Android Rooting

What is Root

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 permissions to do anything to any file any place in the system. This includes things we want to do, like uninstall application forced on us by the people who built them or the people who sells them to us as well as 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.

For those new to the world of rooting, acquiring root access essentially grants you elevated permissions. With root access, you are able to access and modify files that would normally be inaccessible, such as files stored on the /data and /system partitions. Having root access also allows you to run an entirely different class of third-party applications and apply deep, system-level modifications. And by proxy, you may also be able to access certain device features that would otherwise be inaccessible or use existing features in new ways.

Having root access isn’t the end all-be all of device modification–that title is usually reserved for fully unlocked bootloaders and S-Off. That said, root access is generally the first step on your journey to device modification. As such, root access is often used to install custom recoveries, which then can be used to flash custom ROMs, kernels, and other device modifications. Root access also enables users to install the powerful and versatile Xposed Framework, which itself acts as a gateway to easy, non-destructive device modification.

Due to its inherent power, having root access is often dangerous. Thankfully, there are root brokering applications such as SuperSU that only grant root access to applications of your choosing. There are also various root-enabled utilities available to help you restore in the event that something goes wrong. For starters, you can use any number of root-enabled application backup tools to backup your applications and their data to your local storage, your PC, and even online cloud storage. And in conjunction with a custom recovery, rooted users are able to perform a full, system-wide Nandroid backup that essentially takes a snapshot of your current smartphone or tablet at any particular time.

We can go on about the virtues of root access ad infinitum, but we’ll stop for now because we sense you salivating at the prospect of root access and what you can do with your device once root is achieved. Head to the links below to begin the journey.

PLEASE NOTE: Rooting a device may void the warranty on the device. It may also make the device unstable or if not done properly, may completely brick the device. Some methods may install additional apps/software on your device. Author does not take any responsibility for your device. Root at your own risk and only if you understand what you are doing!