These are the steps to root Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini GT-I9190 running Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

We recommend not following this guide if you have just recently found a software update coming to your device. Many of the new Android versions bring in new bootloaders and Chainfire needs to update the file to include a new recovery.img file that will unlock the bootloader again before the rooting will work. If you try rooting and the file is not updated, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini can fail to boot.

You will find the file in this guide automatically reflects those changes when they are made by Chainfire.

Are you experiencing a device that will not flash or is failing to boot? You should submit that information to Chainfire at the official CF-Auto-Root thread at XDA Developers.

REQUIREMENTS

• The rooting exploit found in this guide is based on Android 4.4.2 KOT49H.I9190UBUCNG1 firmware. You do not need to be running that build number to use the guide; however, you should be running Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
• You must be using the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini with the model number GT-I9190 to use this guide. You can find out your S4 Mini’s model number by tapping on the Menu > Settings > About Device > Model Number.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

• Download the Samsung USB Drivers for mobile phones from the dot Tech USB Driver downloads page and install the drivers on your computer before you start this guide.
• Unlock the hidden Developer Options menu by tapping on the Menu > Settings > About Device > Tap the build number continuously until it says you are using the device as a developer — it’s usually about 7 or 8 times.
• Enable the USB Debugging Mode option from the Developer Options menu by tapping on the Menu > Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging Mode.
• You are voiding the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini warranty by following this guide.
• Make sure you backup the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini if this is your first time rooting the device using Chainfire’s CF-Auto-Root tool. The package will be unlocking your bootloader before it applies the root and it will wipe your data if you haven’t had the bootloader unlocked before.

HOW TO ROOT SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 MINI GT-I9190 RUNNING ON ANDROID 4.4.2

1. Download the updated CF-Auto-Root for the GT-I9190 on 4.4.2 from this link.
2. Download the Odin 1.85 for the S4 Mini from this link.
3. Extract the files on the computer by right-clicking over them when they are on the desktop and choosing the “extract here” option from the menu.
4. Double-click the Odin executable file and run the flash tool on your computer.
5. Press the Power button on your S4 Mini and select ‘Power Off’ from the Device Options menu.
6. Boot the S4 Mini up in download mode by pressing the Power + Home + Volume Down buttons at the same time.
7. Let go of those buttons and hold the Volume Up button when it says to do that on the display.
8. Connect the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini to the computer with the USB cable.
9. Click the PDA button and browse your desktop for the tar.md5 rooting file you need to flash.
10. Do not change any the default settings from the Odin flash tool’s user-interface.
11. Click the Start button and wait for the Odin to flash your rooting file.

The S4 Mini should reboot by itself after the Odin app gives you the pass message. Reboot into recovery mode yourself if it does not happen automatically. You must reach recovery mode for the rooting to complete. You can get to the recovery mode by switching off and then booting by holding the Volume Up + Home + Power buttons.