On older Samsung Galaxy devices released before 2016, the firmware used to have just one file with .tar.md5 extension. Though Odin3 v3.07 and lower versions had Bootloader, PDA, Phone, CSC, and Phone fields, we needed to flash single-file firmware by adding it only to the PDA sections only. Later, Samsung split its firmware files into four binaries, and thus on Odin v3.09 and newer BL, AP, CP,and CSC were introduced. Now, there are 2 types of CSC files in the firmware folder: CSC and HOME CSC. So which CSC binary should you flash in Odin- CSC or HOME CSC? In this article, we’ll try to answer this question.
Just take a look at the side-by-side comparison of Odin3 v3.06 and Odin3 v3.14.1 and you will how Odin and thus Samsung firmware has changed over time.
If you are an old Samsung device user, you probably don’t need a tutorial to understand the difference between CSC and HOME CSC. However, these two CSC files inside the firmware folder may cause a lot of confusion for the new user.
Before we explore the difference between CSC and HOME CSC, let’s find out what CSC is. CSC or Country/Carrier Specific Product Code or Consumer Software Customization is an important component of Samsung firmware binaries. The CSC file on Samsung contains essential information such as-
It’s very easy to add the corresponding firmware binaries to respective fields in Odin. You may get confused about whether you should flash CSC or HOME CSC in Odin. Here’s how these two CSC files differ from each other. Once you understand the purpose of CSC and HOME CSC, you’ll have no confusion.
If you want Odin to wipe all third-party apps, data, and settings and perform a factory reset while installing the firmware, you should add the CSC binary to Odin. When your Samsung phone or Galaxy Tab boots up, your device will be in the same state (on software level) as it was when you purchased it. You’ll have to set up your device and log into your Samsung and Google accounts again. The image, video, audio, and all other files present on the internal storage will be deleted. Flashing the CSC binary will result in a clean installation. If you feel that your phone is slow and experience any lag or misbehavior, wiping the phone might help fix those issues.
If your purpose is to just re-install the firmware or update your Samsung device’s software without wiping your apps, all user data, and settings, you should go with the HOME CSC binary. Choosing this file will only affect the software version of your phone while keeping everything intact.
It’s very easy to find out the current CSC of your Samsung device.
If the CSC of your Samsung device is OXM it means it has Multi-CSC firmware installed on it. OXM is a group of CSCs that contains multiple sub-CSCs inside it. It means that you can easily change the CSC of your Galaxy phone or Galaxy Tab.
If you are curious why the INS CSC is mentioned four times (INS/INS,INS/INS) in the screenshot above, here’s the explanation. Actually, there are two formats in which CSC is shown on Samsung devices and it depends on the fact whether your device is a single or dual SIM variant.
The firstCSC value refers to the Active CSC¹ on your phone. The middle part shows whether your phone is a single or dual-SIM² model. The third and the last CSC value shows the country or region for which the phone has been manufactured³. Thus, INS/INS,INS/INS, shows that the active CSC on my Note 10+ is INS; it supports 2 SIM cards from any Indian operator; it has been made to be sold in India.
Warning: Changing the CSC on your Samsung device will wipe all the data and reset it to the factory state.
It’s very very easy to change or switch the active CSC on a Samsung smartphone or Galaxy Tab if it has a Multi-CSC firmware on it.
This method is a little complicated and requires some effort.
The CSC configuration on your Samsung devices determines if it is unlocked or locked to a network provider. While it’s possible to use a different SIM card on some carrier-locked phones, there are others on which you just can’t use a SIM card from any other network operator than the one it’s locked to. Suppose you own the Verizon (VZW) variant of the Galaxy S20 and you try to flash the CSC meant for TMO (T-Mobile), you’ll either get an error in Odin, or you’ll end up with a bricked phone.
So, in what cases a CSC change might help? In case you live in Italy and purchased a used unlocked phone online from a Russian user, you may not find the Italian language on your device. By flashing a firmware binary with ITV CSC, you can have Italian on your phone. Also, if you use a phone with Russia CSC in Italy, you won’t receive software updates from Samsung.
Note: If your Samsung phone has a locked bootloader or it is SIM-locked, you won’t be able to change the CSC of your device.
Done! You have successfully changed the CSC on your Samsung Galaxy device. Alternatively, you can also flash the CSC file only but in that case, make sure you download the firmware for the same software version as already installed on your device. You’ll still have to download the full firmware because you can download the HOME CSC or the CSC file separately.
If the primary CSC of your Samsung device is OXM, OXA, OXX, OXE, or OLB, your phone or tablet has Multi-CSC firmware. In such a condition, it is the secondary CSC that tells you about the country code of your Samsung Galaxy device. Below is a list of Samsung CSC codes along with the country, region, or carrier they denote too.
Country
Samsung CSC (Country Codes)
You can modify several aspects of your Samsung and any Android device and get useful information about it using these ADB Shell commands.
