Root Your Android Phone: What is Root &

How To
While your Android isn't in the same sort of jail an iPhone lives in, rooting can help you break
out.
Jerry Hildenbrand
17 Feb 2020

Source: Android Central

If you've researched anything about Android on the internet, you've probably seen and read about
"rooting" it. There was a time when many of the Android phones available didn't live up to their
potential, and root was the answer. Horrible software was the norm, applications that you would
never use ran amok and wasted data and battery life, and the experience was bad all around.

Because every Android phone is running the Linux kernel and middleware very similar to a
Linux distribution you would install on a computer under the hood, rooting them was the way to
allow us to try and fix them our own way. Rooting is how you get complete access to everything
in the operating system, and those permissions allow you to change it all. Modern Androids are
quite a bit better than they used to be. Even the most inexpensive phone or tablet you can buy in
2019 will do more and perform better than the best Android phone available just a few years ago.
But many of us still want to root our phones and are looking for more information.

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Table of contents
 What is root?
 Should I root?
 Getting ready
 How to root
 Samsung
 LG
 Huawei
 OnePlus
 Motorola
 Pixel
 Other phones

What exactly is root?

Source: Android Central

When you root your Android, you're simply adding a standard Linux function that was removed.

Root, at least the way we're talking about it here, is the superuser. Your Android phone uses
Linux permissions and file-system ownership. You are a user when you sign in, and you are
allowed to do certain things based on your user permissions. Apps you install are also given a
type of user ID, and they all have permissions to do certain things — you see those when you
install them on older versions of Android, or you are prompted to allow them on Marshmallow
or higher — in certain folders with certain files. Root is also a user. The difference is the root
user (superuser) has permission to do anything to any file anywhere in the system. This includes
things we want to do, like uninstall application forced on us, or things we don't want to do that
can put your Android in an unusable state. When you're doing things with superuser permissions,
you have the power to do anything.
When you root your Android, you're simply adding a standard Linux function that was removed.
A small file called su is placed in the system and given permissions so that another user can run
it. It stands for Switch User, and if you run the file without any other parameters it switches your
credentials and permissions from a normal user to that of the superuser. You are then in complete
control and can add anything, remove anything and access functions on your phone or tablet that
you couldn't reach before. This is pretty important, and something you should think about before
you begin.

System root vs. Systemless root

Source: Android Central

Everything described above is how Linux-based systems normally work, and how Android
worked before version 4.3.
Since the release of Android 4.3 the process that handles requests for root access has to run as
soon as you turn on your phone. This daemon (that's what these sorts of processes are called)
also needs special permissions so it can work as intended. To make both of these things happen,
files in the phone's system folder had to be modified.

When Android 5.0 was released things changed and the boot image — software that does exactly
what you think it does: boot up Android on your phone — need to be modified so that the su
daemon was launched. Since this doesn't modify the system partition, it was called a systemless
root.

Systemless root is what you'll have unless you can build Android for your phone and install it.

Work on systemless root was quickly halted when a way to root phones running Android 5 by
editing the system files was found, but Google patched the method with Android 6 and
systemless root was once again required.

It's good that Google patches things to keep our phones more secure because most people don't
care about rooting phones and need these protections. In this case, it was also good for the
rooting community at large because a systemless root is better in a lot of ways.

It's easier when you want to update to a newer version of Android, it's easier to remove if you
change your mind, and what most users like about it is that a systemless root can be "hidden" so
that certain apps and behaviors won't know your phone is rooted and function normally. Yes, this
means that things like Google's SafetyNet, your bank's app, or even a game that doesn't allow
rooted devices can work normally in many cases.

Unless you have a very old phone or just want to practice building Android yourself on a Pixel or
other open hardware platform supported by Google, you'll probably be using a systemless root
method.

Should I root my Android?

Source: Android Central

Yes. No. Maybe. All three answers are perfectly valid. People have different reasons to want to
root their devices. Some do it just because they can — they paid for the hardware and think they
should be able to do anything they like. Others want to be able to add things that aren't there, like
internet servers or be able to "fix" services that are there but don't work the way they would like
them to work. People might buy a phone because they like the hardware, but hate the software
and want to change it. Mostly, people root their phones because they simply want to get rid of
the extra things on it that they don't want. Every one of these reasons — as well as any reason
you might have that aren't mentioned here — are the right reasons.

Most people want root to get rid of the bloat.

Before you do any preparation to root your phone, you need to remember that it changes
everything about the inherent security from Google and the company that built it. Plenty of us
don't like it, but being able to access an account with admin permissions was not included in
release versions of Android on purpose. As soon as you add this capability, you are responsible
for the security and integrity of the operating system and every application on it. For some, this
is more responsibility than they want or need.

Rooting isn't the answer for everyone. If you're not sure about the ways you can break things by
doing them as root, you should learn more about it before you start. It's OK to not know things
and to try and learn, but not knowing and doing them anyway can turn a very expensive Android
into a paperweight. You also need to know that for many Android models, rooting means your
warranty is null and void. Services (including apps as well as network access from your carrier)
can be denied to you because of the security risk when you're rooted. The risk is real because so
many users go into it all blind and let security lapse. Not doing that is your responsibility — take
it seriously!

Rooting your phone puts you in charge when it comes to privacy and security. That's good and
bad.

Finally, there are plenty of users who simply don't care about this stuff. Any Android phone, no
matter how restricted root access is, can do just about everything we want or need from a pocket
computer. You can change the appearance, choose from over a million apps in Google Play and
have complete access to the internet and most any services that live there. You can even make
phone calls. It's great if you're happy with what you have and what it can do, and aren't worried
about trying to fix what isn't (in your eyes) broken.
Getting ready to root
Source: Android Central

You'll need to do a few things to prepare your phone for rooting, depending on which method
you use. Many of the ways require you install the Android SDK or unlock your bootloader. This
sounds like a lot of scary work, but it's not difficult and knowing how to use these tools will help
if things go wrong. The Android SDK is huge, and if you're just rooting your phone, you don't
want to waste bandwidth or file space on it. XDA user shimp208 built Minimal ADB and
Fastboot, a Windows tool that only contains the ADB and Fastboot components needed for
rooting.

Here is our comprehensive walkthrough of how to set up and install the Android SDK

Depending on which phone you have, unlocking the bootloader is slightly different. The
"standard" way is by using the OEM unlock command. If you're using a Motorola, Sony, or LG
phone you'll be able to get an "official" cryptographic token to unlock your bootloader for some
devices. You'll find how to do that and who to get it from at each vendor's developer pages in the
links below. Remember that unlocking the bootloader on your Android may affect the warranty
status.

 Motorola bootloader unlocking

 LG bootloader unlocking
 Sony bootloader unlocking

How to root my phone?

How you root your Android is going to depend on which one you have. There are over 12,000
different Android models (and that's only counting ones that can access Google Play) from
hundreds of different manufacturers. Almost all of them have been designed so that they are hard
to root. That's because if it is is easy for you to root your phone when you want extra access, it
may also be easy for someone else to root your phone and get the same access — which means
they would have all of your important private data.

There are models specifically hardened to prevent unauthorized access (that means rooting, too)
like the BlackBerry KEY2 as well as devices that were designed to be safely and easily unlocked
for full developer access like the Google Pixel 4. Most phones fall somewhere in between, and
when carriers get involved they have control over the process, too.

The best Android phones

With over 12,000 different models, we can't cover every single method to root every single
device. We can point you in the right direction and help you get there, though.

Rooting your Samsung phone

Source: Android Central

Samsung used to offer "developer editions" of their popular models, but weak sales (they usually
needed to be paid for in full with no type of subsidy or financing) they seem to have stopped
production. We have only ourselves to blame — it's just not worth making something that
nobody is buying.

Samsung also makes very lucrative deals with carriers, and most of the time those carriers want
to prevent you from rooting your phone. Recent models from AT&T or Verizon are notoriously
difficult to exploit, and all the U.S. versions of the Galaxy S9 are locked up and encrypted. There
might not ever be a way to root them. This isn't true for unlocked models sold outside of North
America though.

Knox can pose special problems when trying to root.

To root most Samsung phones you'll need to use a program called Odin. It's a low-level firmware
flashing tool that can push image files to the storage and overwrite existing images. You'll also
need the correct USB drivers for Windows computers. If you're using a Mac computer or
running Linux, the software that flashes images is called Heimdall. They both work essentially
the same and carry the same risks — if you try and flash the wrong image or a bad image, your
phone isn't going to be able to start. While this is often recoverable, know that there is always a
chance you can ruin your phone or tablet, and your warranty is voided as soon as you begin.

Also, many Samsung phones ship with Knox security enabled. Knox is part of Samsung's special
"Samsung Approved For Enterprise" feature where personal and work environments can be
separated in a way that allows both to coexist on the same device. Knox can pose special
problems when trying to root a phone that uses it, and it has a software counter that can show
when device firmware has been tampered with. This means it's very easy for Samsung to void
your warranty if you start fiddling with things.

For more information about rooting Samsung phones, the best advice we have is to check XDA
Forums for your particular model. * Galaxy Note 10 * Galaxy S10 * Galaxy Note 9 * Galaxy S9

XDA Forums are a group of people, including some from the mobile industry, who are dedicated
to the good sort of hacking of mobile devices. It's one of the best places on the internet to learn
about things like rooting your phone, and it's the first place I check when I have any questions,
too!

Rooting your LG phone

Source: Android Central

LG phones have several different methods to install the files needed for rooting. Some, mostly
international models, are completely bootloader unlockable and it's trivial to push the files
through a custom recovery, while some are locked up tighter and require some special tricks. As
we see with Samsung phones, carriers have a lot of influence here, so most new LG phones sold
in the US are difficult to root.

In the past, phones like the LG G6 were trivial to root even if you tried on a carrier-branded
model. Those days are gone and now the process may be risky. As with Samsung phones, the
best thing you can do is to check the XDA forums for your model.

 LG G8 ThinkQ
 LG V30
Rooting your Huawei phone

Source: Android Central

Huawei doesn't sell very many phones in North America, but the company is one of the largest
smartphone manufacturers in the world and offers some really great products like the Mate 20
Pro, one of the best phones you can buy.

The company used to allow bootloader unlocking of their phones through an official program,
but that was suspended in May 2018 because it felt that a better user experience could be
provided and wanted to avoid issues for customers that flashed unauthorized software.

If you're interested in rooting your Huawei phone, the best thing you can do is read up on your
model at XDA.
  Huawei P30 Pro
 Huawei Mate 30 Pro
 Huawei P20 Pro

Rooting your OnePlus phone

Source: Android Central

OnePlus has always been one of the more developer-friendly manufacturers, and all of the
company's phones except the T-Mobile branded OnePlus 6T can be rooted exactly the same way
a Pixel phone can be — by unlocking the bootloader through the standard Android commands
and transferring the correct files to the phone itself.

While carrier influence may make the T-Mobile OnePlus 6T an outlier, nothing has changed for
the company's latest version. You'll find a full tutorial for unlocking and rooting your OnePlus
phone at XDA Developers.
To root the T-Mobile branded OnePlus 6T, you'll need to convert it to the standard model's
firmware. XDA Forums also has a full tutorial for you to follow. Other sections for OnePlus
phones if you're not using a 6T:

 OnePlus 7 Pro
 OnePlus 7t

Rooting your Motorola (Lenovo) phone

Source: Android Central

Motorola also offers a liberal bootloader unlocking policy for some models, which you'll find at
their developer site. Using the standard Android SDK tools, you can unlock your bootloader so
that a custom recovery image can be flash. This allows you to flash any other system image to
your phone.

If your Motorola phone isn't covered under their bootloader unlocking policy (see the list here)
you might have to resort to exploits or use commercial rooting apps. The best places to try are
MOFOROOT or the relvant section at XDA Forums.

Rooting your Pixel phone

Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central

To root your Pixel phone, you should start with learning how to install and configure the
Android SDK. There are plenty of one-click scripts or toolboxes that will unlock your bootloader
and get you ready to flash (or even flash it for you) a custom recovery, but there's a great reason
to learn how to do it yourself — you are able to fix most anything if it goes wrong by using the
Factory Images.

Google not only supports unlocking your bootloader, but they also give you full and complete
instructions on how to do it, how to flash third-party images and how to go back. Unlocking the
bootloader doesn't break any warranties as Google realizes that there are many valid reasons to
flash experimental on the developer/reference device for Android. Take advantage of this, and
use the tools Google provides!

Once a third-party recovery image is flashed, you're easily able to transfer the files you need to
root to your phone. We highly recommend a Pixel phone to anyone who wants to tinker with the
Android software platform.

Other phones

As mentioned previously, there are over 12,000 current Android models from hundreds of
manufacturers. There's no way to include each and every one on a single page.

Some of these phones come with a method (either approved by the manufacturer or found by a
third-party) to unlock the bootloader and use the custom recovery method to root them. Many of
these other phones can be rooted with applications you run on a computer or the phone itself.
Look at specific forums for your device if you want to explore this.

Commercial root apps work but check out the pros and cons before you use them.

Apps like these work because they take advantage of an exploit (a bug or glitch) in the software.
This means that many security applications will identify them as a virus, and that software
updates can (and do) break compatibility with them. Not every phone can be rooted through an
app that leverages an exploit, but many can. It's certainly worth a look to see if your particular
phone is supported.

It's also good to question the methods and motives behind any company that wants access to
potentially sensitive information, and a healthy dose of skepticism is a good thing. A lot of folks
feel that these kinds of apps are unsafe or follow unsafe practices, and they may be correct. On
the other hand, plenty of people have used the apps and services and are completely happy with
the results. We can't speak on it either way, as we're not involved in the creation or testing of any
of these apps. Our job is to inform you that they exist and let you know that there is always a bit
of inevitable controversy surrounding them.

**Updated February 2020: ** This article was completely rewritten to showcase all of the latest
root guides and apps. {.update}

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No end in sight

Daily Coronavirus updates: Netflix reduces quality to save the internet

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has also had a huge impact on the tech industry, affecting the global supply chain and causing
interminable product delays. Here are all the ways the coronavirus is affecting the tech industry.
It's all gone

Google I/O 2020, including the planned livestream, is completely canceled

As a result of the ongoing Coronavirus, Google has announced that its I/O developer conference
is canceled — including the livestream that the company was previously using to replace its
physical event.
Game on

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the launch of Doom Eternal on the cloud game streaming service.
Time to tinker

People into rooting and modding should check out these phones

If you're looking ahead and know you'll want to change something on your next phone that
requires custom software or root access, these phones are the best options.

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 Help & How To

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Rooting for you

The Galaxy S9 and Note 9 can now be rooted — with a lot of

caveats
There's a long list of requirements, but it won't void your warranty.
Muhammad Jarir Kanji
7 Feb 2020
Source: Android Central

What you need to know

 Developers have found an exploit in the U.S. variants of the Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note 9
that allows for these devices to be rooted.
 However, it only works if you have specific Android versions and firmware installed.
 It does not void the phone's warranty, though.

Samsung's Snapdragon-powered phones, sold in the U.S., are particularly hard to crack, and
nearly two years after the S9 series release, rooting the phones was still not possible. Until now,
that is.
XDA Developers reports that Team Syndicate, the folks who crafted a similar rooting exploit for
the Galaxy S8, have now cracked the Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note 9.

There is a long list of caveats for users to fulfill, however, and the exploit only works if you're
way behind the times on your Android updates. Specifically, the devices need to have Android 8
or 8.1 installed in order for the exploit to work.

In addition, you need to flash combination firmware onto the device, which XDA explains to be
"firmware that Samsung uses in the factory for testing." Doing so, however, will lead to an 80%
cap on your battery capacity.

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Once you've got all that setup, the good news is that Samsung Knox itself isn't compromised,
which means that you can continue to use services like Samsung Pay and Secure Folder. Your
warranty is also not voided, as the bootloader is not unlocked.

On the other hand, while Samsung's payment platform works, Google Pay won't. Nor will any
other app that relies on SafetyNet Attestation, such as Pokemon Go — let go of what you love,
right?

The list of caveats continues: once you've got it all set up, power users and enthusiasts won't be
able to use TWRP with this solution, which means every time you boot the phone, you'll have to
go through a specific set of motions in order to "disable write protection."

You can, however, use the Xposed Framework alongside this root exploit, which seems to be the
only silver lining attached to the long and complicated list of limitations it comes with.

If you're still curious about trying your hand at it, you can find the full set of instructions for
implementing the exploit and rooting your Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, or Galaxy Note 9 on XDA's
forums.

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