How to root your Android phone

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If you’ve ever wanted more control over your Android phone, or felt frustrated by its restrictive apps and settings, gaining root access might be the solution. But what exactly is ‘rooting’ a phone, is it safe, and how can you do it? Canstar Blue explains how to root an Android phone.

What does ‘rooting’ a phone mean?

Rooting an Android phone or tablet is similar to jailbreaking an iPhone. It lets you access the deeper layers of your device’s system. Once rooted, you can customise almost everything on your Android device and bypass any restrictions set by the manufacturer or carrier.

However, rooting should be done carefully. It’s important to back up your phone’s software before installing, or ‘flashing,’ a custom ROM (a modified version of Android).

Benefits of rooting your Android phone

There are a range of benefits to rooting your Android phone, including:

Install custom software

Rooting your phone means you’re no longer restricted in your ability to download applications from the Play store. You can now download apps from unofficial sources, as well as downloading apps from the Play store specifically designed to enhance the capabilities of a rooted phone.

Remove bloatware

Google Pixel phones come with stock Android, which is the default version of the Android operating system without any customisations. Most other phone manufacturers put their own ‘skin’ over the top (i.e. their own software that gives the device a different look and feel) and install multiple proprietary apps. These apps can be useful, but they can also be annoying or intrusive and cannot be installed, only disabled – this is why these apps are often called ‘bloatware’. Rooting your phone bypasses these restrictions, allowing you to uninstall bloatware as you like, or even install apps from other manufacturers normally reserved for their phones.

Modify more system settings

Root access allows you to modify the deepest workings of your phone, sometimes with the aid of specialised apps. You can do things like install wacky custom launchers like different home screen layouts, install extra network security, create hidden or encrypted folders, overclock your processor and much more.

Full data backups

With root access, you can create complete system backups (Nandroid backups), allowing you to restore your device to a previous state if something goes wrong.

Downsides of rooting your Android phone

There are some significant risks that come with rooting your phone, including:

Risk of bricking your phone

If something goes wrong during the rooting process, you risk ‘bricking’ or corrupting your device. To prevent this, follow the instructions carefully. Make sure the guide you’re using is up to date and that the custom ROM you flash is specifically designed for your phone. By doing your research, you can avoid bricking your smartphone.

Voiding your warranty

Some manufacturers or carriers will void your warranty if you root your device; however, if necessary you can always unroot it. If you need to send the device back for repair, just restore the software backup you made, and it will be as good as new.

Losing support for some apps

Some apps you can download from the Play store will not function on a rooted phone. This is usually because an app’s developer sees it as too much of a security risk to send, receive or store data on a rooted phone. Examples of this might include some streaming services broadcasting licensed content(such as live sports), or banking apps and other security-dependent programs.

Security risks

Rooting your device introduces some security risks. Depending on the services or apps you use, it could create a security vulnerability. Certain malware can exploit a rooted device to steal data, install more malware, or target other devices with harmful web traffic.

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How do I root my Android phone?

These instructions for rooting and unrooting your Android phone are a general guide only.

Before you root your phone, it’s essential to backup your Android data. While Android automatically backs up your apps and personal data to the cloud, it’s a good idea to also perform a full backup of all your files onto your computer. To do this, plug in your phone and use File Transfer to copy everything to your computer.

Once you’ve backed up your phone, the easiest and safest way to root it is by using a ready-made rooting application. There are reputable programs available online that will handle the rooting process for you in a matter of minutes. Some of the more popular rooting apps and programs include KingRoot and OneClickRoot, but what works best will depend on the model and age of your device. A well-known resource for finding  tools for specific smartphones is the Android forum XDA Developers.

Additionally, make sure your phone is fully charged before you begin, as the process may take some time.

If you’d rather root your Android through a third-party app, follow these steps:

1. Enable Developer Options on your phone by going to ‘About Phone’ and tapping the Build Number seven times.
2. Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking – this will let you install new software via USB and enable the modification of software installed by your phone’s manufacturer.
3. Install the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) tools on your computer. You can download these and instructions from the Android website.
4. You can now unlock your phone’s bootloader. This is the program which loads the operating system when you start the phone.
5. Boot your device into ‘fastboot’ mode by holding down the Power and Volume Down keys when starting up. Next,  go to your computer and open up the Command Prompt or Terminal in the same folder where you saved the Android SDK. Your phone’s manufacturer may require you to enter a key at this point, so it’s best to search online for your particular phone brand and how to root it.
6. Once you’ve found and entered the right key for your device, you can reboot it and type in a command in the Command Prompt to unlock it. This is often named ‘fastboot oem unlock’ for Google phones or ‘fastboot flashing unlock’ for Samsung devices

Your Android is now rooted. However, this is just the first step. It may be wise to install a root management app to keep track of the software you install and its permissions, especially given the increased security vulnerabilities. 

Typically, apps that require root privileges will ask for your approval. This is where root management apps like Magisk Manager come in handy. Magisk Manager is open-source software that lets you manage your phone’s root permissions, allowing you to grant or deny permissions to individual apps.

How to unroot an Android

Despite all the benefits that can come with rooting your Android, it’s always possible to unroot your device, should you change your mind. There are several ways to unroot your Android; however, we recommend looking for instructions for your specific model if you’re unsure.

Unrooting with file explorer

If your phone is running Android Lollipop or older, you can unroot your device by deleting the files that granted the root. 

1. Turn on root explorer (or similar).
2. Find your device’s main drive under /.
3. Go to System > Bin, then tap and hold on busybox and su and delete them.
4. Go to System > App and delete supeuser.apk.
5. Restart the device.

Unrooting with an OTA update

Sometimes installing an OTA update can break root access on your device. You can check for a software update under Settings > About Device. However, be cautious—if the update causes issues, recovery might be difficult. In such cases, you may need to flash the original firmware to restore your device.

Unrooting by flashing stock firmware

One of the most thorough ways to remove root access is by flashing your device with factory firmware, which can be downloaded from the Android website.

1. Download the factory image for your device to your computer.
2. Unzip the file. You will see another zipped file — unzip that one, too.
3. The unzipped folder should contain a bootloader image, radio, various scripts, and one more zipped file. Again, unzip that.
4. Download and install the Android SDK Platform Tools from Google’s developer site.
5. Open Settings. If you do not see Developer Options towards the bottom of the Settings screen on your device, follow these steps to activate them.
   1. Tap on About Phone and find the Build Number.
   2. Tap on the Build Number seven times, and the Developer Options will appear on the Settings main page.
   3. Tap on the Back key to see the Developer Options.
   4. Tap on Developer Options.
   5. Check to enable OEM Unlocking.
6. Switch back to your computer. Copy boot.img in the folder you unzipped and place it in your ADB folder.
7. Connect your phone to your computer via USB. Open your computer’s command prompt by holding down Shift + Right Click and choosing Open a Command Prompt Here. Then, enter these commands:
   1. adb reboot bootloader
   2. fastboot flash boot boot.img
   3. fastboot reboot

Is it illegal to root a phone?

Rooting a phone isn’t technically illegal in Australia, but it does violate most brands’ warranty agreements and terms of use. Additionally, different countries may have varying legal perspectives on rooting, which could lead to legal issues. Therefore, it’s essential to review the terms and conditions to fully understand what you might be getting into.