Upgrade Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini is one of those devices that is already considered by its manufacturer as outdated. Also, the hardware of the Galaxy S3 Mini, according to Samsung, can no longer run a higher version of the operating system, and therefore it will forever be stuck with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. But thanks to awesome developers, owners of the Galaxy S3 Mini can still upgrade to the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with the help of custom ROMs.

Particularly, this article will teach you how to upgrade your Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini to Android 5.0.2 Lollipop using Omni ROM. This custom ROM is an alternative for those who do not want to use CyanogenMod. Thankfully, the version of this ROM is pretty much stable and has limited issues. For those who are willing to experiment, here are some of the functionalities that are stable in Omni ROM:

Voice calls
SMS
Email
Audio
Camera
Bluetooth
GPS
Torch LED
LED button backlights
Gallery
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
WiFi hotspot
Mobile data (2G, 3G, HSDPA)
Battery saver
Support for CPU deep sleep

Meanwhile, the functionalities that are currently experiencing some issues are the video, mic, and offline charging.

This article will teach you how to upgrade your Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini GT-I8190/N/L. Here are some notes and things that you need to keep in mind and/or accomplish before starting the installation process:

This step by step guide will only work for the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini. If you are not sure about your device model, you may check it by going to your Settings menu and clicking ‘About Device’. Using this guide for another device model may cause bricking, so if you are not a Galaxy S3 Mini user, do not proceed.
Your remaining battery percentage should not be less than 60 percent. This will prevent you from having power issues while the flashing is ongoing, and therefore will prevent soft bricking of your device.
Backup all of your data and files to avoid losing them, including your contacts, messages, call logs, and media files. If your device is already rooted, you may use Titanium Backup. If you have custom recovery, use Nandroid Backup.
Also backup your mobile’s EFS
Download the zip file for Omni ROM
Download the zip file for Google Apps for Android Lollipop

Note: The methods needed to flash custom recoveries, ROMs, and to root your phone can result in bricking your device. Rooting your device will also void the warranty and it will no longer be eligible for free device services from manufacturers or warranty providers. Be responsible and keep these in mind before you decide to proceed on your own responsibility. In case a mishap occurs, we or the device manufacturers should never be held responsible.

Step by step guide to install Android 5.0.2 Lollipop on your Galaxy S3 Mini:

Using your phone’s OEM data cable, connect your Galaxy S3 Mini to your computer or laptop
Copy the zip files for Omni ROM and Google Apps to your phone’s storage
Remove your phone’s connection from your computer or laptop
Open TWRP Recovery by long pressing the power, home, and volume up buttons until the Recovery mode appears
Wipe cache, factory data reset and dalvik cache (found in Advanced Options)
Click Install to begin
Press ‘choose zip from SD card’ then look for the zip file for Omni ROM. This will begin the flashing of the ROM
After flashing, return to the main menu
Press Install then click ‘choose zip from SD card’ and look for the Google Apps zip file. This will begin flashing Google Apps
Restart your Galaxy S3 Mini

Congratulations! You now have Android 5.0 installed on your Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini! Note that the first boot of your device can last as much as 10 minutes, so just be patient. If you are starting to worry that the booting process is longer than expected, open TWRP Recovery again and wipe dalvik cache and cache before restarting your phone again.

If you have additional questions or clarifications, just share it through the comments section below.

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