If you already have Magisk installed, it is **strongly recommended** to upgrade directly via the Magisk app using its "Direct Install" method. The following tutorial is only for the initial installation.
The result of **Ramdisk** determines whether your device has ramdisk in the boot partition. If your device does not have boot ramdisk, read the [Magisk in Recovery](#magisk-in-recovery) section before continuing.
> _(Unfortunately, there are exceptions as some devices' bootloader accepts ramdisk even if it shouldn't. In this case, you will have to follow the instructions as if your device's boot partition **does** include ramdisk. There is no way to detect this, so the only way to know for sure is to actually try. Fortunately, as far as we know, only some Xiaomi devices are known to have this property, so most people can simply ignore this piece of information.)_
- Reboot and launch Magisk app (you will see a stub Magisk app if you have wiped your data; use it to bootstrap to a complete Magisk app), and you will see a prompt asking for environment fix; click and wait for the reboot
> Warning: **NEVER** flash patched image shared by others or patch image on another device even if they have the same device model! You may need to do a full data wipe to recover your device. **ALWAYS** patch boot image **on the same device where you want to install Magisk**.
The easiest way to uninstall Magisk is directly through the Magisk app. If you insist on using custom recoveries, rename the Magisk APK to `uninstall.zip` and flash it like any other ordinary flashable zip.
In the case when your device does not have ramdisk in boot images, Magisk has no choice but to hijack the recovery partition. For these devices, you will have to **reboot to recovery** every time you want Magisk enabled.
When Magisk hijacks the recovery, there is a special mechanism to allow you to _actually_ boot into recovery mode. Each device model has its own key combo to boot into recovery, as an example for Galaxy S10 it is (Power + Bixby + Volume Up). A quick search online should easily get you this info. As soon as you press the key combo and the device vibrates with a splash screen, release all buttons to boot into Magisk. If you decide to boot into the actual recovery mode, **long press volume up until you see the recovery screen**.
- Installing Magisk **WILL** trip your Knox Warranty Bit, this action is not reversible in any way.
- Installing Magisk for the first time **REQUIRES** a full data wipe (this is **NOT** counting the data wipe when unlocking bootloader). Please make a backup your data.
To verify whether or not Magisk can be installed in your Samsung device, you first must check the OEM Lock and KnoxGuard (RMM) status, to do so boot your device in Download mode with its key combo.
To unlock your bootloader, follow the instructions below. If no OEM Lock value is shown in Download mode, your device is probably not unlockable due to market limitations (USA/Canada devices).
Possible KnoxGuard values are the following:
-`Active`, `Locked`: your device has been remotely locked by your telecom operator or your insurance company.
- Go through the initial setup. Skip through all the steps since data will be wiped again in later steps. **Connect the device to Internet during the setup.**
- Enable developer options, and **confirm that the OEM unlocking option exists and is grayed out.** This means KnoxGuard hasn't locked your device.
- Your bootloader now accepts unofficial images in download mode
**DO NOT USE MTP** as it is known to corrupt large files.
- Reboot to download mode. Open Odin on your PC, and flash `magisk_patched.tar` as `AP`, together with `BL`, `CP`, and `CSC` (**NOT** `HOME_CSC` because we want to **wipe data**) from the original firmware.
Once you have rooted your Samsung device, you can no longer upgrade your Android OS through OTA. To upgrade your device's OS, you have to manually download the new firmware zip file and go through the same `AP` patching process written in the previous section. **The only difference here is in the Odin flashing step: do NOT use the `CSC` tar, but instead use the `HOME_CSC` tar as we are performing an upgrade, not the initial install**.
- **Never, ever** try to restore either `boot`, `init_boot`, `recovery`, or `vbmeta` partitions back to stock! You can brick your device by doing so, and the only way to recover from this is to do a full Odin restore with data wipe.
- To upgrade your device with a new firmware, **NEVER** directly use the stock `AP` tar file with reasons mentioned above. **Always** patch `AP` in the Magisk app and use that instead.
Installing using custom recoveries is only possible if your device has boot ramdisk. Installing Magisk through custom recoveries on modern devices is no longer recommended. If you face any issues, please use the [Patch Image](#patching-images) method.
- Rename the `.apk` file extension to `.zip`, for example: `Magisk-v24.0.apk` → `Magisk-v24.0.zip`. If you have trouble renaming the file extension (like on Windows), use a file manager on Android or the one included in the custom recovery to rename the file.
- Launch the Magisk app; it will show a dialog asking for reinstallation. Do the reinstallation **directly within the app** and reboot (if you are using MTK devices that lock the boot partition after boot, please [patch the boot image](#patching-images) and flash it by custom recovery or fastboot).
