How to upgrade Android 4.4 KitKat on Samsung Galaxy S

This video will show you how to upgrade Android 4.4 KitKat on a Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000.

NOTE: This upgrade is for the Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 only. Trying this on other model may brick them. You will need to have a rooted you phone first. If you want to know how to do this you can watch the tutorial here.

Step 1. After you have rooted your phone. Go into applications and tap the CWM ClockWorkMod app to install it.

Step 2. You will need to download two files. The first one is the KitKat rom file “cm-10.2.0-galaxysmtd.zip“and the second is Google Apps “gapps-jb-20130813-signed.zip“. Both can be found on the 123 my IT downloads page here.

You can choose which versions you like from the links below. The process for installing them are the same.
For the latest build click here.
Google Apps page click here.

KitKat 4.4.2

Step 3. Transfer the two files you just downloaded to your phone Backup all your data, contacts, messages and SD card data.

Step 4. Power off your phone and wait until it vibrates. Once the phone is turned off, press and hold the Home, Volume up and Power buttons. The phone will then boot into recovery mode.

Step 5. Once in recovery mode, go down to the menu Wipe data / Factory Reset. Press the Power button and this step will take some time. Next Wipe cashe partition and after that go into Advanced and click wipe delvik cache.

Step 6. Time to flash the rom firmware. Go to the option install zip from SD card. Now scroll down to where you placed the two files above, cm-10.2.0-galaxysmtd.zip and gapps-kk-20140105-signed.zip.

Step 7. After KitKat installs, you will get a blue colour recovery. Then navigate to the location where you have placed the gapps-kk-20140105-signed.zip file and install it. Once its installed go back to the main menu and reboot the phone.

Step 8. The phone will now reboot. It should take around 5 to 10 mins as this is the first time Kitkat has booted so it need to setup everything.

Good luck 🙂

For more info see xda-developers here.
For the latest build click here.
Google Apps page click here.

20 thoughts on “How to upgrade Android 4.4 KitKat on Samsung Galaxy S

  1. my samsung galaxy s is having black screen. i don’t know if the one you have here able to help me,my cell phone is samsung galaxy s model: SGH-i897. i took the battery off and put it back and turn it on. It just black screen and just keep vibrating. do you have a video to help solve this problem.

    • HI Jay
      Do a search for black screen Samsung galaxy on the 123 my IT website. Its the one that can help most.
      Let me ask you this when you plug the phone in to a computer via USB does it still get detected?
      Cheers
      Matt

  2. when i try to install any film wear come error whole file signature faild pls give sugetion for me i do root and check by root cheker also i install super user app also and install custom rom also but why this happen pls pls pls give ans by email sir

  3. I had a Galaxy S 2.3.6 XXJVT and I wanted to pass to kitkat through your guide here. I follow exactly the steps, so:
    1) I installed the XXJVU ROM and I rooted my phone.
    2) Go here, do everything step by step

    When I go to the About phone I see:
    – Android version: 4.3.1
    – I9000XXJVT
    – Kernel 3.0.101-g7303d11 built01@cyanogenmod #1

    Is this normal? Because the guide says “KitKat 4.4″…

  4. ..Also no Playstore app..?
    That means that “Google Apps” are not installed properly, right?
    It is safe to flash again, starting from step4..?

    • Hi jimking
      Yes you should be able to just go back into download mode and delete the firmware and start again. Check the page for link which will give you any firmware version you want.
      Cheers
      Matt

  5. FOUND IT!
    The files and the guide to download for the steps 4,5 are WRONG.
    The file cm-10.2.0-galaxysmtd.zip is for Android 4.3.0 / CM 10.2 BUT the “gapps-kk-20140105-signed.zip” is for CM 11..!!!!

    THE RIGHT FILE TO DOWNLOAD FOR THE GOOGLE APPS IS THE:
    “20130813”

    • Hi jimking
      Cheers for that. Ill change it now. You can choose any of the files you want for the linked site.
      Glad it worked out for you.
      Cheers
      Matt

      • Thanks for fixing this Matt!
        I actually found the file for CM11 rom and then I used the right file from here for the Google apps. So my old SGS has kitkat 4.4.2 now! 😀
        …and congrats from the guide.
        Maybe the best and the easier to follow!
        Really great job! 😉

        • Hi jimking
          I have changed the page and made it a bit clearer by adding the link below the firmware so that people can make up their own minds which one they want to use.
          Can you please check the page and let me know if the firmware is the correct one now?
          Check it here.
          Cheers
          Matt

          • Yes Matt, all are ok! And with the two links that direct to the roms/google apps pages, the users surely will not have problems to find their files..
            Thank you

  6. Hi I have to upgraded my table.The Android version is 4.1 & I have to upgrade to 4.3 so I don’t know how to do diss.

  7. hello! i want ask you 1 question , my samsung galaxy table v.4.2.2 T211XXAMG2 and i can upgrade Android v .4.4 KitKat on Samsung galaxy table v 4.2.2 so, can or can’t ? thank you!

  8. Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 android 2.36.
    Tried to update to Kitkat following your instructions but following problem occurs:

    No “advanced” choice on recovery menu (3e)

    Install from SD Card gives me an error message:

    E:Short write of /tmp/sideload/package.zip (No space left on device)

    The sd card has 3.87 GB available and there is 14 GB on external sd card.

    Any idea what is wrong here please?

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