Rooting your android phone may seem tempting, but if you mess up with the procedure, it can pose a huge risk and render your device useless forever. It is equivalent to jailbreaking in Android devices. So, you need to be very careful and aware of the potential dangers and the necessary steps involved before being lured into rooting for some possible benefits.
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What is rooting?
Rooting allows you, the user, to delve into the subsystem of your device. In other words, you get to access the complete operating system and it will allow you to customize almost everything about the Android device. If you know how to root your Android phone, you can skip any restrictions applied to the OS by the carrier or the manufacturer.
With root access, additional apps can be installed, the firmware can be replaced and the processor can be overclocked to your wishes. Software modification and performance optimization become possible with rooting.
Rooting is meant for the exclusive use by dedicated programmers or hackers. A huge number of people use rooted Android devices. There is a very simple reason for it. If you know how to root Android devices, you can remove the bloatware and install the latest updates of the operating system without any restrictions whatsoever. You will be able to exercise more control over the Android device which is what the open Android operating system actually stands for.
You may want to know how to root Android devices in order to get the benefits but it is important to be familiar with the risks beforehand.
The risks of rooting
Before diving into the “how to” bit, here aware that there are some serious potential risks associated with rooting an Android device. Before you start rooting, you should be aware of the pitfalls of the process. Things can and do go wrong during the process.
Bricking
Bricking is a serious problem. It is the most common result of a poor rooting process. If you tamper with the device too much, there is a high change of ending up with a bricked phone. It is called bricking for a simple reason. Once bricking occurs, you will be left with nothing but a device whose sole function will be to act as brick. The device will stop working completely.
The only method to avoid ending up with a brick is to follow the rooting instructions with care. The guide chosen for the rooting process should be the one meant for your particular device. Moreover, the custom ROM being used should be designed for the device specifically. If all the procedures are followed correctly, you will not end up with a bricked device.
Security risks
Once you root your Android device, you are increasing the chances of it getting attacked by viruses, bugs and malware. Google can disable you from downloading and using certain apps on the rooted device such as Google Wallet. Moreover, since you are no able to install any apps on the device, you may unknowingly end up installing security risks such as viruses, malware and spyware.
Warranty void
Most manufacturers will consider a rooted device to be void of all warranties and guarantees. That means, you will not get free servicing and other benefits even if the warranty period was not yet over. However, you can easily replace the custom ROM with a backup of the original ROM. This can help you get the benefits of warranty in most cases.
Rooting an Android Device
The first step in knowing how to root Android devices is to ensure that you have the right tools for the task. You will require the following items.
- An Android device, obviously.
- The USB cable provided by the manufacturer preferably.
- A computer.
- The correct software for rooting the device such as Kingo Android Root.
There are other rooting software such as SuperOneClick and Towelroot. However, Kingo Android Root is one of the most widely used software for this purpose.
Another point to remember before rooting is to backup. Everything in your device should be backed up and saved in a different device or a computer. This ensures that no essential data is lost. A backup of the current ROM should also be kept.
Unlocking of the Bootloader
It is essential to unlock the bootloader of the device before you can start rooting it. A bootloader is a program which is used to specify the apps that will run during the startup process of an Android device. After unlocking, it becomes possible to completely customize the device according to your preference.
The majority of manufacturers allow the bootloader to be unlocked. However, you may have to register before getting access to it. The bootloader software can be downloaded from the manufacture website of your device. If the manufacturer does not provide the bootloader, Android developer forums can provide a solution.
The Rooting Process
The process for rooting the Android device can be simple but implement proper care nonetheless.
- Download and install Kingo Android Root in your computer.
- Open the Settings menu in your Android device.
- Enable USB Debugging.
- Once USB Debugging has been enabled, ensure that Developer Options are enabled as well.
- Apply the modifications to the settings and exit.
- Connect your Android device to your computer via the USB cable.
- Kingo Android Root will recognize the device automatically.
- Once it recognizes the device, you can select the ‘Root’ option.
- Sit back and wait for the process to complete. It takes a few minutes usually.
- The device can reboot multiple times during the process.
- Once the process is complete, you will be shown a confirmation message.
With this, the rooting is process is over and you now know how to root Android devices. You can now enjoy the many benefits of rooting.
The benefits of rooting
Now that you know how to root your Android phone, you can customize it in any way you want. You can even overclock the processor to boost performance or underclock it to decrease battery consumption. You can get rid of the unnecessary apps installed by manufacturers that cannot be uninstalled otherwise. You can get a significant improvement on battery life as well.