If you see “Odin fail” with an error message saying “Complete(Write) operation failed”, it means that there is something that Odin couldn’t understand. The reasons could include, but not remain limited to, an obsolete version of the program, USB debugging status, OEM lock state, etc.
In addition, the task you are trying to perform also determines whether the program should function correctly or if it shows the message “Complete(Write) operation failed” in Odin on the screen.
Regardless of the command(s) that you gave to Odin that triggered the message, here are a few solutions that may help you fix the issue easily and quickly.
Note: A Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ smartphone and Windows 11 PC are used here for reference and illustrations.
Solution 1: Update Odin
If you notice that the version of Odin you are using is not working, you may want to conduct an online search to see if an updated version of the app is available. At the time of this writing, Odin3 v3.14 is the most recent built.
Once updated, you can try performing the task again and see if the Odin flash fail issue is gone.
Note: Because no official website is there for Odin, you must do your research and obtain its working copy from a trusted source.
Solution 2: Enable USB Debugging
‘USB debugging’ is a feature that allows you to manage your smartphone via PC. However, before turning on ‘USB debugging’, you must first enable the ‘Developer options’ on your phone. Both processes are given below:
Step 1. Enable Developer options
- On your Samsung phone, go to Settings.
- Tap About phone.
- Tap Software information.
- Repeatedly tap the Build number entry until the phone prompts you for security clearance (if enabled).
- Check if the message saying that Developer options is enabled is displayed on the screen.
- Get back to the Settings screen.
Step 2. Enable USB Debugging
- Scroll down the Settings screen and tap Developer options.
- Get to the Debugging section on the Developer options screen.
- Tap the USB debugging switch.
- Tap OK to give your consent and turn on USB debugging.
Once done, retry your task and see if the Complete(Write) operation failed in Odin error is gone.
Solution 3: Enable OEM Unlock
In simple words, ‘OEM unlocking’ is a feature that allows you to root your Android device and run several administrative commands that you cannot execute normally.
If the above solutions don’t work and you still see Odin fail, you can try turning on the ‘OEM unlocking’ feature.
The steps given below explain how you can enable ‘OEM unlocking’ on your Samsung device:
- Use the method explained earlier to get to the Developer options screen.
- Tap the OEM unlocking switch.
- Get through the security barrier when the phone prompts.
- Tap Turn on to confirm your action and enable OEM unlocking.
- Retry your task and see if it works this time.
Solution 4: Download and Flash the Latest Firmware for Your Smartphone
Sometimes when Odin says “Fail”, it may be caused by outdated firmware or other problems with the firmware. Therefore, you must download the stock firmware and flash it on your Samsung phone via Odin. You can obtain the compatible firmware for your smartphone from a well-known website that you can visit by following the https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/ URL. An alternate site to obtain stock firmware is https://samfw.com/.
Note: You can check your phone model by going to Settings > About phone. You can find your baseband version by going to Settings > About phone > Software information. Once you get these details, you can download compatible firmware accordingly.
Once downloaded, you must also:
- Download and install ADB and Fastboot drivers.
- Install Samsung USB drivers.
- Use the method explained above to turn on USB debugging and OEM unlocking (but first try without enabling these).
Once everything is in place, you must:
- Disconnect your Samsung phone from the PC.
- Power off your smartphone.
- Press down and hold the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons together. (Key combination may vary on different phone models.)
- While pressing down the buttons, connect the phone to the PC via a genuine USB cable.
- Wait while your phone prompts you to press the Volume Up button to enter Download Mode.
- On your PC, extract all the ZIP files you downloaded to a folder for easy accessibility.
- Launch Odin.
- Add the files starting with the BL, AP, and CP letters into their corresponding fields in Odin.
- In the CSC field, add the file starting with the CSC letters for a clean installation, or add the one starting with the Home letters to prevent data erasure on your phone.
- Next, go to the Options tab on Odin.
- Ensure that only the Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time boxes are checked. (Uncheck all other boxes.)
- Get back to the Log tab so you can view all the activities.
- Click Start.
- Wait while Odin flashes the stock firmware on your smartphone and the phone automatically restarts several times.
Once the process completes, you can retry what you attempted to do with Odin (if required) and see if the Complete(Write) operation failed in Odin message is gone.
Solution 5: Use iMobie DroidKit
If none of the above solutions work and you still see Odin fail, you can use a third-party tool called iMobie DroidKit. The application is available for Windows and Mac computers and can perform several tasks that are not usually possible without it or are too complex to follow.
One of Droidkit’s helpful features is System Fix which can flash the firmware of your Android phone and fix the system issues of your device. If Odin says “Complete(Write) operation failed”, it is recommended to try this tool.
Some other key features that iMobie DroidKit offers include:
- FRP Bypass – Allows a one-click FRP bypass so you can eliminate the security barriers and use your device afresh after a factory reset.
- Screen Unlocker – Unlocks the locked screen in case of a forgotten unlock PIN or pattern.
- Data Recovery – Recovers unbacked-up lost or deleted files from your phone.
- System Cleaner – Removes junk and unnecessary files from your phone’s memory to free up some space.
- More features can be checked through the image below.
Solution 6: Delete the hidden.img File
You must use this method only if you see the ‘hidden.img FAIL’ message in the ‘Log’ tab of ‘Odin’. This method was proved helpful and works to flash the firmware successfully. However, we cannot promise that it is safe for every firmware and Samsung phone, so there may be some risks.
For this solution, you need the 7-zip archiver that you can download from the https://www.7-zip.org/download.html URL.
Assuming that Odin says “Fail” and the ‘hidden.img FAIL’ message is shown in the ‘Log’ tab, the process below explains how to fix the problem:
- Rename the firmware file (that you downloaded) with the name starting with AP and change its extension from *.tar.md4 to *.tar.
Note: If you can’t see the extension, click the See more icon from the top of the Ribbon of the File Explorer window, go to Options, go to the View tab of the Folder Options box that opens up next, uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types box, and click OK.
- Extract all the contents of the *.tar file to a folder.
- Go to the folder and locate and delete the hidden.img file.
- Use 7-zip to recompress the folder and choose tar extension while doing so.
- Once all the ingredients are compressed (without the hidden.img file), add the new *.tar file to the AP field of Odin.
- Continue flashing the firmware and see if the Odin fail problem is fixed.
Conclusion
If the Complete(Write) operation failed error message appears on the screen while you are using Odin, you can try the methods given above. Some of the methods may have risks, so think twice before you really follow the guide.
