It’s true that once an Android user has enjoyed the privileges of owning a rooted smartphone or tablet, he/she cannot live a single day without root access on it. It was a few months ago that we posted a rooting tutorial for Sprint Galaxy S4 on Android 4.2.2 firmware. And now when this smartphones has already received the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean firmware  update, all those users who got it on their phone must have lost root access.

Since the root method for Galaxy S4 SPH-L720 on Android 4.2 is no longer working on the latest Android 4.3 firmware, many users who opted to update their device to the latest L720VPUAMJA OTA lost the root access. If you happen to one such Sprint Galaxy S4 owner, the present rooting tutorial will help you gain root access on your phone again. Since there is no method available currently to bypass KNOX, the procedure of rooting will trip your KNOX warranty counter to 0 x 1.

Warning!

Please be warned that the procedure described below are considered risky and by deciding to follow it, you are ready to face any consequences. The method has been tested successfully but 100% success for all users is not guaranteed. Neither the developer of this method nor DroidViews shall be responsible for any mishap, though we’ll be always here at our end to help you in case you get in any problem.

UPDATE

To root your Sprint Galaxy S4 SPH-L720 on Android 4.4.2 KitKat, use Geohot’s TowelRoot app.

Let’s Get Ready!

So, if you are eager to get root on your Sprint Galaxy S4, be a little patient for a while and do a few things first.

Root Sprint Galaxy S4 Running Android 4.3

  1. Turn off your Galaxy S4 and boot it into Download Mode. You can do it by holding the Volume Down + Home + Power buttons at the same time for 2-3 seconds. Release the keys when you see the warning screen with a yellow triangle and then press the Volume Up key to enter Download mode.
  2. Now run Odin 1.85 as administrator and connect your phone to PC using USB.
  3. When the ID:COM port at Odin turns yellow and you see “Added!!” in the message box, click the PDA button, navigate to the “CF-Auto-Root-jfltespr-jfltespr-sphl720.tar.md5” file and select it.
  4. Make sure that only “Auto Reboot” and “F. Reset Time” are selected on Odin.
  5. Now click the Start button and wait till you get PASS !/ RESET!  message on Odin and your device reboot automatically.
  6. You can now disconnect USB cable.

Wait till your phone boots up and then open the app drawer and look for SuperUser app that signals the presence of root permission on your Galaxy S4. In case you do not see SuperUser on your device or have issues with verifying root access, please install the app from Play Store:

To verify root access, install Root Checker from the Play Store and run the app.

Root Check Price: Free

Installing CWM Recovery on Galaxy S4 SPH-L720

So, you now have a rooted Sprint Galaxy S4 and if you also plan to install custom ROMs and mods on your phone, you will have to install a custom recovery too. Below you’ll find the steps to install CWM recovery which are pretty much the same as the rooting part.

  1. Boot the phone into Download mode.
  2. Launch Odin 3.07 and connect you phone to computer.
  3. Click the PDA button and select “sph-l720-recovery.tar.md5” file.
  4. Now click the Start button to install CWM on your phone.
  5. When the installation is finished, you will get PASS !/ RESET!  message followed by device reboot.

Now your phone has a custom recovery and you can now be able to install custom ROMs, mods, backup and restore your ROMs easily.

Unable to Get Root Access While Being Rooted?

Read this Tutorial to Fix the KNOX Issue

After Rooting Your S4, Do Not Miss!

How to Tweak and Customize Samsung Galaxy S4

Things to Do Before and After Installing Custom ROMs

Best Apps for Rooted Android Devices

source

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

109 COMMENTS

  5. so, this is the thing, I’m in Costa Rica and recently bought a s4 SPH-L720 that seems to be unlocked for my carrier, I make/recieve calls, get 3g internet and everything seems to be just fine, but it’s running 4.2.2 and I was wondering if I can do the upgrade to 4.3… would I need to unlock it again to get everything working again? how do i go about that? or is there any way to just “convert” it to a regular s4 , Thanks 🙂

  7. Hello Rakesh,

    I’m having trouble with the 3rd step.. when you say download the rooting packing and extract to cf auto root.. I’m assuming the rooting package is towel root.. but I can’t extract the apk file to cf auto root.. sorry if I sound silly but I’m no expert. . Thanks for your help

  8. just download the tr.apk file and copy it to your device. If you are having issues with downloading it, try a different browser or your phone’s browser. Since the antivius programs thinks it’s a trojan, turn off your antivirus.

  9. saferoot wont work it’s stuck at the daemon started.

    The other one requires me to install an apk to my phone but when i connect my phone to my computer it only recharges i cant open its files or anything like that.
    and yes i do have usb debugging enabled.

  11. i got a sprint galaxy s4 on 4.3 android and i still get fail at the odin 1.85v while trying the pda auto root file. it just says

    Added!!

    Enter CS for MD5..

    Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..

    Please wait..

    CF-Auto-Root-jfltespr-jfltespr-sphl720.tar.md5 is valid.

    Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..

    Leave CS..

    Odin v.3 engine (ID:3)..

    File analysis..

    SetupConnection..

    Initialzation..

    Get PIT for mapping..

    Firmware update start..

    recovery.img

    Complete(Write) operation failed.

    All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)

  14. Rakesh, I am having the same problem. I did everything right up to now and im getting the error. i checked to see if the phone can root and it said yes. i have the SU icon. what am i doing wrong

  16. I am having trouble with installing CWM. Odin says the file hash value is invalid. How do i remove the .md5 extension from the file???? i am new to this

  19. So i have 4.3 and it has knox on it i see, is there a way to uninstall the firmware 4.3 and revert back 4.2?

  21. I am having trouble with the CMW. Keep getting fail after PDA C:UsersAdministratorDownloadssph-l720-recovery.tar? I thought I ran all the steps correctly. Please Help

  23. yeah i don’t know what i did to my phone but i used the link above to gain root access. i then had the issue with the M5 mismatch or whatever that was about, so i rebooted to what i had previously saved. but then i noticed that i do have CWM on my phone, so i decided to add a ROM. i installed one of the Cyanogenmod builds to my phone and it’s running smoothly. it even has the DSP Manager on it which is allowing me to boost the sound quality through my auxiliary jack, Bluetooth headphones, and rear speaker. you were a BIG HELp in getting this done so thanks a lot for the assist and quick answers

  24. Glad to know that you got root on your S4 now. As for installing a custom recovery, you will have to wait until a way to unlock the bootloader pops up.

    Do not try install CWM or TWRP, or you will brick your phone.

  25. thank you sir! this did work for me.

    i just ran the root checker and it said i had full root access. time to get those custom ROMS now. do i need to run or do anything else before i do that?

  27. yeah this isn’t working for me. i’ve tried this like 10 times already today and i keep getting the same error message:

    “there is no SU binary installed, and SuperSU cannot install it. This is a problem”

    lol DAMN RIGHT it’s a problem.

    any ideas on how to fix sir? i’m totally lost now………

  29. hey i reinstalleded the firmware but the thing is it wont really reinstall. I did a factory wipe and then reinstalled the firmware with Odin but my phone didnt really “reinstalled” it just looked like a boot. Also can you upload terafile to another hosting because my laptop says 14 hours and Im sure my modem will have a timeout every 3-4 hour

  31. The MJA firmware? Or can you link me to a firmware and also that link is for MK2 but I now have MJA.

  34. Hey Rakesh, I downgraded android 4.3 MK2 to android 4.3 MJA Modem Only firmware. My wifi was working but after root. my WiFi stopped working and PlayStore wont install anything on 4g. Like it just keeps showing a green bar.

  35. Hey rakesh, I somehow used ODIN and found a MJA firmware modem only and it actually worked on 4.3. But then I rooted my phone and now my WiFi stopped working and playstore doesnt let me download anything like its a green bar running constantly.

  37. Hey Rakesh, i have an mk2 4.3 android and I saw the comment of downgrading to MJA but that samung updates site just says uploading like I dont see a download link

  38. I was almost sure that the exploit will work on the Sprint S4 too. Thanks for confirming.

  39. DroidViews GKassaz_88  100% Root on Sprint MK2! Super Su even disabled KNOX security. I’ll comment on page and thank you for your help

  42. DroidViews Well, trying to install the linked firmware when I found out two things – 1) I think you linked me to the MK2 firmware, which is what I currently have and need to get rid of by downgrading to MJA so I can then root, and 2) Odin failed, with the same error that Adam Yost mentioned a couple posts below mine.  

    Build number:
    JSS15J.L720VPUEMK2

    This whole thing is getting quite frustrating. 🙁  Hopefully its worth it in the end.

  45. hasekbowstome DroidViews  Hmm. It seems Samsung-Updates guys are still uploading files to the Terrafile and Rapidgator mirror. Try this Terafile link from another uploader:  http://terafile.co/014888ce4943/L720VPUEMK2_L720SPTEMK2_SPR.zip

  46. DroidViews Just did that again, and I also tried it in IE (normally using Chrome).  Either way, I see “Select Mirror you want to download from”, with a blue button that reads “Uploading…  (TeraFile Mirror)” and a yellow button that reads “Uploading… (RapidGator Mirror)”.  Clicking on either one just brings up the same samsung-updates screen.  An ad on the left, bottom, and right.  The “Uploading” buttons never change.

  47. hasekbowstome Hi, I just checked both the links and they are working fine. Just choose the regular download mode. Temporarily uninstall the AdBlock app and reboot the computer before trying to download.

  48. @Rakesh So I’ve been checking off and on for the last week and a half or so – is there a reason I can’t download the MJA firmware from the samsung-updates website?  I see a blue and a yellow button that both read “uploading”, but I see no download button, even with AdBlock Plus turned off.  I’m stuck on the MK2 build myself.

  49. GKassaz_88  Hi, try the following method: http://www.droidviews.com/root-verizon-galaxy-s4-sch-i545-on-android-4-3-vruemk2/

    It works on the Sprint variant too. Do not forget to share your experience after rooting.  🙂

  50. @Rakesh  Super Super Super late but yes it worked i just didn’t use it. Now i’m with a new problem because I Updated to MK2. lost my root hoping for new root method.

  51. JonnyYang  You can have simple unroot directly from the SuperSU app’s Settings. WElse, you can download and install the official firmware back: http://www.droidviews.com/how-to-install-latest-official-firmware-on-samsung-galaxy-s4-all-models/

  52. @Rakesh Hey Rakesh, that is actually what is happening to my phone, with Adam Yost as well. I am on 4.2.2 MJA running a rom, but whenever I try to unroot, my phone will do the same as above. Is there a way to disable the locker bootloader? Thanks.

  53. droidviews  http://d-h.st/   has links in the source for onclickads(dot)net and propllerads(dot)com

  54. The http://d-h.st/ links have ads for onclickads.net, propellerads.com that try to slip in trojans and popups

  57. Hi, the site where the firmware were uploaded has been taken down. Hotfile is now shut down. Please wait for a couple of days and it will be available for download.

  58. When I click on the link, there are no downloads, I clicked on the 3 boxes but it would just refresh. Do you happen to know the problerm?

  61. hi rakesh, im trying to install cwm but when i locate the file in odin, it says the file is invalid what should i do?

  62. Thank you, my problem is is that with that message, my phone takes over 5 minutes to boot up. I don’t know what the problem is. And even though I have unrooted and used triangle app to get rid of my binary count, my phone keeps stating I have a custom status. Do you happen to know what that exactly means sir and what I can do to fix it? Also, my wifi does not seem to work anymore, on the quick toggle, it does not turn on.

    THank you.

  64. I really appreciate the help. Thank you. And whenever I reset or turn off my phone, on the top left of the boot screen, it says recovery is not seandroid enforcing and set warranty bit. Do you happen to know what that means or entails?

  66. Hi Rakesh,

    I got this, but I tried to unroot it and all the previous methods from QBKing and many others didn’t work as it only works for 4.2.2. How can I unroot?

  67. You’ve heard right. No mods are available right now.

    The best solution for you will be to downgrade to MJA. You can find the firmware in my comment just below this one.

  68. Great article thanks.
    I just got the mk2 update. Ive heard of the hotspot mod not working on that. Is that true and is there a workaround?

  70. And the process for downgrading is the same as described above, just with a different md5 file?

  72. I have a different build (it ends in MK2) but I can’t seem to find any guides on how to root my build, and these guides do not work – I guess because I have a more recent update that invalidates them? I’m a pretty good Googler but I can’t seem to find anything to help. Thoughts (and failing that, prayers)?

  73. As long as your phone has MJA, the above root method should work. Just try it. If you get a fail message, also try removing the .md5 extension before installing.

  74. I also have a new phone with Build# JSS15J.L720VPUEMJA but don’t know the bootloader version. How do you check and is there a root for it?

  75. I see that it has worked, which is why I’m posting.
    I have USB debugging enabled, and I have tried installing drivers several times.

  76. You can check below and find that it has worked for many users with MJA firmware. I am really unable to figure out why it is failing in your case. Have you enabled USB Debugging?

    You can also try uninstalling and re-installing the drivers.

  77. I am seeing no more MF9, and my android version is 4.3. I have tried several times now, and I always get the same logs

  78. The guide actually works on devices that have taken the 4.3 OTA update. If your bootloader version is MF9, it will not work because this version has a locked bootloader that rejects any request for replacing it.

  80. The log shows Odin is not being allowed by the device to replace/overwrite the recovery. What is your your phone’s current firmware version?

  81. My SPH-L720 with 4.3 Fails Odin, and I don’t know why. this is all i get:

    Added!!
    Odin v.3 engine (ID:3)..
    File analysis..
    SetupConnection..
    Initialzation..
    Get PIT for mapping..
    Firmware update start..
    recovery.img
    Complete(Write) operation failed.
    All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)

  83. wow thank you easy installations if its read properly as it instructs. I recomend! for any S4 users
    the process took me less than 10 minutes 🙂 is there any way to reset the warranty? now it shows knox 0x2 lol

  86. Just a note, initially I removed the “.d5” extension just in the dialog box and it loaded the file next to PDA but failed to pass after pressing start. I then went into windows explorer renamed the file without the .md5 extension and then it passed. Maybe an obvious error, but I scratched my head for a moment.

  89. Mine is failing…

    Odin v.3 engine (ID:5)..

    Odin v.3 engine (ID:7)..

    File analysis..

    File analysis..

    SetupConnection..

    SetupConnection..

    Initialzation..

    Get PIT for mapping..

    Firmware update start..

    recovery.img

    NAND Write Start!!

    Complete(Write) operation failed.

  91. yeah it was successful! the only problem i was having was a security alert kept showing up at the top of the screen saying it was blocking some apps.

    i didn’t know how to stop it so i just selected the box that said this alert will not appear for 30 days.

  93. I recently figured it out. when i downloaded the zipped file, i extracted it onto the desktop instead of just opening the file when i unzipped it. when i just unzipped the file and opened “Odin” from there, it worked fine.

  96. new to samsung just got my sprint s4 3 days ago will this root work on new phones ones that came with 4.3
    .move up from a rooted photon 4g and would like to have root on my s4
    thanks trueaho

  97. having a problem actually loading the Odin3_v1.85 with my laptop…..when you run as admin, an small Odin3 box pops up with the option to select “ok”. once i select “ok”, something larger appears to open but closes immediately after that. is anyone else having this problem? Thanks!

  99. Hey just a heads up recovery didn’t work for me until i removed the .md5 extension like you said, then it worked perfectly. Thanks a lot for this, made it easy peasy man.

  100. That’s great! We added that note above, one of the users (see his comment below) reported he had to install SuperUser manually. 🙂

  101. I rooted the phone right after I updated it and it works perfect. SuperSU was already installed as was Titanium back-up before the update and they work fine after I used this method to re-root, didn’t have to re-download anything.. Thank you very much.

  107. the CWM didnt work for me in odin its saying
    ” Enter CS for MD5..

    Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..

    Please wait..

    MD5 hash value is invalid

    sph-l720-recovery.tar.md5 is invalid.

    End…”

  109. Root Method worked for me on sprint model. Just to add though, supersu is not automatically installed. When I would go on titanium backup it would stay on searching for root for a long time. You’ll need to go to the Play Store and download SuperSU for the root to work. After installing SuperSU all my apps have root access now (apps that require root access)

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