How to Install the TWRP Recovery on the OnePlus 3T

For those who want TWRP as your custom recovery on the OnePlus 3T, you can follow these step by step instructions in this guide.

Since the process for installing TWRP on the OnePlus 3T is different than the original OnePlus 3, I felt it was best to create a separate tutorial for the new device. The big difference here is that the OnePlus 3T uses DM-Verity as a security measure. This means that we need to modify the kernel to disable this DM-Verity in order to boot into Android with TWRP installed as the custom recovery.

There are a few ways to do that, and I have included two of them down in this guide. The first method is to simply root the OnePlus 3T with SuperSU.

This patches the kernel you have installed and disables the DM-Verity security measure. Alternatively, you could flash the Disabler .ZIP file that I have linked below as this will disable DM-Verity without rooting your phone. Lastly, you can install a custom kernel that already has DM-Verity disabled by default.

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 3T 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 if you want to install TWRP on the regular OnePlus 3.

OnePlus 3T Install TWRP

1. Unlock the Bootloader of the OnePlus 3T
2. Download the modified version of TWRP for the OnePlus 3T
3. Download SuperSU or the DM-Verity Disabler to the OnePlus 3T (SuperSU – Disabler)
4. Rename the downloaded file to “twrp.img” (without quotes)
5. Copy or move the TWRP .IMG 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 3T into Fastboot Mode
9. Type the following command into the Command Prompt. . .
10. fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
11. . . .and press Enter on the keyboard
12. Then type the following command into the Command Prompt. . .
13. fastboot boot twrp.img
14. . . .then press Enter on the keyboard
15. Wait until the OnePlus 3T boots into TWRP
16. If asked, swipe the white arrows to the right to fully install TWRP
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. Then tap on the Reboot System button to reboot back into Android

Explanation

Since the OnePlus 3T uses DM-Verity, we have to take an extra step in order to boot back into Android. If we don’t, then the phone will just go into a bootloop after we install TWRP as our custom recovery of choice. The goal here is to disable DM-Verity from within the kernel. If you want root access, then you can simply install the SuperSU .ZIP file after you boot into TWRP (since SuperSU will disable DM-Verity).

Or, you can choose to flash this DM-Verity disabler .ZIP file too. Doing this second method will not root your OnePlus 3T, and it will also give you the option of installing a different root method. So it’s up to you. You just have to make sure that DM-Verity is disabled in the kernel that you’re currently using, if you want to boot the OnePlus 3T while you have TWRP installed as your custom recovery.

So once you have all the of the prerequisite setup (like installing ADB and Fastboot, unlocking the bootloader, etc), then you can boot the OnePlus 3 into Fastboot Mode (also known as Bootloader Mode). From here, you’ll want to execute the two fastboot commands in the Command Prompt. The first command will install TWRP onto the Recovery partition and the second command will automatically boot you into TWRP.

Once you’re in TWRP, you might see a screen that asks if you want to permanently install TWRP, or if you just want to keep it read only. If you’re going for the systemless method (so that it is easier to install official OTA updates), then keep TWRP read only. However, OnePlus makes it very easy to install OxygenOS updates manually through TWRP so there’s little reason to do this. Go ahead and swipe the white arrows to the right (if prompted) to fully install TWRP.

You’ll then want to 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, and then wait for the installation to be completed. You should be greeted with a Reboot System button at the bottom right of the screen once the installation is finished. Or you can tap on the Home button, then the Reboot button, and then on the System button to reboot back into Android.