How to Install the TWRP Custom Recovery on the OnePlus 3

OnePlus 6 WiFi calling

Now that the bootloader is unlocked, I want to show you exactly how to install TWRP on the OnePlus 3 so we can get the added features of a custom recovery.

Earlier this week I showed you how to boot the OnePlus 3 into Recovery Mode. This is the stock recovery and while it does offer some features, a custom recovery offers so much more. When you install TWRP on the OnePlus 3, it will overwrite the stock Recovery Mode that comes with your OnePlus 3.

To revert back, you’ll either need to flash the stock recovery image, or you’ll have to revert back to completely stock. I’ll talk about how to do both of these in the future.

It’s rare that you’ll ever need to revert back to stock recovery, unless you’re trying to accept an OTA update. The official OTA update from OnePlus will recognize that you have a custom recovery and it won’t apply the update. So be aware of that. Once you have TWRP installed on the OnePlus 3 though, you’ll be able to make full Nandroid backups, install custom ROMs, install custom kernels and all the other fun stuff that comes with modifying our smartphone.

Before we begin though, I do want to say that you will need to complete all of the steps I have mentioned in the how to unlock the OnePlus 3 bootloader tutorial. It’s okay if you unlocked your bootloader a different way (as the result is the same), but you will need to do things like installing USB drivers, ADB & Fastboot tools, USB Debugging, etc.

Note – Follow this guide instead of you want to install TWRP on the OnePlus 3T.

OnePlus 3 Install TWRP

  1. Unlock the Bootloader of the OnePlus 3
  2. Download the modified TWRP Image for the OnePlus 3
  3. Download SuperSU or the DM-Verity Disabler to the OnePlus 3T (SuperSUDisabler)
  4. Rename the Downloaded File ‘twrp.img’
  5. Copy or Move the TWRP Image file to the Minimal ADB & Fastboot Tools Install Folder
  6. For Me, This is ‘C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot’
  7. Launch the Minimal ADB & Fastboot Tools Shortcut
  8. Boot the OnePlus 3 into Fastboot Mode
  9. Type the Following Command into the Command Prompt. . .
  10. fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
  11. . . .Then Press Enter on the Keyboard
  12. Wait Until the Installation is Completed
  13. Press the Volume Down Button Twice to Highlight ‘Recovery Mode’
  14. Then Press the Power Button to Select This Option
  15. Wait for the OnePlus 3 to Boot into Recovery Mode to Make Sure TWRP Installed Properly
  16. Swipe the white arrows to the right to allow TWRP to make modifications
  17. Tap the Install button at the TWRP main menu
  18. Browse to and tap on either the SuperSU or Disabler .ZIP file
  19. Swipe the white arrows to the right to confirm
  20. Wait for them to finish installing
  21. You Can Then Tap the ‘Reboot System’ Button to Boot Back into Android

Explanation

As mentioned, even if you didn’t use my bootloader unlock tutorial, be sure you have things setup on the OnePlus 3 (and your PC) as mentioned in that tutorial. Once your the OnePlus 3 bootloader is unlocked, then you can download the TWRP image file. This is provided in the link above, and as long as you choose the Download File button instead of the Download File with Peer5 button, it will download to your PC like any other normal web download.

You’ll then want to rename the file to twrp.img so that it’s easier to type when executing typing in the command prompt (but this isn’t required. Then you’ll need to either copy or move that twrp.img file into the same directory as your ADB and Fastboot files are. Once that is done, go ahead and launch the ADB & Fastboot tools shortcut (or just launch a command prompt and navigate to your ADB & Fastboot tools directory).

OnePlus 3 Install TWRP Command
The ‘OKAY’ commands tell you installing TWRP is successful.

You’ll then want to boot the OnePlus 3 into Fastboot Mode (which is also called Bootloader Mode), and connect the USB cable from the PC to your OnePlus 3. Once the OnePlus 3 is connected to the PC, you’ll need to execute the fastboot flash recovery command listed above, and it should look similar to what you see above. Once that is done, press the Volume Down button twice and make sure the Recovery Mode option is highlighted.

Press the Power button to select this option and this will reboot the OnePlus 3 from Bootloader Mode and into Recovery Mode. Because of Nougat, we then need to either flash the SuperSU or disabler ZIP file in TWRP to make sure TWRP is installed on the OnePlus 3 properly. So at the TWRP main menu, tap on the big Install button at the top left of the screen and then browse to where you downloaded the SuperSU or Disabler .ZIP file. Just tap on the file you want to install, swipe the white arrows to the right to confirm.

Once the installation is finished, you can then tap on the Reboot System button at the bottom right of the screen to boot back into the Android OS.

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  1. Hello Doug, I followed your instructions to install twrp on my oneplus 3 in order to then downgrade my oxygenos. I completed all the steps and got to the twrp install using SuperSU. It seems the installation worked as I got to the point where I was asked to reboot the system in twrp. Now my phone is stuck ion the Oneplus Android logo page and I can’t do anything except going back to the TWRP page if I press volume key down and power. Do you have an idea of what I can do to have Android start normally? Thank you

    1. Well, there could be a couple of things going on here. It may be the downgrade process that is causing the issue, as seen here. . .
      https://www.xda-developers.com/android-oreo-rollback-protection/
      Or it may be an issue with SuperSU. SuperSU was sold to a Chinese company and now Magisk is the go-to root solution. However, I’m not sure that root is required in order to downgrade in the first place.

      So, I would suggest simply suggest flashing the version of OxygenOS you want to use from TWRP and seeing if it boots. If it does then you’re downgraded and good to go. If you want root, then I suggest flashing the latest version of Magisk
      https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/

      If you still can’t boot then it may be the anti-rollback protection that is preventing you from downgrading. I may have the OnePlus 3 still laying around. What version of OxygenOS did you come from and which version are you trying to downgrade to? I can do some tests to see if I can get it downgraded on my end.

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