How to Boot the Galaxy Note 9 into Download Mode

The Galaxy Note 9 Download Mode is something that most non-Samsung devices don’t have. Instead, they use what is called Fastboot Mode, but they’re almost the same. This is what we use to interface with a piece of software called Odin and it’s something every Samsung owner should know. So this tutorial will walk you through how to boot the Galaxy Note 9 into Download Mode.

Table of Contents:

• What is Download Mode?
• How to Boot the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 into Recovery Mode?
• How to Exit Recovery?

Oddly enough, when we boot into Download Mode on a Samsung device the top of the screen actually calls it Odin Mode. This is because we need to boot the smartphone into this special mode in order for it to interface with a piece of desktop software known as Odin. So depending on what you call it, this detailed guide will show you how to boot the Galaxy Note 9 into Download Mode (or Odin Mode).

What Can We Do in Download Mode?

Download Mode on the Galaxy Note 9 is essentially a more technical version of Recovery Mode. Just like the name entails, Recovery Mode is a special boot mode that people tend to boot into to recover their device. There are actually a lot of other features in the Galaxy Note 9 Recovery Mode menu that you’ll want to check out if you’re curious though.

You’ll want to think of Download Mode as an expert version of Recovery Mode as it allows you to install software onto a Samsung device with a program called Odin.

Most people return their Galaxy Note 9 back to stock Android with Odin while they are in Download Mode but it can also be used for other things. We need it to install a custom recovery (the most popular one is known as TWRP), we need it to manually flash firmware to the smartphone, and we can use it to install software on other partitions as well (bootloader, modem, etc).

So now that you know what Download Mode (aka Odin Mode) is used for, let me show you how to boot into it.

How to Boot into the Galaxy Note 9 Download Mode

1. Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds
2. Tap the Power Off option when the Power Menu appears
3. Tap the Power Off button again to confirm you want to shut down smartphone
4. Make sure you have a USB Type-C cable connected to your PC
5. Then press and hold the Volume Down and Bixby buttons at the same time
6. Hold these two buttons down while you insert the USB Type-C cable
7. Continue holding these two buttons down until you are greeted with the splash screen for Download Mode
8. Press the Volume Up button to bypass the splash screen and enter the Galaxy Note 9 Odin Mode

Explanation

I’m not really sure why Samsung decided to change things up in regards of how to enter Download Mode on their smartphones. Even the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ from earlier this year used a different method. It was similar to how to boot into Recovery Mode except instead of holding down the Volume Up button (in combination with the Bixby and Power buttons), you switched it up and held down the Volume Down button. We’re still holding the Bixby and Volume Down buttons in this guide though.

It’s just interesting that Samsung removed the process of holding down the Power button during the boot cycle to enter Odin Mode on the Note9. It is possible that they did this because people were accidentally booting up into this special boot mode. I know this can happen with certain cases and in certain situations (like in a pocket, a purse, etc.), but then why not change the method for booting up into Recovery Mode? Who knows, maybe Samsung is just more worried about people getting their Galaxy Note 9 into Download Mode than Recovery Mode.

Whatever the reason, we want to begin by bringing up the Power Menu so that we can shut down and turn off the Galaxy Note 9. As this is one of those special boot modes, we need to perform some things while the smartphone is booting up. Once the smartphone has completely shut down, we can then begin the steps needed. However, one of the new actions we need to take here is to plug in a USB Type-C cable into the computer. With that USB Type-C cable in hand, let’s begin.

Go ahead and start holding down the Volume Down and Bixby buttons at the same time. This can be difficult (especially since you’re holding a USB cable in your hand as well), but do what you need in order to get it correct. Then you will want to insert the USB Type-C cable into the Galaxy Note 9 while you are holding down these two buttons. After the cable has been inserted into the smartphone, you will need to continue holding these two buttons down until you see the splash screen (like you see in the image above).

Press the Volume Up button while at this Galaxy Note 9 Download Mode splash screen and you will be taken directly to Odin Mode (which you can see by looking at the text at the top of the screen.

How to Exit Galaxy Note9 Download Mode?

Now, once you are in Download Mode on the Galaxy Note 9 you are going to see a bit warning screen that tells you something is downloading and that you should not turn the phone off. This is a bit of a scare tactic but it’s something that you will want to be aware of. If you have booted the Galaxy Note 9 into Download Mode and have initiated some sort of image flash or install with the Odin program, then that warning is correct and you do not want to exit until it has completed.

However, if you have not even opened a program called Odin and have not started to install or flash with that program then you are safe to exit as instructed at the bottom of the screen. Just like you see in the image above, you can get out of Download Mode on the Galaxy Note 9 by pressing and holding the Volume Down and the Power buttons for 7+ seconds. After holding these two buttons down for about 10 seconds or so then you will see the smartphone reboot.

Assuming you haven’t messed anything up with Odin, or you aren’t holding down any buttons during this boot cycle, then you’ll be taken back to Android and the Samsung Experience OEM ROM (or whatever other ROM you have installed).