Getting Root permissions on Android, the official guide

Getting Root permissions on Android, the official guide

Find out how to root Android in a few simple steps, whatever the model and manufacturer of your smartphone. The progress of the Android platform achieved over the years and the arrival of new versions of the system have made users feel less and less the need to make advanced changes to the software on their devices. Unlike a few years ago, when third-party custom ROMs were a feature no one could do without.



However, as Android is defined by the freedom it gives users to tweak nearly every aspect of the software to make each experience unique, root is still relevant, as is the debate over whether or not this process is worth doing.


And although Google has made the process of Rooting an Android phone harder and harder, the community of developers and advanced users was able to successfully circumvent most of the restrictions imposed and offer users a way to root and unlock almost all existing devices on the market. And today we explain how to activate Root permissions on Android, unlock the smartphone and install root apps.

Root permissions on Android, what is it for?

Although some believe otherwise, the root is not something unique to Android. This concept refers to getting superuser or administrator permissions in Unix-based operating systems - such as MacOS, Linux or Android - so that you can make advanced changes that any other user with "normal" permissions could not.


In general, come on Android is rooted to circumvent restrictions imposed by the device manufacturer, or by Google itself. In this way it is possible to make changes to the system such as uninstalling pre-installed apps or other more sensitive ones such as modifying system files, and even replacing the operating system itself with an alternative version - known as third-party ROM -.



Advantages and Disadvantages of Root

In the same way it happens in iOS with the process called Jailbreak - which, like root in Android, allows advanced system modifications -, activating root permissions on Android has some advantages, but also some disadvantages .

The advantages of this process are quite obvious: by getting root, you are promoted to a much higher administrative level since virtually any change can be made at the operating system level.


In this way it is possible to install third-party custom ROMs, modify the system “kernel” to improve the autonomy or performance of the phone, easily uninstall bloatware and much more.

Obviously there are also drawbacks, and they are not few. To begin, getting root permissions on Android is a delicate process, which should only be done by those familiar with concepts such as locking and unlocking the bootloader, ADB drivers and, ultimately, the more “advanced” Android side. Otherwise, the consequences can be dire.

Also, in the case of some companies' devices, the warranty is completely lost at the time of root. This, however, is not a problem for those who have an older device or whose warranty period has long since expired.


On the other hand, while rooting a device, you may also lose access to some applications that base their operation on the various protection systems that the operating system includes.

How to root Android

Unfortunately, there is no master app or tool that can successfully root any android device. Due to the existence of thousands of terminals, each with unique hardware and a different software structure, it is almost always necessary to resort to tools created specifically to obtain root permissions on a specific type of device.



However, with the passage of time the techniques of obtaining superuser permissions have progressed, and in recent years they have emerged universal solutions that allow rooting of different device models using a single tool.

However. This increase in the number of tools that promise to root our phones with a single click has also caused some developers with not very good intentions to seize the opportunity to create tools with embedded malware, which can damage users' phones.

For this reason, we recommend using only tools from reputable developers and a good community of users who guarantee their reliability.

How to root Android from Windows PC

 root an android mobile using a Windows computer, one of the most popular and effective methods out there is the one provided by KingoRoot.

This tool allows you to get superuser or root permissions with just one click from your PC and using it is as simple as written in these steps:

  1. Download KingoRoot on your Windows computer and launch the program.
  2. Connect your mobile to computer via USB cable.
  3. Open KingoRoot and follow the steps indicated in the application. In some cases, you will need to install mobile device drivers on your PC.
  4. When the application indicates it, tap "ROOT" and wait for the process to finish.

If all went well, the your mobile will have been rooted. Now you will be able to make advanced changes, access hidden content from your mobile memory and much more.


How to get Android root permissions from Mac

If you are one of those who use a computer with a Mac, you can like for Windows run the root of your mobile, although the steps will be a little different, since will be used a different app called OneClickRoot. To use it, you need to follow these steps:


  1. Download OneClickRoot for Mac and install the tool on your Mac computer.
  2. Connect your mobile to your computer via the USB cable and open the application.
  3. Follow the steps indicated on the screen and wait for the process to finish.

How to root Android via TWRP and Magisk

Magisk is a “Systemless Root” solution that not only allows you to run the root in a good number of phones from different manufacturers, but it also gives you the option to hide the root if necessary, for example when using banking apps or games like Pokémon Go.

Most importantly, this process allows you to perform the root of Android without PC.

To install Magisk and root any Android mobile, first you need to have a custom recovery installed on your phone. And for this, the bootloader must be unlocked. Once the requirements are met, these are the steps to follow:

  1. Download the latest version of Magisk and store the file on the phone's internal memory.
  2. Access the modified recovery of the device and go to the “Install” tab.
  3. In the file manager, choose the Magisk package that was downloaded in the first step and proceed with the installation.

That's all. When the device restarts, we will see a new app called Magisk appear, which allows it to act as an administrative tool to perform the various operations offered by this utility.

Another well-known method of getting root permissions on Android is SuperSU. We have already talked in more detail in his day about this utility, which has been with us for several years and which, unlike Magisk, allows you to get root by modifying the operating system and some of the files in its structure, but with this method it is not possible to hide these privileges from third-party apps.

Also, when you run il rooting a cellphone with SuperSU, you lose the ability to receive OTA updates. Another difference from Magisk is that the SuperSU code is closed, and has long been in the hands of a company of Chinese origin.

How to Root Any Android Phone

Rooting your Android mobile allows you to make advanced changes. We have already seen some of the most popular universal methods to root Android phones. However, these methods are not valid for all devices.

In some cases, it is necessary to resort to specific tools which are only used to root cell phones of some brands. And also within the catalog of some brands, we can find models that require specific tools in based on the processor they use.

Below we will list the steps to follow to root any android mobile, whatever its manufacturer, through the processes of rooting the mobile phones of the main brands.

How to get ROOT permissions on Samsung with Exynos processor

Since Samsung uses different types of processors in its terminals depending on the market they are aimed at, the process of rooting a Samsung Galaxy mobile is a little more complex than that of other devices.

However, if you have a South Korean brand terminal with an Exynos processor and launched with Android 9 Pie, you can use Magisk to get root as long as it meets a number of requirements. These are the steps to follow:

  1. Download the firmware of your device (you can do it through SamMobile).
  2. Unzip the file and copy the AP file in tar format to mobile memory.
  3. Install the Magisk Manager application.
  4. Open the app and go to the “Install” section. Select the “Select and patch a file” option and choose the AP file you copied in the second step.
  5. Magisk will generate a new tar file in system memory after the process is complete. Copy it to your computer and start your mobile in download mode.
  6. Via Samsung ODIN, install the magisk_patched.tar file from the previous process with the BL, CP and HOME_CSC files, unchecking the “Auto Reboot” option in the options section.
  7. Boot your device into recovery mode by pressing on the Power + Volume Down button. and when the screen turns off, press –power + volume up + Bixby– button and go to the “Wipe Data / Factory Reset” section to format the device memory.
  8. Wait for the device to reboot and access the Magisk Manager app to check if the root process was done correctly.

Root Xiaomi

How to unlock (for a fee) the bootloader of Xiaomi phones

How to install custom recovery on Xiaomi phones

How to enable root permissions on Xiaomi phones

Most Xiaomi phones can be rooted easily.

 run the root of one of the many smartphones that make up the Xiaomi catalog, just resort to Magisk. The only necessary requirements, as for the rest of the models, are to have the bootloader unlocked and a modified recovery such as TWRP. Once these requirements are met, you just need to follow these steps:

  1. Download the latest version of Magisk from the official website and store the file in the phone's internal memory.
  2. Restart the device in recovery mode (volume up + power)
  3. Install the Magisk file downloaded in the first step.
  4. Wait for the phone to reboot and check that the Magisk Manager app has been installed. You can also download and install it manually.

Enable root permissions on Google Pixel

Google pixels are examples of mobile phones that are easy to root.

Unlike other brands, Google makes the process of rooting its Pixel phones not very complex. For this, among other things, it offers the necessary steps to be able to unlock the bootloader of your Pixel phones, which subsequently allows you to install a modified recovery, necessary for get root permissions using Magisk.

  1. Download the latest version of Magisk and store the file on the phone's internal memory.
  2. Restart the device in recovery mode (volume down + power)
  3. Install the Magisk file downloaded in the first step.
  4. Wait for the phone to reboot and check that the Magisk Manager app has been installed. You can also download and install it manually.

How to activate root permissions on Huawei

How to unlock (paid) the bootloader of Huawei phones

How to install custom recovery on Huawei phones

How to enable root permissions on Huawei phones

Taking into account the situation that Huawei is going through, many of the owners of the Chinese brand phones have on more than one occasion shown their interest in relation to root and ROM in Huawei devices, in case they are forced to switch to an alternative version of EMUI in the future.

However, Huawei is one of the brands that hinders the rooting process the most, since from July 2018 Huawei no longer allows the unlocking of the bootloader of its terminals, and therefore it is not possible to install a modified recovery, which eliminates the possibility of installing Magisk to get root.

However, if you have a Huawei with EMUI 8 or 9 and have managed to unlock the bootloader before Huawei has removed the ability to do so, you can root your terminal a provided that you first downloaded the original firmware of the device from Huawei Firmware Database and extracted the images from “UPDATE.APP” in the downloaded ZIP using the Huawei Update Extractor Tool for Windows.

In EMUI 8

  • If you have a modified recovery, follow the usual Magisk installation steps.
  • If you don't have a modified reset, follow these steps:
    1. Copy the RAMDISK.img image of the downloaded firmware to the internal memory of the device.
    2. Download and install the Magisk Manager app.
    3. Open the app and go to the “Install” section. Select the “Select and Patch a File” option and choose the file you copied in the first step.
    4. Magisk will generate a new file at /Download/magisk_patched.img. Copy it to your computer.
    5. Using fastboot, install the image that was generated in the previous step. To do this you need to use the following command:

    fastboot flash boot /ruta/del/archivo/magisk_patched.img

In EMUI 9 and later

  • If you have a modified recovery, follow the usual Magisk installation steps.
  • If you don't have a modified reset, follow these steps:
    1. Copy the RECOVERY_RAMDIS.img image of the downloaded firmware to the internal memory of the device.
    2. Download and install the Magisk Manager app.
    3. Open the app and go to the “Install” section. Select the “Select and Patch a File” option and choose the file you copied in the first step.
    4. Magisk will generate a new file at /Download/magisk_patched.img. Copy it to your computer.
    5. Using fastboot, install the image that was generated in the previous step. To do this you need to use the following command:

    fastboot flash boot /ruta/del/archivo/magisk_patched.img

Root OnePlus phones

How to install custom recovery on OnePlus phones

How to enable root permissions on OnePlus phones

Like Google, OnePlus also places no obstacles in the bootloader unlocking process, and therefore it is possible install a modified recovery that allows you to get root via Magisk. Therefore, the steps to follow are the usual ones:

  1. Download the latest version of Magisk from the official website and store the file in the phone's internal memory.
  2. Restart the device in recovery mode (volume down + power)
  3. Install the Magisk file downloaded in the first step.
  4. Wait for the phone to reboot and check that the Magisk Manager app has been installed. You can also download and install it manually.

As you can see, the process of rooting an Android device it is similar in the vast majority of the devices of the major brands. However, there are some cases that need to be taken into account before carrying out the procedure, mainly due to restrictions imposed by both manufacturers and Google.

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