Official FM Radio app on Lumia 950 via restoring from a backup with pinned FM Radio tile

[jbindel]

I just bought a Lumia 950 to replace my Lumia 830 whose camera focus stopped working. Being annoyed by the lack of the official FM Radio app that I've enjoyed on my other Lumias, searched for a solution and found close to nothing except using a third-party app. Here's what I did to enable to official FM Radio app on my Lumia 950.

I have a spare Lumia 635 on which I've installed the Insider Preview.

First, I created a backup of my new Lumia 950.Then I reset the Lumia 635 and chose the Lumia 950 backup image to restore the 635.

Since the 635 has the FM Radio app, I pinned it, along with several of my favorite stations, to the start screen. Then I made a backup of the Lumia 635.

Once the Lumia 635 backup completed and was visible in my list of backups on OneDrive, I reset the new Lumia 950. When setting it up, I chose the latest backup from the Lumia 635 with the FM Radio app and stations pinned to the start screen.

When the Lumia 950 finished restoring and activating, my FM Radio app and stations are all on the start screen still. I can start the radio from the pinned tiles, and it seems to work as well as on my other Lumia.

Note that the FM Radio app is not listed "All apps", so I won't unpin it since I would then not have access directly to the official app.

Phone information:

Manufacturer Name: RM-1118_15358
Mobile Operator: 000-US
Originally had 10586.29 on it when I did the steps above, but I've upgraded to 10586.63 since then.

 

[RumoredNow]

Sloppy, but I'm sure the radioheads will flock to it.

Nice thinking outside the box.

 

[PepperdotNet]

Back in the 8.0 days, the official Maps app was hidden on some Lumia phones, I guess they wanted everyone to use HERE maps. I found an app in the store called Maps which was simply a launcher for the hidden official app. Somebody should do that for the FM Radio.

 

[valuxin]

How to return FM Radio app an easy way:

*if you have unlocked fm radio "functionality" - jump to the steps below the sreenshot​

1. Install software for PC if don't have:

• Windows Phone SDK 8.0 Lite
• Windows Phone SDK 8.1 Lite
• Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 (Check Windows SDK and .NET boxes)

2. Next, we have to do some things with phone:

• Go to the Settings --> Update & Security --> For developers --> Enable the "Developer mode"
• Download "RootTool.xap"
• Deploy it with "Windows Phone Application Deployment". If you can't deploy it with standard utility, try this
• Run the app on the phone --> Jailbreak Lumia --> Capability Unlock --> Unlock Windows Capabilities
• Go back to main menu of the app and click on choose Registry Tool for all devices
• Enter the same values as shown on the screenshot. Then tap "Write".
  View attachment 121671
• Reboot the phone
• Install third-party FM Radio app
• Plug in headphones, run the Radio app, select manual tune, find some station and play it. Then, press the volume button and click on freq number.
• Now, you should be seeing an original FM Radio app. Just pin the station on Start Screen.
• ...
• Profit$$$

P.S. This guide is 100% working for EU variant of Lumia 950 (single or dual sim). It's also known, that US versions don't require registry editing - the FM Radio module is not turned off.

 

[nig_nffc]

Will this work on uk vision of phone?

No radio app work on uk version, it say no radio present.

 

[valuxin]

Will this work on uk vision of phone?

No radio app work on uk version, it say no radio present.

That's why I've made the guide It will work with any variant of any lumia windows phone.

 

[msirapian]

I just bought a Lumia 950 to replace my Lumia 830 whose camera focus stopped working. Being annoyed by the lack of the official FM Radio app that I've enjoyed on my other Lumias, searched for a solution and found close to nothing except using a third-party app. Here's what I did to enable to official FM Radio app on my Lumia 950.
(...)

Hi, what's your 950 type?

Settings, Extras, Advanced Informations, can you share your :
* manufacturer name
* mobile operator ?

The US and EU variants don't seem to be blocked the same way (third party apps work on North American variants, not in Europe).

 

[abogdan]

How to return FM Radio app an easy way:
1. Install software for PC if don't have:

• Windows Phone SDK 8.0 Lite
• Windows Phone SDK 8.1 Lite
• Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 (Check Windows SDK and .NET boxes)

2. Next, we have to do some things with phone:

• Download "RootTool.xap"
• Deploy it with "Windows Phone Application Deployment"
• Run the app on the phone --> Jailbreak Lumia --> Capability Unlock --> Unlock Windows Capabilities
• Go back to main menu of the app and click on choose Registry Tool for all devices
• Enter the same values as shown on the screenshot. Then tap "Write".
  View attachment 121354
• Reboot the phone
• Install third-party FM Radio app
• Plug in headphones, run the Radio app, select manual tune, find some station and play it. Then, press the volume button and click on freq number.
• Now, you should be seeing an original FM Radio app. Just pin the station on Start Screen.
• ...
• Profit$$$

Did you succeed to do this on a L950?
In the XDA thread cited by you it is mentioned that it doesn't work on L950.

 

[valuxin]

Did you succeed to do this on a L950?
In the XDA thread cited by you it is mentioned that it doesn't work on L950.

Yep, I did it on my Lumia 950 (EU variant). This is the reason to post it in the Lumia 950 thread haha

 

[abogdan]

Great, then please mention which build and firmware do you have. Tks.

 

[valuxin]

Great, then please mention which build and firmware do you have. Tks.

I have both the latest firmware and Windows for non-Insider users. It'll work on any up to current builds. Windows is .29, firmware is 01078.00027.15506. Just try my method - it's not dangerous at all or something xD

 

[msirapian]

valuxin, what's your RM-xxxx type of 950 please?

 

[valuxin]

valuxin, what's your RM-xxxx type of 950 please?

Lumia 950 Dual SIM
RM-1118

 

[abogdan]

Not working for me: l950 with built .63 and fw 00027..
I've got error 0x89731B01 when deploying roottool.xap .

 

[valuxin]

Not working for me: l950 with built .63 and fw 00027..
I've got error 0x89731B01 when deploying roottool.xap .

Ah, forgot to mention - you have to enable Developer Mode in settings first.

 

[InsGadget]

By the way, I was able to make this work without all the extra developer stuff. I just installed the third-party FM Radio app from the Store and did your steps from there. I don't have the latest firmware since I'm on AT&T, does the new firmware disable this easy way?

 

[abogdan]

I also enabled the option Developer mode (I knew about it ).

 

[valuxin]

By the way, I was able to make this work without all the extra developer stuff. I just installed the third-party FM Radio app from the Store and did your steps from there. I don't have the latest firmware since I'm on AT&T, does the new firmware disable this easy way?

It's known, that in US variants of lumia 950 FM radio "functionality" is not locked. In EU it's locked... Don't know, is it firmware or region specific.

I also enabled the option Developer mode (I knew about it ).

Hm... Try to deploy it with this instead. Can't be, that you can't deploy it... But it may be cased by the .63 build. Or not...

 

[jbindel]

Hi, what's your 950 type?

Settings, Extras, Advanced Informations, can you share your :
* manufacturer name
* mobile operator ?

The US and EU variants don't seem to be blocked the same way (third party apps work on North American variants, not in Europe).

I bought mine at a US Microsoft Store. It's the unlocked, dual-SIM version.

Manufacturer Name: RM-1118_15358
Mobile Operator: 000-US

It originally had 10.0.10586.29 on it, but I've upgraded the OS to 10.0.10586.63 via Windows Insider. The firmware was and is 01078.00027.15506.02004, and the hardware revision is 2.1.6.2.

I hope that's enough of the information.

 

[msirapian]

Thanks jbindel. It confirms you have a US variant. For EU variants, the radio seems locked at firmware (or OS) level, and third party apps won't even work (when it will work out of the box on US variants).

So I won't try the long process you described on my French 950 Dual SIM, I'm pretty sure it won't work

If only TuneIn released their W10M app officially (I can download it on my 640 and 535 running W10M, but it's a store glitch, Tunein have never announced their mobile UWP and their Twitter support keeps on saying that it's coming soon, waiting for official release of W10M as other publishers I assume, to avoid bad reviews on store because of the OS and not the app...)