How to read and understand Samsung software code names

 

Samsung has always been a leader in providing software updates for Galaxy devices. Not only does it support more Android OS upgrades than other manufacturers, Samsung also regularly releases security patches early, sometimes even before Google.

In addition to OTA updates, Samsung also provides the ODIN tool to help users install firmware manually. If you have ever downloaded Samsung firmware to use with ODIN, you may have come across long and confusing strings of characters in the file name. However, each letter and number in the firmware number has a specific meaning, helping you identify information about the device, the release region, the update content, and the release date.

The simplest way to read Samsung firmware numbers

Each Samsung software version can be divided into four main parts. Take the Galaxy S24 Ultra firmware S928BXXS4AYA1 as an example:

  • S928 – Device information
  • BXX – Release region
  • S4A – Update content
  • YA1 – Release date

A detailed breakdown of each section of the Samsung firmware

1. First section (S928) – Device description

  • S: Product line (S – Galaxy S, F – Galaxy Fold, A – Galaxy A, etc.).
  • 9: Price segment (9 – Flagship, 7 – Mid-range, 5 – Mid-range, etc.).
  • 2: Generation of the device (Galaxy S24 is the 12th generation, due to the naming change from S10 to S20).
  • 8: Screen size or features (for flagships, the higher the number, the larger the screen).

2. Second Part (BXX) – Distribution Market

  • B: Market Version (B – International, N – Korea, U – US, F – International LTE, etc.).
  • XX: Region-specific version (XX – Europe/International, SQ – US, UE – US Unlocked, etc.).

Note: The first two parts of the firmware number never change, even if the device receives multiple updates.

3. Third Part (S4A) – Update Content

  • S: Update Type (S – Security Patch Only, U – Major Update with New Features).
  • 4: Bootloader Version (cannot downgrade to firmware with lower bootloader number).
  • A: One UI Update (A – Initial Version, B – After Major One UI Update, etc.).

4. Final part (YA1) – Release date

  • Y: Release year (U – 2021, V – 2022, W – 2023, X – 2024, Y – 2025, etc.).
  • A: Software completion month (A – January, B – February, … L – December).
  • 1: Build number (starting from 1 or A, increasing by the number of revisions before the official release).

With the above information, you can easily decode the firmware number of any Samsung device, help check compatibility when installing manually, or better understand the update you are receiving. Save this article for reference when needed!