What is root rights for android. What are ROOT rights and how to get them on Android

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Everyone has heard of such a concept as root rights, why it is needed and how to get it. We will try to answer these questions. Let's start with whether the average person needs root rights. Perhaps not, for the most part, the functionality of the smartphone out of the box meets the requirements of ordinary users. Root rights are used in service centers to flash firmware and restore smartphones; they are also used by advanced users who want to get the most out of their phone. How dangerous is this? The first warranty expires, the second auto-update stops coming, and then various errors arise in the system, and what do we get in return: the opportunity to update the software, change the design, overclock the hardware, install a pure Android, etc. This article explains everything in more detail.

So, what is Root?

Root (from the English root - root; read "root"), or superuser - a special account in UNIX-like systems with an identifier (UID, User IDentifier) 0, the owner of which has the right to perform all operations without exception.

Benefits of Root

Having access to the main administrator (superuser) profile, you get a number of features that are not available in normal operation.

First of all, obtaining Root makes it possible to remove standard applications imposed by device manufacturers, change themes and shortcuts, as well as launch specialized applications that significantly expand the capabilities of the smartphone (usually such applications require Root rights). In addition, it becomes possible to change system files (Recovery image, Bootloader or images displayed during boot), run Linux executable files, install applications to a memory card or transfer program caches to it. In some cases, after modifications to the OS, available only after obtaining Root rights, it is even possible to achieve a small, but still increase in battery life performance.

Disadvantages of Root

As with everything else, gaining Root access has its drawbacks. First of all, the device loses its warranty and in the event of “something like that”, provided that you cannot roll back your “device” to the official firmware, you will have to repair it solely at your own expense.

The rooting procedure is simple - by doing everything in accordance with the descriptions, you can achieve what you want, but if you do not have any experience, the potential risk remains - under unfavorable circumstances, the device may turn into an unusable “brick”.

Another important drawback is that opening Root privileges implies interference with system files and entails the loss of the ability to update over the air (install OTA updates). More precisely, the ability to update may not be lost, but the consequences of the update will be unpredictable. The most harmless of them is the loss of root privileges, but more fatal options are also possible - up to and including obtaining a brick.

Types of Root rights

There are several types of Root rights:

Full Root - permanent rights that remove established restrictions. It is not recommended to update the operating system.
Shell Root is similar to Full Root, but without access to the system folder.
Temporary Root – temporary Root access. After rebooting the device it disappears.

How to get Root rights?

The 4PDA forum describes a lot of universal methods and methods for obtaining Root rights on devices running Android. Most of them involve the use of special programs and a computer. Among such programs, Universal AndRoot, Unlock Root, z4root, Revolutionary and others are well known, promising to get what you want in “two clicks”. Unfortunately, not all of them can 100% help you achieve what you want, specifically for your mobile device. Moreover, such software can be detected as a virus because it makes changes to the kernel of the Android operating system. In this case, the antivirus is partly right - all these programs are virus exploits that penetrate the system kernel and when downloading or installing them, it is recommended to disable the security software.

Another way to obtain Root rights is to install it on your smartphone modified firmware. In this case, all the work has already been done for you by specialists, and all you have to do is choose the firmware that is suitable specifically for your device. By the way, there you will also find various decorations and additions for your smartphone model.

It is worth noting that some phones have protection supplied by the manufacturer - NAND lock. Most often, HTC was guilty of this, so the owners of such devices were out of luck - NAND lock prohibits making any changes to the /system partition (it will not allow anything to be written/deleted to/from the /system partition, even if it is remounted for writing), which is why It is impossible to install the Superuser program in the /system folder.

It is still possible to Root phones with NAND lock, but it will not be fully functional (you can only get Shell root or Temporary Root). You can find out whether your device has NAND lock in the discussion thread for your model in the section Android - Devices.

How to check that root rights have been obtained?

It is possible (but not necessary) for an application called Superuser or SuperSU to appear in the list of programs
When running programs that require root privileges, a corresponding prompt will pop up
Programs that previously did not work, citing lack of rights, are now fully functional
In a terminal emulator, when you enter the su command, a hash prompt appears: #
This verification method depends on the method of obtaining root rights (for example, when using Universal Androot, this verification method is unacceptable). In a terminal emulator, type the command "/system/bin/id". If you get "uid=0(root) gid=0(root)" in response, then you have achieved what you wanted.

Let's sum it up

Now you know why you need to obtain Root rights in the Android operating system. Some users believe that Root is necessary, while others live quite well without it. It’s up to you to decide whether to perform this procedure or not, just don’t forget about the warranty and everything will be fine.

It's quite simple. Not all programs on a smartphone are equal. Regular applications that you launch with shortcuts are allowed to display something on the screen, transfer data, and, with the user's permission, access the camera, microphone, and phone book. They have their own little sandbox in their memory, from which they have no right to get out. They are not allowed to roam around the storage, touch system files, or access the hardware directly. These programs work with “regular” rights.

But in the Android system there is an account called root, and it has unlimited rights. A program launched under this account can do anything at all - including replacing system files, intercepting data, and deceiving other applications. Sometimes this is necessary in order to simply fine-tune the smartphone for yourself or run programs that do not work without root. But not all manufacturers and developers like this.

No payment from a smartphone, no licensed films

Soon you will be able to pay at the supermarket checkout not only using an iPhone or the new Samsung Galaxy. Google is keeping quiet for now, but it is preparing Android Pay for many models with NFC support. Of course, except for smartphones in which the owners have obtained root rights.

It’s not that this is some kind of deliberate meanness or revenge for blocking ads/removing useless pre-installed applications on Google’s part - it’s just that no one wants to answer with their heads (and, moreover, with their wallets for lawsuits) in cases where the smartphone’s firmware is opened wide open any application with one keystroke. And Google’s partner banks don’t care how many times you installed Cyanogen/TWRP or how correctly you configured SuperSU - they know that intercepting data during the payment process can be as easy as young people “hack” mobile games for money. For this reason, branded banking applications refuse to work on smartphones with root access or even just custom firmware (no one cares that you had no other choice but to replace the stock Android 4.1 with a custom 5.0). Repackaged versions of bank clients help out, but banks periodically block access to such applications, and there is always a risk that there is a virus/Trojan inside the “repack”.

Banks see payment in a smartphone with root rights as follows:

Applications for legally watching movies, TV series and shows are also moving away from supporting smartphones with root rights. So that no one can “pick out” licensed content directly from the application using improvised means, and then upload it to torrent trackers.

Therefore, the “battle of armor and projectile” between enthusiasts and the root verification system in Android Pay did not last long and ended in victory for Google. The craftsmen used a script that disabled superuser rights at the time of activating Android Pay, and the Xposed module (a software add-on with plug-ins) reported to Google services, saying, “everything is fine, brother - there is no root in the system!”

Sberbank doesn't like these customs of yours

True, since then Google services and Android Pay itself have become smarter and now simply say “no” to any Android phone with root access or even without it, but with an unlocked bootloader. Only returning the smartphone to its original state helps, but this is better than the story with Samsung Pay, which stops working on a once-hacked smartphone altogether. By the way, about the guarantee.

The guarantee does not disappear after obtaining root rights. But you will have to “fight” for it

Root rights are great because they allow you to expand RAM using a flash drive, increase the speed of the processor at the cost of heating and reducing battery life, remove “uninstallable” applications, or make the smartphone speaker louder if it was weak from the factory. But no one knows whether your mobile phone’s hardware is designed to work beyond the standard settings. Due to regular overheating, a non-removable battery can swell, and the speaker, which you forcibly made louder, may “go hoarse” and die a heroic death after a month or two. And when you go to have your smartphone repaired under warranty at a service center, this same warranty will be canceled as soon as they see that your mobile phone is “rooted”.

Theoretically, they have no right, because Article 18 of the Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” of the Russian Federation states that in controversial situations, when it is not clear who is to blame for a smartphone defect, an independent examination must be carried out. And only based on its results they can announce to you, they say, “your speaker, my friend, died due to excessive zeal in the engineering menu.”

If the defect occurs due to root, the case is considered non-warranty

But in practice, service centers will kindly answer you: “Do you like flashing? You no longer have a guarantee!”, and smartphone manufacturers are doing their best to promote this. Samsung, for example, really likes to point Galaxy users to their place, so on smartphones purchased abroad you need to talk for 5 minutes with a European or American SIM card (for the smartphone to “catch” the Russian cellular network), and on models in which at least once extracted root or installed non-native firmware, the Samsung KNOX counter is ticking - a sort of indelible yoke and detector of enthusiasts for service center workers.

Other manufacturers do not put such harsh obstacles in the wheels of their customers, but just always remember that it is better to send a smartphone for repair with standard firmware without any root or traces of application modification. Otherwise, you will have to make a fuss to get a free repair.

Over-the-air updates don't work

The loss is small in most cases, because manufacturers don’t care about the newness of the Android version in the majority of smartphones sold (non-flagships), and major updates for flagships are so rare that on such an occasion an enthusiast would not be ashamed to update the firmware “with all the wipes” that is, from scratch, without saving information.

No updates with superuser rights (KNOX ticks solemnly in the background)

Another thing is that smartphones with original firmware today often become “glukodrome”, especially among budget Chinese brands. To the point that sometimes the SMS application crashes, the battery power is consumed inappropriately quickly (the smartphone works at full capacity with the display locked), and so on. And in this case, it will be quite a shame to receive an update on your Doogee/UMI/Oukitel that fixes “glitches”, but which cannot be installed with active root. The situation becomes especially spicy when there are very few owners of your smartphone model, and even the full firmware version for reset cannot be found.

In the old days, active root did not prevent smartphones from updating - simply the superuser rights stopped working after flashing. But, starting with Android 5.0, it’s easier to forget about new firmware “over the air” after hacking your smartphone than to try to “farm” updates by force.

Viruses and Trojans

No, I’m not going to tell you “horror stories for preschoolers” - idiotic in their design “viruses” that need to be installed, turned on and agreed to write off money, we won’t consider today. Because for Android and

If you are reading this article, then most likely you have heard the word “root rights”, and you probably want to know what this means and why you even need to get superuser rights on your smartphone and go through this whole incomprehensible process. We will try to explain to you in more detail what rooting is and why it is cool.

What does it mean to "root Android"?

In a nutshell, getting root rights means that you get superuser rights or, more simply put, you get admin rights on your phone. In more detail, this means that you will be able to completely edit all system files that are not available to ordinary users. That is, you or any applications that work only on rooted devices will be able to access and change system programs and features, such as camera flash, notification flashlights, etc.

You will remove all restrictions given to you by the stock firmware. Getting root rights on Android is the same as jailbreaking on Apple devices. On Windows computers, this is changing your permissions from a simple user to an administrator. It may be clearer to you when you read the full article. So stay tuned.

Will I lose my warranty after rooting?

Of course yes! It is a fact. In the same way, iPhone owners lose their warranty after jailbreaking. But, fortunately, it’s also easy to return to the manufacturer’s stock (standard) firmware (“roll back to stock”) and remove root rights. Therefore, after such manipulations, no one will guess that you had root rights installed and you will then be able to make warranty claims.

Advantages of obtaining root rights on Android smartphones and tablets

Administrator rights open up new horizons for customization and total setup of the gadget, and moreover, it helps you become more experienced in working with a smartphone. Below we present to you a list of benefits with their detailed explanation.

1. You can make a full backup of the files on your device (make a full backup of the entire device)

Let's start with the biggest benefit of rooting: better backups. With a rooted device, you'll likely want to reconfigure your entire system, install a custom ROM, or install apps that require rooting. Since you will be changing the system from the roots, it is very useful to have a backup of applications, user data, or even the entire system. Moreover, it never hurts to have a full backup, as you may accidentally delete an important system file.

The most popular application for backing up the system and individual files is Titanium Backup. Although the Pro version costs about $7, the program deserves it. The application will help you backup all your installed programs and system data.

Another way to make a backup of your device is called a “Nandroid” backup. Restoring the system with such a backup is very similar to restoring the Windows OS to the exact state at the time of the last system backup made. So if your gadget stops working correctly, programs stop responding and loading, then “Nandroid” backup will return you exactly to the point when the backup was made. This will protect you, if, for example, you want to install a different firmware or kernel, and something goes wrong, then you simply use the “Nandroid” backup to correct the situation.

2. You can automate everything

When it comes to automation, Tasker is the one and only application you need. With it you can automate just everything. The program also works on devices without root, but with fewer features and options.

The app has exactly the same philosophy as the online tool If This Then That (IFTTT), but works in a more complex way. For example, you can turn WiFi off/on every time you come home or go somewhere, or turn on Bluetooth and Google Maps when you connect your gadget to the car docking station. And these are just flowers.

3. You will be able to monitor the device even if someone does a "factory reset"

Losing a smartphone or tablet is always a big problem. Moreover, if the device was not lost, but stolen. Of course, it is impossible to prevent theft, but you can track your phone even without installing a special anti-theft application ("anti-theft"), especially since they are visible on the device. This means that the thief can simply delete the application or do a “factory reset”.

When you are rooted, you have the option to install a smartphone spying app such as Cerberus. In this case, the program is installed in the roots of the system. Thus, this program will survive even after a complete reset of the device to factory settings. It is also possible to install a disguised version of the application so that it is hidden in the "apps".

4. You have the opportunity to install custom (modified) versions of Android on your smartphone, which are called custom firmware

As the name implies, custom firmware is an adapted and customized version of Android. It often has unique features and improvements that you will never get on the standard version of this OS. The most popular custom firmwares are CyanogenMod, Paranoid Android and AOKP. These are just a couple of examples, but there are many more. If you want to get a more flexible and understandable system, stable operation, greater performance and long battery life, then you just need to try all these firmwares and choose the best one for yourself that suits all your requirements and desires.

5. You can use "Xposed Framework" to customize your device

Xposed is the basis for all available graphics modules and allows you to customize the appearance of the system. That is, you can get all the settings and operating features that are available on custom firmware, but for this you do not need to install such firmware. It is enough to configure the stock one with the "Xposed Framework". This framework is also suitable if you do not want to install a whole firmware because you only need to configure a few individual functions. All you need to do is install a specific module. Moreover, the framework is easy to install on your phone or tablet. In addition, it also works on custom firmware.

6. You can increase system performance and improve battery life

With superuser rights, you have the ability to change the processor frequency on your device. Overclocking the CPU will give you more performance, while underclocking the CPU will improve battery life. Test out the SetCPU app, available on Google Play for $2. This is an excellent program that has many useful features, such as creating a couple of CPU profiles that switch automatically depending on the set conditions.

Ads are very annoying, especially on small screen smartphones. If certain apps are bombarding you with tons of ads, you can use blocking utilities and apps like Adblock. But you should know that developers sometimes earn income from such advertising, and if the application does not have advertising, then most likely it is paid. Therefore, do not block all advertising entirely, support the developers, because without their work there would be no free programs.

Also see:

If you obtain root rights correctly, then it is not a risky business, and of course, obtaining administrator rights has a large number of advantages in comparison with non-rooted gadgets. Stock firmware, or standard Android, is a very good system, but having an unlimited number of customization options is much better. In this article, we only a little clarified the essence of such a concept as root rights, but we hope that you realized the full potential of your device after receiving them.

Recovery guides always state that a particular application requires root access to function properly. What is it, why is it dangerous and why do you need root access? Read about it here.

What are root rights (superuser rights)

Ruth- This is an analogue of jailbreak in iOS. It allows Android users to dive deeper into the phone's subsystem, working with it in the same way as with an SD card or the internal memory of a mobile device.

Android uses permissions similar to Linux. Everything you do is performed on behalf of your user with a limited list of rights. Any running application can also use these rights with the user's consent.

Root-user = superuser. His rights are not limited, he can access any file or folder, perform any file operation in the Android OS.

In simple terms, root access is the ability to work with the root file system in the Android OS without restrictions.

What happens when rooting?

Rooting– modification of the file system in order to provide superuser rights to the root directory of the smartphone/tablet.

The root program gets full access to Android. As a result, a root user has an unlimited list of rights on an Android device. If the program is granted superuser rights, it can also do whatever it wants on the phone.

How to find out if your phone is rooted

In fact, it is very easy to find out if your phone is rooted. If you recently bought a phone and are using stock Android firmware, it makes sense that you don't have root access.

If the phone is used or you don’t remember whether you installed root, you can check the status using the Root Checker program. The app will detect if there is superuser/su access on the Android device.

Why root: main reasons

By acquiring root rights, you can easily bypass any default restrictions set by the smartphone manufacturer. In particular, you can

Launch more applications with a wide list of privileges, manually accept or reject permissions of a specific application installed on Android;
Install unofficial firmware without any obstacles from the Android OS;
Provide data recovery programs with access to phone memory;
One of the most obvious incentives to root your Android is to rid yourself of viruses that cannot be removed from your smartphone without root access. Of course, there are antiviruses in nature with pre-installed root access, but they are a minority;
Install special applications and custom flash roms;
In general, improve the performance of the tablet, customize the appearance of the phone more flexibly, overclock or slow down the processor of the mobile device using root access.

Some applications, using superuser rights, will allow you to:

Automatically back up all your apps and data in Android memory,
Create a secure tunnel on the Internet,
Make the device a wireless access point (hotspot) - in other words, establish a wireless network via wifi (see “tethering” on Wikipedia), even if it was disabled by default by the firmware developer.

Why is rooting a phone dangerous?

Manufacturers of Android mobile devices are interested in preventing rooting. Inept handling of superuser rights leads to failure of smartphones and tablets. However, for an experienced user, the risk of screwing up the phone is minimal, and the potential benefits of rooting - judging by the above list - are impressive.

There are three potential dangers when activating root access:

1. Cancellation of warranty. Some suppliers, upon discovering activated root access on a phone, refuse to provide warranty coverage.

It's worth keeping in mind, however, that you can always revoke root access to your mobile device's file system. If you need to send your device in for repair, simply roll back to the original (backup) firmware and no one will ever know you were rooted.

2. Turning the phone into a “brick”: If rooting is unsuccessful, there is a risk of turning the device into a so-called “brick”.

The surest way to avoid breaking your phone is to carefully follow the instructions when obtaining root rights on trusted web resources and mobile portals. Make sure the manual applies to your device and that the custom ROMs are compatible with it.

Pay attention to reviews from users with a similar device: perhaps they have already installed root or, on the contrary, turned it into a “brick” and are in shock.

3. Increased vulnerability. Providing root rights on Android reduces security. Services and applications with unrestricted rights can create vulnerabilities. It’s not for nothing that Google refuses to support its services (for example, Google Wallet) in rooted devices.

By getting root rights to your Android device, you can get a lot of benefits, significantly expanding the capabilities of the gadget. But the concept of root implies several negative aspects that will be discussed in this publication. If you are still undecided whether you want to get superuser rights, then this article will help you find answers to all your questions and dispel doubts.

Security issues

Naturally, by obtaining root rights you will significantly expand the functionality of the device. Among the pleasant nuances are special applications that are not available for standard firmware. These software elements will open up new perspectives for the user, but can also harm the device. By prohibiting applications from using root rights, you can protect your device from negative influence, since installed utilities request access. Before installing the application, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with its purpose, capabilities and additional powers that can be easily limited.

Manufacturer's warranty

You must know that once you receive superuser rights, you will completely remove the factory warranty from your smartphone or tablet. True, in theory, the warranty can be restored back by installing standard firmware, but, unfortunately, this trick will most likely not work. Some Android devices save information regarding the firmware used. A smart specialist can easily check the phone’s database and find out the cause of the breakdown. Of course, not everyone is so responsible, and if the device breaks down, your trick of restoring the factory firmware may work.

No single installation method

It is impossible to obtain root rights for Android devices from different manufacturers using the same method. To use the Odin program, for Nexus flagships use the command line on a personal computer. So, there are some inconveniences during the installation process.

Updates

After receiving superuser rights, you will have to update the device's operating system yourself. There will be no more automatic updates. This fact is another disadvantage and a price to pay for universal capabilities.

conclusions

It’s worth thinking about whether root rights are needed at all? Do not forget to think about this issue, because the process of rooting an android is not entirely justified. An exception may be your desire to rape your smartphone, having tried a huge amount of software, which already implies installing superuser rights.