What is Android EDL Mode and How to Boot to Download Mode

What is Download Mode?

Download Mode which is known as Emergency Download Mode or EDL mode for short, is a top-level entry mode throughwhich Android devices are accessible even when the device is totally inoperable, defective, bootlooping or otherwise; in a completely dead state. For Qualcomm-based Android devices, HS-USB QDLoader 9008 interface is the EDL mode which is an equivalent of BROM mode in MTK or UniSoc android devices.

Through the EDL mode, developers can gain access to any android devices to perform various development and servicing purposes including fixing the device's software issues, backup device data or entire firmware, write or flash IMEI on the device, load or reload the device's OS among others.

So, be it hardbrick or softbrick, if you are able to access the Android device in download mode, you can always repair and recover the device.

In order to unbrick Android devices whether it be Mediatek, Qualcomm, UniSoc Android devices or otherwise; in most cases, you must be able to boot the device to download mode and then, access the device from there.

Meanwhile, with Android devices softbrick issues, booting the device to Emergency Download Mode which is also being referred to as EDL Mode may not be necessary.

In this tutorial, we discuss how to boot any MTK, Qualcomm, UniSoc Android devices among others to download mode. But before we get to that, there are other mode and terms that are often confused with download mode. And I think it is a good idea to talk about them too.

1. What is Recovery Mode?
2. What is Fastboot Mode?
3. What is Android ROM?
4. What is Hardbrick?
5. What is Softbrick?
6. How to Boot Android Devices to Download mode?
   • To Boot Google Pixels to Download Mode
   • To Boot Motorola Android to Download Mode
   • To Boot Samsung Android to Download Mode or ODIN Mode
   • To Boot Vivo Android to Download Mode
   • To Boot Tecno Android to Download Mode
   • To Boot Infinix Android to Download Mode
   • To Boot Nokia Android to Download Mode or Fastboot Mode
   • To Boot Xiaomi Android to Download Mode
7. How to Boot All Android Device to Download Mode, Recovery Mode and Bootloader Mode
   • To Boot Android Device to Download Mode
   • To Boot Android Device to Recovery Mode
8. What Can You Do in Download Mode?

What is Recovery Mode?

In Android, recovery mode is the partition from which maintenance of the entire Android OS are done. From the recovery mode, you can take a backup of the entire Android system, upgrade and downgrade the OS, wipe cache and flash custom tweaks. For advanced users who have custom recovery installed, it is also possible to gain root access for the Android OS from the recovery mode and also perform selective backups.

You can learn more about the Android recovery mode from here.

What is Fastboot Mode?

Fastboot, in Android, is the first-level partition; a partition through which you can flash data directly to your Android device's memory.

In more practical use cases, through Fastboot mode, you can flash images such as recoveries, bootloaders, and kernels to your Android device. Additionally, you can also restore nandroid backups, change your splash screen, and flash system updates through the same partition.

In recent Android devices, most OEMs now see and treat fastboot mode more or less the same as download mode with the exception of maybe, HTC.

Learn more about Android Fastboot mode here.

What is Android ROM?

In Android, ROM refers to the compressed package that contains all the files, programs including radio and recovery image files, apps and the entire files necessary to run a complete Android OS on any hardware that has read-only memory storage that is capable of running the OS.

Android ROM are usually made available in two (2) flavours namely; Stock ROM and Custom ROM and any of or both can be flashed on any device for which the ROM is made.

Android ROM Wiki - this links to all articles that discusses Android ROM on aryktech.

What is Hardbrick?

For Android devices, a hardbrick is an extreme phase of a softbrick. When an Android is hard-bricked, the phone has become totally inoperable and nearly completely inaccessible; making it close to impossible to revive and fix any Android phone in a hard-bricked state except specific unbrick tools and files that are uniquely made for that particular phone variant are used.

For Motorola devices, Motorola blankflash files are the ultimate unbrick files required to revive any Motorola models.

Hardbrick is an issue that usually occurs as a result of a fatal software error or malfunction in Android system. It could result from wrongly flashed system images such as radio.img, recovery.img or even the boot.img.

Hardbrick Wiki - this link links to all articles that discuss Hardbrick issues on aryktech. You can check the link to learn more on and find solutions for various hard-bricked Android devices.

What is Softbrick?

Softbrick is another form of software issues or malfunctions in Android. Unlike the Hardbrick, Softbrick renders your Android device partially useless. In other words, Softbrick can hinder proper functioning of your Android device but cannot render your Android device completely unusable.

Now, to Download Mode. Let's discuss how to boot various Android devices from various brands to Download Mode.

How to Boot Android Devices to Download Mode?

1. To Boot Google Pixels to Download Mode

   • Turn off the phone.
   • Once the phone is completely off, press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously.
   • Hold these buttons still until the fastboot screen appears.
   • And that's it. In Google Pixels, fastboot mode is same as the download mode.

   And from there, you can navigate the options on the screen using the volume buttons and choose your desired options using the power button.

2. To Boot Motorola Android to Download Mode

   • Turn off the phone by any means e.g by long pressing the power button and select power off.
   • Now, wait about five (5) seconds to ensure the phone is completely turned off.
   • Next, press and hold both the Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously.
   • Connect the device to a PC using its compatible USB cable. For some motoral devices, this step is optional.
   • Keep holding both buttons until Motorola download mode screen appears.
   • And there you are. Your Motorola device is now in download mode.

   From the download mode screen, you can only use volume down, volume up and power buttons to navigate the options on the the screen. E.g use volume buttons to navigate up and down and the power button to select an option.

3. To Boot Samsung Android to Download Mode or ODIN Mode

   For Samsung Android devices, the pattern to boot to download mode is dependent on how old or recent the device is but all the patterns to boot Samsung Android to ODIN mode are discussed below. NOTE: ODIN mode is the same as Download Mode for Samsung devices.

   To Boot Older Samsung Android to Download Mode

   • Turn of the device.
   • Ensure the device is completely turned off by waiting a few seconds.
   • Now, press Power + Volume Down + Home buttons simultaneously.
   • Keep pressing the buttons until the warning screen appears.
   • Confirm the warning to enter into download mode.
   • And that is it. Your Samsung device is now in download mode.

   To Boot Later Samsung Android to Download Mode

   • Power off the device.
   • Be sure the device has been completely turned off then, proceed to the next step below.
   • Now, press and hold the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons simultaneously.
   • Then, connect the device to the PC using a compatible USB cable.
   • After a few seconds, a warning screen should appear.
   • Confirm the warning to enter into download mode.

   To Boot Recent Samsung Android to Download Mode - Galaxy S21 up

   • Power off the device.
   • Once you are sure the device is completely turned off, proceed to the next step below.
   • Press and hold the Power and Volume Down keys simultaneously.
   • After about three (3) seconds, release the Volume Down key and press Volume Up key.
   • After a few seconds, a warning screen should appear.
   • Confirm the warning to enter into download mode.

   Whilest in downoad mode, use volume buttons to navigate up and down and the power button to select an option.

4. To Boot Vivo Android to Download Mode

   • Power off the device by either pressing and holding the power button (Android OS < 14) or pull down the shortcut center and tap on Power icon.
   • Wait a few seconds for the phone to completely power off.
   • Now, press and hold both Power and Volume Up buttons simultaneously.
   • Keep pressing both buttons until fastboot screen appears.
   • And that is it. You are in download mode. Fastboot mode is download mode in Vivo android devices.

   NOTE: use Power + Volume Down buttons in older Vivo android devices.

   Similarly, use Volumes and Power buttons to navigate in the download mode.<

5. To Boot Tecno Android to Download Mode

   • Turn off the device by any means known to you.
   • Ensure the device is completely powered off.
   • Now, press and hold both Power and Volume Up buttons simultaneously.
   • Keep pressing both buttons until fastboot screen appears.
   • And that is it. You are in download mode.

   Navigate in the download mode using Volumes and Power keys.<

6. To Boot Infinix Android to Download Mode

   • First, power off your Infinix Android device by any means you know of.
   • Wait about five (5) seconds to ensure the device is completely turned off.
   • Now, simultaneously, press and hold both Power and Volume Up keys.
   • Keep pressing both buttons until download mode screen appears.
   • And that is it. Your Infinix Android device is now in download mode.

   Navigate in the download mode using Volumes and Power buttons.<

7. To Boot Nokia Android to Download Mode or Fastboot Mode

   For Nokia Android devices, the pattern to boot to download mode or fastboot mode is dependent on how old or recent the device is. For example, the method for booting Nokia X.2/X.3 and newer devices to download mode is different from how to boot older Nokia Android devices to download mode. Regardless, here is how to boot all Nokia Android devices to download mode;

   To Boot Nokia X.2/X.3 and Newer Devices to Download Mode

   • Power off your Nokia Android device.
   • Wait while the device completely turns off.
   • Connect a compatible USB cable to the device and connect it to the PC.
   • Wait until the phone starts charging.
   • Then, Press and hold Volume Down and Power keys at the same time.
   • DO NOT release the keys until the Nokia phone vibrates. Now, you should see Download Mode written on the top-left corner of the screen. Or, the actual Nokia fastboot menu options display in full.
   • Your Nokia Android device is now in download mode.

   To Boot Older Nokia Android to Download Mode

   • Power off the device.
   • Wait a few seconds to ensure that the device is completely turned off.
   • Now, connect a USB cable to the device and wait until the device starts charging.
   • Press and hold Volume Up + Power buttons together.
   • Once the phone vibrates, release ONLY the Power key immediately while you keep the Volume Up button pressed.
   • After a few seconds, the download mode screen should appear.
   • Your Nokia Android device is now in download mode.

   In downoad mode, use volume buttons to navigate up and down and the power button to select an option.

8. To Boot Xiaomi Android to Download Mode

   • Power off the device.
   • Wait a few seconds to be sure the device is completely turned off.
   • Using a compatible USB cable, connect the device to the PC and wait for the device to start charging.
   • Press and hold the Volume Up and Power keys simultaneously.
   • When Mi logo appears, immediately release the Volume Up key.
   • And keep the Power key pressed until bootloader screen appears.
   • From the bootloader screen, select "Download".
   • And your Xiaomi device would reboot to download mode.
   • And that is it. You have just booted your Xiaomi Android device to download mode.

You can download ADB and fastboot drivers for MTK Android drivers from the link here: download ADB and fastboot drivers

For every Android device, there are minimum of two methods to get them into download mode mostly, using varying key combinations. But, since it is nearly impossible to list all the key combinations for booting every available Android devices to download mode, let us discuss one method that can boot all Android devices to download mode, recovery mode and bootloader or fastboot mode.

NOTE:

To utilize this method, the Android device must be fully accessible and functional.

How to Boot All Android Device to Download Mode, Recovery Mode and Bootloader Mode

1. Power on the device. If the device is already powered on, skip to the next step.
2. Enable developer options by going to Settings > About Phone > Software Information > Build Number and then, repeatedly tap on the build number seven times. At the seventh time, you should see a message; "you are now a developer" and that is it. SKIP THIS STEP if developer options was already enabled.
3. Enable USB Debugging. Now, go to Settings > System Management > Developer Options. Once here, scroll to USB Debugging and toggle it On.
4. Download and install ADB Drivers on your PC. You can download ADB Drivers from here.
5. Download and setup minimalADB and fastboot tools on your PC. You can download minimalADB and fastboot tools here.

6. Now,

   To Boot Android Device to Download Mode

   • While the device is powered on, connect the device to the PC.
   • Wait while the PC installs the ADB drivers you supposedly have installed on the PC. If you have not installed drivers yet, unplug the device and install the drivers.
   • Now, go to the minimalADB and fastboot tools folder, open the folder and then, open Windows CMD also known as Powershell in that folder.
   • Once Powershell opens, in Powershell window, type;

     adb devices

     and press the enter key.
   • By issuing the command above, Powershell should return your Android device's serial number id along with its name.
   • Now, in Powershell window type;

     adb reboot bootloader

     and press the enter key.
   • Your Android device should now turn off and reboot into bootloader mode.
   • To exit the bootloader mode after you are done, you can either reboot using the key combinations or, in Powershell window type;

     fastboot reboot

     and press the enter key.
   • Your Android device should immediately reboot back to Android.

   NOTE:

   Bootloader mode is the same as fastboot mode or download mode.

7. But,

   To Boot Android Device to Recovery Mode

   • While the device is powered on, connect the device to the PC.
   • Wait while the PC installs the ADB drivers you supposedly have installed on the PC.
   • Now, go to the minimalADB and fastboot tools folder, open the folder and then, open Windows CMD also known as Powershell in that folder.
   • Once Powershell opens, in Powershell window, type;

     adb devices

     and press the enter key.
   • Powershell should return your Android device's serial number id along with its name.
   • Now, in Powershell window type;

     adb reboot recovery

     and press the enter key.
   • Your Android device should now turn off and reboot into Android recovery mode.
   • To exit the recovery mode after you are done, you can either reboot using the key combinations or, in Powershell window type;

     adb reboot

     and press the enter key.
   • Your Android device should immediately reboot back to Android.

What Can You Do in Download Mode?

1. You can flash a full Android ROM onto an Android device while in download mode.
2. Through download mode, you can load an OTA update on most Android devices.
3. You can flash and load several partitions including recovery, boot, RIL or radio to name a few; on the device.
4. You can also flash several mods that can allow you customize the device to the extent you desire.

Well, there are nearly endless purposes Android EDL mode (Emergency Download Mode) could serve. What you can do with it is usually determined by how much you know about the Android system and what use you have for it.

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