some, who report issues with battery drain, Wi-Fi, installation, and random reboots. So whether you just didn’t want to be forced into it, or you are unhappy with performance after the update, here’s how you can change your situation. You can always go back to your update anytime.
Method 1: Downgrade with Odin
Have you ever performed a factory reset on a device? If so, you are probably aware that without a backup, you could lose all of your data. Also, if you have a Verizon or AT&T S6 Edge, it very well may not be possible to downgrade due to a locked bootloader. Also, keep in mind that newer updates include enhancements, bug fixes, and other improvements you are risking losing by downgrading. In order to downgrade this device, it is necessary to flash stock firmware. We will provide a link to where you can find the 5.1.1 Lollipop firmware, but you can also use what you want or what is more appropriate for your phone in its place.
1. Download Firmware
Download the stock firmware for your model. If you are not sure which model you have, you can access that information by going to the About Device tab in Settings. This does matter. Do not use firmware intended for the Edge on the Samsung S6 or vice versa.
Collection of Firmware for Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Via XDA
2. Download Odin
Download Odin onto your PC. Odin 3.11.1 is the newest version. Be sure to also include the USB driver for your Galaxy S6 Edge if you haven’t already downloaded it. Download: Odin
3. Extract File
Unzip or extract the stock firmware to obtain the tar.md5 file.
4. Prepare Phone
Now that you have your PC prepped, check to ensure that your phone has adequate charge.Enable Developer Mode by going to Settings, then About Device. Tap Build Number 7 times. Go back to Settings and select Developer Options. Toggle the Developer Options switch to an ONFrom Developer Options, toggle on the USB DebuggingOpen Settings and find Backup & Reset (Remember that backup we recommended earlier? Do it now if you haven’t already), then tap on Factory Data Reset.
5. Enter Download Mode
Enter Download Mode on your S6 Edge. Turn your device off. Now press and hold the Volume Down, Home, and Power buttons simultaneously.
6. Press Volume Up
Don’t be alarmed by the WARNING screen. This is normal and you are exactly where you want to be.
7. Connect your phone
Connect your phone to your PC via USB cable. The official Samsung USB cable is best.
8. Launch Odin
Right-click on Odin and select Run as administrator. You should see a blue box on the left upper side. It will be underneath the section called ID: COM. If this is not visible, double check to ensure you have the correct Samsung USB drivers. It is normal for the box to contain text.
9. Click on “AP” and select the md5 file you unzipped in Step 2.
If you are wondering what options should be checked, Odin has taken care of this for you. You do not want to place anything under the PIT section or tick “Re-Partition.” “Auto Reboot” and “F. Reset Time” are okay.
10. Press Start
Press Start and allow Odin to do its thing. This process may take up to 15 minutes.
11. Confirm Successful Flashing
When the flashing successfully commences, you will see a message saying PASS on a green background. Your Samsung should reboot. It may take longer than usual for your phone to boot; allow it some time. Troubleshooting Tips: If the message displayed says FAIL! instead of PASS, check your USB cable and port for connection problems. See if you get the same result on a different computer. If you get stuck in a bootloop that takes you back to the welcome screen logo, enter Recovery Mode, and then perform a wipe/reset.
Method 2: Downgrade to Lollipop with the Anatolia Custom ROM (For Rooted, Unlocked Phones with Custom Recovery)
This is stock Lollipop minus all of the unnecessary apps. You can still download them on an individual basis if you would like. The main advantages of this ROM are speed and battery life. Always be sure to use files intended for your phone. It is highly recommended that you backup your data before starting this process, as it will wipe your phone. Also, ensure that your Edge has at least 70% charge before you begin.
1. Download Anatolia
Download the Anatolia custom ROM file to your computer. Download: Anatolia Unzip or extract the stock firmware
2. Enable USB Debugging
From Developer Options, toggle on the USB Debugging If you don’t see Developer Options in Settings, enable Developer Mode by going to About Device.Tap Build Number 7 times.Go back to Settings and select Developer Options.Toggle the Developer Options switch to an ON position.
3. Download GApps
You can find the GApps package below. Download it, but don’t unzip the files. Custom ROM firmware usually does not include Google Apps.
4. Connect USB
Plug in your phone’s USB cable and connect your Samsung to your computer. The original works best!
5. Transfer Files
Transfer both the Anatolia and GApps package to your Galaxy’s internal storage. It’s best to separate the files. In other words, don’t keep the file within a file.
6. Disconnect your S6 Edge
Disconnect your S6 Edge from your PC and turn it off. Your phone must be off to perform the next step successfully.
7. Boot into Recovery
Boot your phone into Recovery Mode by pressing and holding the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons. You should see the Samsung logo on the screen.
8. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset
Everything will be lost if you didn’t do your backup. This includes apps, call logs, settings, messages, etc.
9. Choose Wipe Cache
Also select Wipe dalvik cache, if available. Now go back to Recovery Mode.
10. Install Zip
From Recovery Mode, select Install zip. It will ask you to browse the zip file.Locate the Anatolia ROM you downloaded in Step 1, select it, and choose Yes.Wait for the installation to complete. You can also use Odin to flash the file as demonstrated in the previous method.
11. Reboot
Press and hold the Power button, select Restart, then wait while your phone does its thing.
12. Install the Google Apps package
Now boot into recovery mode to install the Google Apps package. It’s the same stuff; different file.Select Install zip to flash the Google Apps Package.
13. Reboot
Select the Reboot option from the main Recovery Menu.If you are stuck in a boot loop, repeats steps 7-12.Do give your phone some time to reboot; it will take longer than normal.
Conclusion
A custom ROM can change your phone’s interface entirely, and is not a minor change. If you are only wanting to return back to Lollipop with no other changes, stick with the first method. Also, keep in mind, that even though change can be hard to deal with initially, new OS versions typically fix system vulnerabilities, so by downgrading you may be making your less secure and it may not function as well. With any new release, there can be issues to work out at first, but then the operating system usually stabilizes. If neither method worked for you because of a locked bootloader, it is possible to unlock it, but it is not easy and that is a process in and of itself. There are definitely some ways this could go wrong, and it is impossible to accomplish when you have a locked bootloader. Which method did you go with? Did you encounter any problems? Send us your thoughts. Featured Image Credit
