As most of you Xperia fans will already know, a custom recovery is made by third-party developers to be a direct replacement to your stock recovery. You get several advantages with a custom recovery over the original stock version. The one most people are looking to use is the ability to flash new ROMs thanks to the easy uploading of zip files. With a custom recovery like ClockworkMod recovery installed on your Sony Xperia Tipo device, you can update the Android OS a to newer version like Android 4.4 KitKat with the help from a CyanogenMod custom ROM.

REQUIREMENTS

• These are the guidelines to install a custom recovery (CWM recovery) on the Sony Xperia Tipo. Do not follow this guide if you have any other device apart from the Sony Xperia Tipo with the model number ST21i. You can check your Tipo’s model number by pointing to the Menu > Settings > About Device > Model Number.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

• You’ll need the Developer Options unlocked before you can go ahead and flash your new recovery on the device. You can check that by heading to the Settings, scrolling down and checking if you can see the Developer Options menu. Those who can should continue to the next step. Those who cannot see it can unlock unlock the same by heading to the Menu > Settings > About Device > Tapping the build number 7 times until it’s unlocked.
• The next step is to enable the USB Debugging Mode. Get that done now by pointing to the Menu > Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging Mode. Once you leave the Developer Options menu it will remember your settings. You can use the device with the Debugging mode back off again after you finish with this guide.
• You must have a Windows PC to complete this guide. You cannot install the file you need to flash unless it’s Windows.

HOW TO INSTALL A CUSTOM RECOVERY ON SONY XPERIA TIPO

1. Download the CWM recovery you want to flash on your Tipo from this link directly to the computer.
2. Since you are using a Windows computer, the file will end up in the Downloads folder by default — unless you have changed the default download location, in which case you’ll need to open that specific folder instead.
3. Drag the file over to the desktop of the computer.
4. Right-click the mouse over the file and select the “extract here” option from the menu.
5. Connect the Sony Xperia Tipo to the computer using the USB cable.
6. Double-click the mouse over the Install.bat file and the exploit should open on the computer.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions until you are done.

That’s it; you have just learnt how to install CWM recovery on Sony Xperia Tipo devices running any firmware. Now that you have installed your custom recovery, you might want to learn how to root the Sony Xperia Tipo smartphone so you can start installing your custom ROMs and many new apps from around the web.