Rooting an Android phone refers to the process of gaining privileged access, often referred to as „root access” or „superuser” access, to the device’s operating system.
Root acces comes from Unix/Linux (the Android OS and Kernel being based on it) and is basically allowing users to have elevated permissions on the Operating System that are usually restricted by manufactures for various reasons.
When you root an Android device, you effectively remove the limitations imposed by the manufacturer’s software. This gives you the ability to perform tasks that are otherwise not possible on a standard, non-rooted device.
În 2023 there is way more difficult to root an Android device that it was in the past.
Manufactures are more strict in terms of the security and are making the process of rooting more and more difficult for the average user.
As a result of that, now most of the Android devices that are on the market cannot be rooted or if you are able to root them the process is extremally tedious.
But not all hope is being lost. How to Android Root
For a couple of years now there is a project called Magisk that is aiming to resolve the problem of rooting for the modern Android Phones and Tablets.
Magisk is a popular open-source tool and framework used for rooting Android devices and managing root access.
It was developed by XDA Recognized Developer topjohnwu.
Unlike traditional methods of rooting that often modify system files directly, Magisk uses a „systemless” approach, which means it doesn’t make permanent changes to the system partition.
This makes it easier to hide root access from certain apps and maintain the integrity of the device’s core system files.
How to Root Android device using MagiskSU
Before we start you must take into consideration the following:
Rooting your Android device comes with some downsides. For most of you im sure that they are not that important or you already know them, but i feel that is should mention them.
- Voided Warranty: Rooting your device often voids the manufacturer’s warranty. This means that if something goes wrong with your device and it’s rooted, the manufacturer may refuse to provide support or repair services, even for issues unrelated to rooting.
- Security Risks: Rooting removes some of the built-in security features of the Android operating system. Apps with root access have the potential to access and modify system files and settings, which could lead to security vulnerabilities and potential exploitation by malicious apps.
- Bricking Risk: If the rooting process is not done correctly or if you make incorrect modifications to the system files, you can potentially „brick” your device. Bricking means rendering your device unusable and difficult (or sometimes impossible) to recover.
- Instability: Modifying system files and settings can lead to system instability, crashes, and unexpected behavior. Some apps might not work properly on rooted devices due to the changes made to the system.
- Lack of OTA Updates: Once a device is rooted, it might not receive over-the-air (OTA) updates from the manufacturer. This can mean missing out on important security patches, bug fixes, and new features that official updates provide.
- Compatibility Issues: Some apps, especially those with strong security measures (like banking apps), might not work on rooted devices. They can detect root access and either refuse to work or limit their functionality.
- Loss of Certain Features: Rooting can sometimes lead to the loss of certain features, especially those that rely on a secure and unmodified system. This could include features like Google Pay or other apps that require a non-rooted environment.
- Difficult Recovery: If something goes wrong during the rooting process or if your device encounters problems afterward, recovering it can be complex and require technical expertise.
First metod of Android Root with Magisk: Sideloading APK with ADB
First of all you need to download the SDK Platform Tools for your operating system.
Then unpack the SK Platform Tools arhive in a folder and inside that folder open a Terminal/Shell window as Administrator.
Next download the latest Magisk .apk from here in the folder where you unpacked the SDK Platform Tools.
Now on the device you need to Enable USB Debugging.
To enable USB Debugging Go in Settings/About phone/ and start to tap Build Number a few times, then you are a developer.
Now in Settings search for Developer Options, click on it and find USB Debugging and activate it.
Connect an USB cable to the PC and click on the terminal Window that you just opened.
Now type the following command:
adb devices
On you phone will appear a new popup Window to „Allow USB Debugging” confirm and then head back to the command line and type:
adb install apkname.apk
Replace apkname.apk with the Magisk file name and hit enter.
After that you will see the Magisk APK inside the appdraw, click on it.
A popup will appear now that is Requiring Additional Setup, click ok.
Three options are now appearing from witch you select the Direct Install method.
In this stage the app will patch the system so that Magisk will run properly.
After the patch is done the phone should be rooted.
Second method of Android Root with Magisk: Flash Magisk via Custom Recovery
This method requires you to have installed a custom recovery.
To flash a custom recovery you need to do your own research because i cannot include a general tutorial (here isn’t one, each phone has a different method of flashing)
The places to first look if your phone has a custom recovery built for it are:
My advice is to search also on Xda-developers.com to see if you can find your phone there and maybe (with some luck) there is also a custom recovery for it.
Download the Magisk APK directy to the phone or tablet you want to root.
Now with a file explorer app rename the Magisk .apk and change the file extension to .zip. So it will be something like finename.zip from filename.apk.
Now reboot your phone into recovery mode and flash the just renamed file.
After the installation is completed reboot the device and open Magisk.
An update will be downloaded for Magisk then a popup will show on the screen, in order to install patch for the system. Click on then choose the Direct Install method and then click next.
After the process is finished now reboot the device and you should have root enabled.
Hide Root detection for banking apps & other apps
Some apps will detect if your phone is rooted and will be unable to start.
That’s why this step is necessary. Basically will hide the fact that the phone is rooted by denying the permission for the app to read the SU status.
For this to work you need to firstly go onto Magisk, Setting and scroll down, you will see an option called Hide the Magisk App.
Click on it and rename the app how you want basically. The idea here is to provide a random name so it wont be recognized.
The app will do its thing and in a few seconds the app name has changed.
Now we need a module called Shamiko in order to be able to hide the SU from the list of apps that may or have the ability to detect it.
Download the module to the phone and then go back to Magisk and flash the .zip package.
The device will request you to reboot it, do that and when the phone boots back up enter again in Magisk. Click modules an check if Shamiko is enabled.
Go back to Magisk main Settings page and search for Configure DenyList. Click on it and from here you can block certain application to see the Super User status.
When clicking on an app, some options will apare, click all of them. Also make sure to include in the blocklist Google Play Service.
Now reset the apps that you’ve included in the list and they should be working fine now.
