Usually, a device gets bricked after an update, while we try to flash a custom firmware, or sometimes just because of applications. Such problems or even annoying ones can be easily addressed if you know exactly what and how to do. During this tutorial, we’ll help you to unbrick/repair your Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 through different troubleshooting solutions. You don’t need any kind of technical skills or knowledge. Of course, we have detailed everything that you require to restore your phone and make it work again. Like it was before it got broken down.
In this guide, we are dealing with different problems occur in the Android software. And there are different troubleshooting methods to resolve them. Depending on the seriousness of the dilemma, you’ll have to apply certain troubleshooting. You might have ended up bricking down your Galaxy A5 after installing a particular custom ROM, or app. We have different solutions to these problems. Of course, we have detailed each solution comprehensively. Even a newbie can understand and apply them. Since we are dealing OS related issues, you might require to wipe out your device completely. That means you must step ahead with back up process first.
Once, your device is wiped out, it wouldn’t possible to recover deleted files. So, we highly recommend to backup important stuff like messages, contacts, videos, and photographs. There are tons applications at Google Play store that can help you in this task. However, we recommend you to use an application that exists on your phone already, most probably. Well, I’m talking about Smart Switch. This is an official application developed by Samsung. It helps to carry out backup/sync process easily. You can easily backup most of the stuff including messages, contacts, photos, documents, and videos. We have already explained this application in one of the tutorials; how to backup Samsung Galaxy Smartphones.
The most noteworthy thing is that all the troubleshooting methods are official ones. They will not hamper the warranty of your phone in any manner. So, without much worrying, you can proceed with them and unbrick your Samsung Galaxy A5. Irrespective of the operating system, you can perform these methods. No matter if you’re using a custom firmware or recovery or using some kind of root application, you can use this guide to restore your phone. However, if you choose to re-install the firmware, both custom ROM and recovery, will be replaced with stock aspects.
Moreover, the root access will vanish. If you wish to have a rooted device, you’ll need to achieve it again post performing this method. Follow the below methods to cure your smartphone:
How to unbrick Samsung Galaxy A5 2017
Method 1. Remove Toxic Apps Using The Safe Mode
If your phone got bricked after installing the application, then you can try uninstalling that application. Till the problem is due to that particular application, it should be resolved once you clean off that app from your phone.
Must see:
- How to update Samsung Galaxy A5 to Android 8.0 Officially
- How to install official LineageOS on Galaxy A5
To carefully remove such toxic application/files (like viruses), you can do it through Safe Mode. Many Android phones come blessed with this mode. Once you boot into this mode, all third-party applications stand closed and blocked from running.
This mode loads only some system applications and services. So, you can easily remove/uninstall/delete toxic applications and files. And that should resolve the existing problems on your Galaxy A5.
Here is how you can boot into the safe mode and uninstall toxic applications or files from Samsung Galaxy A5:
- Turn On your phone.
- Now, press and hold the Power button to bring boot menu.
- From the menu, tap on and hold the Power OFF button for a few seconds.
- After a few seconds, it will display an option for Safe Mode.
- Tap on Safe mode entity. It will take you into the Safe Mode.
Since you’re in Safe Mode, all the third-party apps/services remain to stand OFF. Now, uninstall those applications that you think of as the troublemaker.
Which might have caused your phone malfunctioned. Through file manager, you can remove toxic files, probably ones you’ve downloaded using the internet. They might be viruses that ruin your phone.
This is most basic one that you can try. If you find it not working for you, then you might want to try advanced actions.
Method 2. Hard Reset Your Phone
Most of the time, it works like a charm. Performing a hard reset brings many improvements. For maintenance purpose, a hard reset is recommended at least once in two or three months.
It clears the internal memory and removes all downloaded applications. Also known as a Factory reset, it undoes all the custom settings and changes. And turn them into the default configuration.
But, it won’t impact the custom firmware or recovery. It merely gets rid of non-system apps/files and configuration. And restore the phone to its factory state or factory settings. If you’ve been facing some bugs related to performance and stability, the hard reset might be able to resolve them.
Make sure to backup all important stuff stored in internal memory. This reset will wipe out your phone completely.
Follow the below instructions to factory reset your Samsung Galaxy A5:
- Turn off your phone.
- Now, boot into the recovery mode – press and hold Volume Up, Home and Power buttons at the same time for few seconds. Release them all once Samsung’s Logo appears on the screen.
- You should be in the recovery menu. Now, tap on “wipe data/factory reset“ and perform this action. It can take several minutes to complete.
- Then, tap on ‘reboot system now’ to restart your phone.
In this way, you can perform a hard reset on your Galaxy A5 anytime you want. Soon, it will boot up and bring forth setup related to screens. Enter your account details to start using your phone.
A factory reset removes most of the problems caused by the cache memory, apps, and other files. However, if something has happened to the OS, then you should try re-installing the OS using the following method:
Method 3. Reinstall OS – Flash Stock Firmware
A widely used method to unbrick Android smartphones. If you were installing a custom firmware or trying some kind of mod and eventually ended up bricking the phone, then this would be the ideal solution. This will restore to its native operating system and configuration.
All third-party apps, ROM, recovery, and mods will be removed. The configuration will turn to its original state. Also, the root access will be removed as well.
That means it will renew your phone completely. All sorts of third-party applications and files will be deleted and native OS will take over the existing things.
To flash stock firmware on your Samsung Galaxy A5, you’ll need to follow the below prerequisites and prepare the requirements accordingly:
- You need a Windows-based computer with an internet connection.
- You must install the USB Drivers on your computer. Download and install Samsung USB Drivers from →here on your computer. So, your phone can be recognized by the computer.
- Download the Odin flashing tool from →here. Extract the content of the zip file to obtain .exe file. This tool is widely used to flash firmware files on Samsung devices.
- Now, download the stock firmware package from →here. Use the model number to find and download the correct firmware file. To find the model number tap on Settings->About Phone->Model number. Extract the content of package file to obtain .md5 file (firmware file).
We hope that you’ve managed to gather above-mentioned files. Now, you can proceed further and downgrade your phone to its native state.
How to flash stock firmware on Samsung Galaxy A5
- On your computer, run the Odin program by tapping the .exe file from the extracted Odin tool folder. The following screen will appear:
- Now, turn off your phone.
- Then boot into the Download mode – press and hold Volume Down, Home and Power buttons all at once for a few seconds. You should be in download mode.
- Now, using a USB cable to connect your phone to the computer. Once your phone is connected properly, the ID:COM section on Odin will turn to blue color. If it doesn’t happen then try to re-install USB drivers and try again.
- Tap on AP button and load the firmware file (.md5 file) from the extracted firmware folder.
- Do not make any changes to Odin tool.
- Tap on ‘Start‘ button. It will start the flashing process.
- Once it is completed, take off your phone.
You’re done with the process. You have managed to unbrick your Galaxy A5 using the stock firmware. Now, everything should be Okay!
For the first startup, it can take several minutes. Soon, it will take you to the fresh screen, enter your Google account details to set up and configure your phone.
So, these are the most helpful troubleshooting methods you can use to unbrick or repair your phone. The first two methods are helpful in maintaining stability and performance. That completes our tutorial here. Don’t forget to share your thoughts and views in the comment section.
