ClockworkMod

ClockworkMod Recovery
Original author(s)	ClockworkMod
Repository	at Github
Written in	C, C++
Operating system	Android
Successor	CyanogenMod Recovery; LineageOS Recovery[ verification needed ]
License	Apache License 2.0
Website	github.com (archived)

Last updated March 23, 2025

ClockworkMod is a software company, owned by Koushik "Koush" Dutta,^[4] which develops various software products for Android smartphones and tablets. The company is primarily known for its custom recovery image, ClockworkMod Recovery, which is used in many custom ROMs. ^[5]

ClockworkMod Recovery

ClockworkMod Recovery is an Android custom recovery image. Once installed, this recovery image replaces the Android device's stock recovery image. Using this recovery image, various system-level operations can be performed. For example, one can create and restore partition backups, root, install, and upgrade custom ROMs.^[6]^[7]

ClockworkMod Recovery is free and open-source software, released under the terms of the Apache License 2.0 software license.^[3] CyanogenMod Recovery is a fork of ClockworkMod Recovery.^[a]

Compared to other recoveries

Unlike TWRP, but like the stock recovery, CWM Recovery uses volume buttons to navigate menus.
Like the stock recovery, CWM can receive over-the-air updates for ROMs designed for their respective recoveries.
Signature verification is not enforced on CWM Recovery, allowing the installation of Custom ROMs.
CWM Recovery adds Nandroid backup support.^[10] This feature may not be present on CWM Recovery forks or successors.

Other software

The company also provides the following apps:

ROM Manager: An app for installing custom operating systems, known as ROMs. It was briefly pulled for violating Google Play's in-app-purchase policies.^[11]
Tether: An app used for tethering regardless of carrier restrictions.^[12]
Helium: An app used to backup user and system data to a phone without the need for root.^[5]
DeskSMS: An app for sending and receiving text messages from an email, browser, or instant messenger client.^[5]
AllCast: An app that enables streaming of local and cloud videos to Chromecast, AppleTV, FireTV, and DLNA devices.^[5]
Vysor: An app that allows mirroring and control of an Android device through a desktop computer. It was temporarily removed due to licensing issues.^[13]

Notes

1 2 From the archive URL^[1] and^[8]^[9]
↑ Forked from CyanogenMod and uses the same path.^[2]

References

1 2 "Github - CyanogenMod/android_bootable_recovery". GitHub . Archived from the original on 24 October 2010.
↑ "Github - LineageOS/android_bootable_recovery". GitHub . Retrieved 30 July 2020.
1 2 Based on: "android_bootable_recovery/NOTICE at cm-9.1.0 · CyanogenMod/android_bootable_recovery". GitHub, Inc. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
↑ Corporations and Charities Filing System, Washington Secretary of State, UBI: 603072700, retrieved 6 August 2019
1 2 3 4 Crider, Michael (18 April 2014). "[Interview] Koushik "Koush" Dutta On Leaving Cyanogen, Inc. And His Return To ClockworkMod". Android Police.
↑ Hoffman, Chris (17 July 2014). "What is a Custom Recovery on Android, and Why Would I Want One?". How-To Geek.
↑ Stieben, Danny (12 January 2014). "What's a Custom Recovery? Exploring CWM, TWRP, and Friends". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
↑ "My Brain Hurts: ROM Manager - Any Recovery". See "forked". Archived from the original on 16 January 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
↑ "koush's android_bootable_recovery at eclair - GitHub". GitHub . Archived from the original on 3 September 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
↑ Knoll, Marc. "How to make a Nandroid backup of your Android phone". Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
↑ Ruddock, David (20 December 2013). "It Looks Like ROM Manager Is Back In The Play Store Already". Android Police.
↑ D'Orazio, Dante (3 January 2012). "New ClockworkMod app offers free tethering to Android phones, sans root". The Verge.
↑ Novet, Jordan (13 May 2016). "Vysor app for using your Android device from your computer becomes unavailable". VentureBeat.

External links

Official website

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[original-2] 1 2 From the archive URL^[1] and^[8]^[9]

[4] Forked from CyanogenMod and uses the same path.^[2]

[cwmsrctwo-1] 1 2 "Github - CyanogenMod/android_bootable_recovery". GitHub . Archived from the original on 24 October 2010.

[3] "Github - LineageOS/android_bootable_recovery". GitHub . Retrieved 30 July 2020.

[license-5] 1 2 Based on: "android_bootable_recovery/NOTICE at cm-9.1.0 · CyanogenMod/android_bootable_recovery". GitHub, Inc. Retrieved 26 August 2015.

[corp-6] Corporations and Charities Filing System, Washington Secretary of State, UBI: 603072700, retrieved 6 August 2019

[interview-7] 1 2 3 4 Crider, Michael (18 April 2014). "[Interview] Koushik "Koush" Dutta On Leaving Cyanogen, Inc. And His Return To ClockworkMod". Android Police.

[8] Hoffman, Chris (17 July 2014). "What is a Custom Recovery on Android, and Why Would I Want One?". How-To Geek.

[makeuseof-9] Stieben, Danny (12 January 2014). "What's a Custom Recovery? Exploring CWM, TWRP, and Friends". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 9 September 2019.

[cwmsrc-10] "My Brain Hurts: ROM Manager - Any Recovery". See "forked". Archived from the original on 16 January 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2020.

[11] "koush's android_bootable_recovery at eclair - GitHub". GitHub . Archived from the original on 3 September 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2020.

[12] Knoll, Marc. "How to make a Nandroid backup of your Android phone". Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

[13] Ruddock, David (20 December 2013). "It Looks Like ROM Manager Is Back In The Play Store Already". Android Police.

[14] D'Orazio, Dante (3 January 2012). "New ClockworkMod app offers free tethering to Android phones, sans root". The Verge.

[15] Novet, Jordan (13 May 2016). "Vysor app for using your Android device from your computer becomes unavailable". VentureBeat.

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