Android Rooting – A Beginner’s Guide to Android Rooting

Android is one of the most popular Smartphone operating systems. The operating system is developed by the Google on the Linux kernel. Having built on the Linux kernel, it has most of the features from the Linux operating system. People who have used Linux-based operating systems might be aware of the ‘Root access’.

Having access to the root is one of the most loved Linux features. It is because it enables the user to change system level files. In fact, there are a lot of things which can become easier after rooting your android device. In this article, we will walk you through the following topics so that you get a complete knowledge about android rooting.

What is Root?

Root is the most powerful user in a Linux-based operating system. The root user can not only help in accessing the system level files, but it also has the ability to create, delete or modify a system level file. The administrator in the Windows OS is similar to the root in the Linux-based operating systems. There are many instances where installation of a program to your Windows PC might require the permissions from the admin.

To access the root user in the Linux like systems you add “su” in front of the command you are typing the terminal. Similarly, you can open the command prompt in administrator.

What is Android Rooting?

Even after being built on the Linux kernel, the android phones by default don’t have access to the root user. Smartphone manufacturers generally disable the access to the root, as having access to the root enables the users to make changes to the system level files. An unwanted deletion/modification of a system level file can cause inconsistency in the operating of the system.

Being built on Linux kernel, the manufacturers have no option to permanently disable the access to the root. But the manufacturers have the ability to void the warranty if the device is rooted. It is one way to stop the users from rooting the phone because not all the android phone users are experts in rooting. A noob messing with the system level files could not only cause a problem to the operating system but could also damage the hardware or the user too!

Why root your android device?

Rooting an android phone opens your doors to a lot of files and features which you would love to use. I remember, I first rooted my android phone just to overclock the CPU of my phone. While overclocking the CPU could be dangerous if someone noob is trying, but to be honest this is the only reason why I rooted my android device.

There are several reasons why an android phone owner roots the device. One of the common reason is because the user thinks that he has paid for the hardware and would want to make the best possible use of it. Some might root an android phone because he/she is unhappy with the UI/appearance or performance. The others generally root to learn and explore things.

Rooted? What now!

There are a lot of apps which might require an access to the root, I remember the screen recording apps also required the access to the root to record the things going on the screen. Although, with the newer versions, the Android OS allows a lot of things which previously required root permissions to be done without access to the root. Here is the list of things which you can do after rooting your android device.

• Remove Bloatware (Unwanted system apps which come pre-installed)
• Overclock & Underclock CPU and Change CPU Profiles
• Flash a custom Kernel
• Use apps that require access to the root
• Change app properties of any app