How to root the Samsung Galaxy S10/S10e/S10+ (Exynos) with Magisk

A few years ago, the first thing I would do with my new Android device would be to root it. This opened up the ability to install custom ROMs and applications that provided some added functionality that you couldn’t get with stock Android. Since then, Android has made leaps and bounds with integrating features into the stock experience typically only found in apps requiring root. Even though my personal reasons for rooting a device no longer exist, the rooting scene is still strong as can be seen with the release of Magisk support for the new Galaxy S10, S10e, and S10+.

The following guide will talk you through how to root your Samsung Galaxy S10, S10e, or S10+. Before you begin, this guide and version of Magisk will be specific for the Exynos version of the Galaxy S10 series. Also, it’s worth mentioning that this will trip Knox, which is used to determine warranty status for Samsung. By tripping Knox, Samsung will be able to tell your device has had custom software installed on it and therefore will void the warranty. Knox will not recover even after re-installing the stock firmware.

The process has added complexity given the intricacies of Project Treble and some Samsung-specific implementations, which are explained in full over at the XDA thread. Instigating the rooting process will require you to perform a full wipe of your device so be sure to back up your data.

Unlock bootloader

To root your device, you’ll need to have an unlocked bootloader.

Head into Settings -> Developer Options
Check the option to allow OEM unlocking
Power off your S10 and press the Bixy button + Volume Down while plugged into a PC to boot to download mode
Long press volume up to unlock the bootloader.
This will wipe your data and reboot the device automatically.

As explained in the Magisk notes, Samsung has introduced a feature called VaultKeeper which causes the bootloader to reject any unofficial partitions, so a few extra steps are required.

Proceed through the inital setup and skip all the steps.
Connect the device to the internet and enable Developer Options.
Confirm the OEM unlocking option is visible and is grayed out.
The above check is to make sure all looks good before proceeding.

Now the bootloader is unlocked and in a correct state to be accepted by VaultKeeper, we can boot using Magisk. For awareness, the way in which the device is required to boot to circumvent the measures put in place by Project Treble and VaultKeeper, the device will boot into recovery every single time you reboot your device. By doing so, you’ll be presented with a warning about having an unlocked bootloader. What you boot into will depend on how long you press volume up, since the recovery and Magisk reside on the same partition.

Here’s how to boot using Magisk or into actual recovery, depending on what you want to do:

To boot system with Magisk = Power+Bixby+Volume Up -> (Bootloader warning) -> (Release all buttons)
To boot actual recovery mode = Power+Bixby+Volume Up-> (Bootloader warning) -> (Keep holding volume up)