How to Return to Stock Android on the Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge

If for any reason you want to go back to the stock firmware on the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge then you can follow these steps to return to stock.

There can be any number of reasons why someone would want to revert back to the stock Samsung Galaxy S7 firmware. Some will choose to return to stock because they have rooted and want to accept a new OTA update on their device. Others can feel that their Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge isn’t working properly (from overheating, slow performance, force closes or even random errors), and returning back to stock Android (even if you haven’t made any modifications) can help to resolve those issues.

Returning back to stock is also a smart thing to do if you plan on selling the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge. You don’t want to ship a phone to someone and have all of your information on there.

So returning to stock will wipe the phone clean and it will be as if you had just pulled the phone out of the box. Whatever the reason may be, it’s a good idea to know how to return the Galaxy S7 to Samsung’s stock firmware because you never know if you’ll ever need to do it.

The process is quite simple with Samsung’s own Smart Switch software so just follow the steps below.

Galaxy S7 Return to Stock

1. Download and Install the Samsung Smart Switch Software
2. Launch Samsung Smart Switch
3. Connect the Galaxy S7 to the PC
4. Unlock the Galaxy S7
5. Swipe Down from the Top of the Screen
6. Tap on the ‘Connected for Charging’ Option
7. Tap the ‘Transfer Files’ Option
8. Click the ‘More’ Button at the Top Right of the Samsung Smart Switch Window
9. Click on the ‘Emergency Software Recovery and Initialization’ Option
10. Click the ‘Device Initialization’ Tab
11. Click on the ‘OK’ Button to Confirm(you’ll need to do this multiple times)
12. Choose to Create or Skip the Backup Process (whichever you choose)
13. Wait for Samsung Smart Switch to Download the Stock Firmware
14. The Galaxy S7 will Reboot to a Downloading Screen
15. Wait for Smart Switch to Upload the Stock Firmware
16. The Galaxy S7 will Reboot to a Blue Installing Screen
17. Disconnect and Reconnect the Micro USB Cable
18. Click the ‘OK’ Button
19. Wait for the Galaxy S7 to Install the Stock Firmware
20. The Galaxy S7 will Reboot Again
21. Setup the Galaxy S7 as if You Pulled it Out of the Box

Explanation

To return back to stock Android on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, we’re going to need to download the Samsung Smart Switch program to the desktop. This software is available on both PC as well as the Mac and you can download it directly on the Samsung website. I included a link to the download page in the guide above so all you will have to do is download it, install it and then launch it. Samsung Smart Switch is the successor of Samsung Kies (in a way), and it can do a lot of the things Kies can do. It won’t completely replace Kies, but it’s very useful and easy to learn.

Once the program is launched, go ahead and connect the Galaxy S7 to the PC with a micro USB cable. You’ll then need to change the USB mode as instructed in the guide to the File Transfer option so that Samsung Smart Switch can recognize and upload the new firmware to the device. Once the USB mode has been changed, turn your attention back to Smart Switch and then click on the More button at the top right of the window. This will drop down a menu of a few different options but we simply need to tap on the Emergency Software Recovery and Initialization option.

Then we need to click on the Device Initialization tab as this is will do all of the leg work of returning the Galaxy S7 back to stock. Click the OK button at the bottom right and you’ll go through a few warning screens. Continue to click OK when prompted and then eventually you’ll be asked if you want to create a backup or not. It won’t hurt to have a backup of your contacts, photos, video etc. So go ahead and create a backup if you’d like. Once that is done, you’ll see the Smart Switch software start to download a fresh stock firmware for your Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge.

Once the software has finish downloading your fresh stock firmware to the PC, the Galaxy S7 will reboot and then you’ll be taken to download mode. Be patient while this process completely and don’t unplug the USB cable from the PC or the Galaxy S7. You’ll eventually see the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge reboot into a Installing mode and here you’ll see a progress bar on both the device and the Smart Switch window. Again, be patient while this process completes eventually the Galaxy S7 will reboot one last time. This time you’ll see the standard Samsung boot animation (and the carrier one if you have a carrier model).

Then the Galaxy S7 will boot back into Android and you’ll have to set everything back up again. It will be as if you just pulled the device out of the box and you’ll have to connect back to your Google and Samsung accounts. Once you are back to the Android home screen, you’ll also be able to restore your backup from Samsung Smart Switch if you’d like. Just remember that you have to change over to the File Transfer USB mode again so Smart Switch can recognize and connect to your Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge.