How to root an Android device:
Rooting is the Android equivalent of jailbreaking, a means of unlocking
the operating system so you can install unapproved apps, deleted unwanted
bloatware, update the OS, replace the firmware, overclock (or underclock) the
processor, customize anything and so on.
Of course, for the average user, this sounds like -- and can be -- a
scary process. After all, "rooting" around in your smartphone's core
software might seem like a recipe for disaster. One wrong move and you could
end up with bricked handset.
Thankfully, there's a utility that makes rooting a one-click
affair: KingoRoot. It's
free and it works -- though not with all devices.
I originally tested Kingo on a Virgin Mobile Supreme and Asus Nexus 7;
the process proved quick and easy. More recently, I used it to root a One-plus One, and this time it was even easier -- because an app did all the work.
However, I couldn't get the utility to work on a Verizon Samsung Galaxy
S6. Your mileage may vary, of course, and I definitely recommend checking the compatibility list before proceeding. (Even if your device isn't on it, the utility
may work with it.) Here's how to get started.
Application for rooting :
The easiest way to use KingoRoot is to install the app version, which
literally performs the root process with just one tap.
In fact, the only complicated part is actually getting that app onto
your Android device. That's because it's not available in the Google Play
Store; instead, you must download the KingoRoot APK and manually install it.
Ideally,
you'll just point your device's mobile to the KingoRoot Android
page and download it directly. If
that doesn't work for some reason, or you're working from your PC, download the
APK and email it to yourself as an attachment. Then, on your device, open that
e-mail and download that attachment.
To install it, however, you'll need to make sure your
device is set to allow apps from unknown sources. In most versions of Android,
that goes like this: Head to Settings, tap Security,
scroll down to Unknown Sources and toggle
the switch to the on position.
Now you can install KingoRoot. Then run the app,
tap One Click Root, and cross your fingers. If all goes
well, your device should be rooted within about 60 seconds. (On my
aforementioned Galaxy S6, the process made it to 90 percent, then the phone
crashed and rebooted. Luckily, no harm done.)
Step
1: Download and install KingoRoot for Windows, making sure to
leave unchecked the option to "Install Yahoo powered
Chromium browser" and then click Decline to
prevent any other adware incursions.
Step 2: Enable USB debugging mode on your phone. If it's
running Android 4.0 or 4.1, tap Settings, Developer Options, then tick the box
for "USB debugging." (You may need to switch "Developer
options" to On before you can do so.) On Android 4.2, tap Settings, About
Phone, Developer Options, and then tick USB debugging." Then tap OK to
approve the setting change.
On
Android 4.3 and later (including 5.0, though this also applies to some versions
of 4.2), tap Settings, About Phone, then scroll down to Build Number. Tap it
seven times, at which point you should see the message, "You are now a
developer!"
With that done, tap Settings, About Phone, Developer
Options, and then tick USB debugging." Then tap OK to approve the setting
change.
Step 3: Run Android Root on your PC, then connect your
phone via its USB sync cable. After a moment, the former should show a
connection to the latter. Your device screen may show an "Allow USB
debugging?" pop-up. Tick "Always allow from this computer," then
tap OK.
Step
4: Click Root, then sit back and
wait while the utility does its thing. After a few minutes, my Galaxy S6 got to
70 percent, and then the phone once again crashed and rebooted. Again, your
mileage can (and most likely will) vary.
And that's all there is to it. If you decide you want to
reverse the process, just run Android Root again, connect your phone, then
click Remove Root. (Same goes for the app version, more or less.)
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