18 
To root or not to root? That is the question. Rooting your Android device definitely pushes you up a level or two in your geekdom. It requires a certain level of commitment, at least a little savvy, and even a modicum of risk. So, why would you want to bother?
We’ve got nine good reasons for ya.
We’ve we talk about rooting plenty around here, but here’s the high-level look for the few remaining uninitiated. Rooting means gaining root access to your device. When you take your phone out of the box, while there are plenty of settings you can tweak, you can only alter what the manufacturer allows you to. By gaining root access you can modify the device’s software on the very deepest level. It takes a bit of hacking (some devices more than others), it voids your warranty, and there’s a small chance that you could completely break your phone forever. But you know what? It’s still totally worth it for all the goodies you get access to.
If you’ve spent much time in Google Play, you know you’re not exactly hard-up for good apps. But why settle for good when you can have great. Once you’re rooted not only can you get more apps, but the apps you have access to can get way down deeper into your phone’s brains. In some cases you’ll be able to do things that networks, manufacturers, and/or Google may not want you to do. Some will allow you to do things of questionable legality. For example, Network Spoofer uses your device to set up a fake wireless network. When your houseguests sign in, you can make ever image they see inverted, or all of the text fuzzy. It’s a harmless prank, but of course it could (but shouldn’t!) also be used for stealing passwords and other nefarious things.
Where do you find all these root-only gems? Amazingly enough, many of them are still in the Google Play app store. Google’s much more relaxed about rooting than Apple is about jailbreaking. Some apps, like Tasker, work for factory-shipped devices as well, but get expanded superpowers when you root.
Dammit, why am I always three updates behind. This may be the most common complaint among Android users, less than half of whom have made it as far as Ice Cream Sandwich. Between the Google, the networks, and the hardware manufacturers, there are a whole lot of shenanigans behind closed doors that determines when (or if) your phone gets an upgrade. Who has the patience?
Android’s developer community, on the other hand, is a hardcore bunch. They’re often able to get the new OS onto a phone months before the network releases the update, often along with a few bonus features. Once you’re rooted, you just have to find the OS version you want (optimised for your specific device), and it’s generally extremely easy to install the latest and greatest.
Android enthusiasts rightly hate the software skins that hardware manufacturers use to brand their devices. They’re often bulky, ugly, unwieldy, or just downright not as clean and functional as stock Android. They’re also a big reason those OS updates take so long. You’re almost always better off without.
So root! Once you do, you can download and install any number of custom-built ROMs (different versions of the Android firmware). Some of them are highly customised and tweaked to add features, and others are basically just stock Android. Cleaning off an ugly skin can be like a breath of fresh air.
Android phones are plagued not only with OEM skins, but with a fistful of superflous apps that you don’t want and will never use. Generally, they’re just things to get you more entrenched in the network’s ecosystem. The best part? You can’t remove them. In Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) devices, you can disable those apps so you don’t see them, but they’re still there, taking up space. Once you’ve rooted your phone, you can use Titanium Backup to delete them once and for all. Just be careful you don’t accidentally delete something that your phone actually needs, or you’ll be sorry.
Phone starting to get laggy? Or maybe you’re having trouble making it through the day on a single charge? Rooting allows you to install customised kernels (the software that enables the OS to talk to the hardware, basically) that are optimised differently. Some are made for low-power consumption, and some are built for speed. You can also use an app like Set CPU, which enables you to overclock or underclock your phone’s processor, and set rules for usage.
For example, you can set your processors to go into overdrive when you’re playing a graphically intensive game, but have them draw the bare minimum power when the screen is off.
Android is already the most customisable mobile OS out there, which is one of its big draws, but if you root your phone you can really go nuts. If you want a total change, you can download custom ROMs that look nothing like Android at all. Want your device to navigable entirely by gestures? No problem, just install GMD Gesture Control (see video). Prefer a sliding keyboard when you’re in portrait mode, but a tapping, predictive keyboard when you’re in landscape. Keyboard Manager will automatically switch between your keyboards of choice whenever you rotate your phone. You can also add features like widgets in your notification bar, or can change the way certain features look or behave, like the lock screen, or notification bar. The sky’s the limit.
Beyond just customising your phone’s existing features, rooting helps you pile on all kinds of wonderful new weirdness. You’ll love it.
Want to hook up your PlayStation controller to your phone for better gaming? You can. Want to set rules for callers to decide who can and can’t call you when? Why not. Maybe your network has blocked certain apps, or an app isn’t available for the country you live in? There are Market Enabler apps that trick your phone (and Google) into thinking it’s on another network or in a far off land. Nervous about connecting to the public Wi-Fi? Wifi Protector will keep you safe from all kinds of ARP, DOS, and MITM attacks. Or, you could put the new Android 4.2 camera on your non-Jellybean phone. Accidentally deleted something you wish you hadn’t? Undelete might just save your bacon. The possibilities are virtually limitless.
You probably know that your phone can function as a Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing you to get your laptop (or tablet, or whatever) online wherever your phone has a data connection The catch? Most wireless networks charge you more for that privilege, on top of your regular data plan. With a rooted Android device, however, you can simply download Wireless Tether (yep, right from the Android Market), create your own mobile, encrypted Wi-Fi network, and your carrier will be none the wiser.
If you do tether multiple devices to your liberated phone, just make sure you don’t go over your monthly cap. Data goes down a lot faster on a laptop.
There are apps out there that kiiiiinnnnda back up your phone, but generally it’s pretty surface level stuff (contacts, pictures, music, etc.). Once rooted you can go way, way deeper. Grab an app called Titanium Backup. Not only can it back up all of your apps, but it can back up all of the information stored in those apps. So if you’ve been doing great in Temple Run but you want to wipe your phone and start fresh, you can use Titanium to back up and then restore the game, and you’ll be right where you left off. It’s a nice security blanket if you’re going to be messing around deep in your phone’s brain.
In spite of all these benefits, only you know whether rooting is right for you. For some people it’s just not worth the time and effort. For others, it’s a godsend that allows them to use their phones in a better way and for a longer time. If you decide to take the plunge, read up and make sure you follow instructions carefully. After that, go hog wild. It’s your phone, after all.
Top art by Jesus Diaz.
To unlock more Android news, tips, and features, check out Samsung’s Your Mobile Life over here.
Intriguing… You’ve managed to come up with one less reason than you did back in 2012.
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/01/10-reasons-to-root-your-android-device/
Thank you but no advice about ROMs to flash or a how to for the technically challenged (like me)?
Paranoid android for a tablet, or modaco for the stock but better feel. My favourite rom for my nexus 7 at the moment is the cyanogen flavoured modaco rom which is really nice as I always miss the modaco customised apps.
You can find full information at xda-developers.com forums. Also, id recommend checking out freeyourandroid.com this is a more “newbie” friendly site. Also, with FYA they are all friendly guys and are all on IRC so any questions you can go ask. Provided you read the information carefully and follow the steps you shouldnt have any issues. I have probably rooted 20+ devices and reading the information is the best way to go about it. It’s come along way since the early days so some devices have tools which can do most of the hard work for you. Not all guides tell you to do this, but once you have installed a recovery (wont mean anything now) and before you install a rom. I would recommend you take a backup from the recovery. As at this point your fairly safe to bugger about provided you have that backup
. Hope this give you a little information 
cheers
For me it’s not so much the “should I root”, but how? Been trying to get Jellybean on my Galaxy Note and just get so many error messages I eventually give up in frustration.
Usually the most hassle is getting the drivers right. What note is it and what version of android are you currently running? I suspect you have already checked xda-developers.com but if not check there. If you could provide some errors messages i could probably help more. I’ve seen lots of errors rooting devices, mostly drivers.
It’s the GT-N7000. I checked on xda and there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer – Trying to place hardcore’s ClockworkMod Recovery file into the Heimdall directory but the error I am getting currently is: “Claiming Interface failed”
Do you have root yet?
I wasn’t going to initially after having read this: http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Install_CM_for_n7000
where it says “Rooting the stock firmware is neither recommended nor necessary.” Following this method I got as far as #5 before hitting the error message mentioned.
Hmmmmmm, I’ve never used Heimdall – always ODIN.
Let’s try a different approach:
1. If you’re on ICS and above, have you backed up using Carbon (link in the post below from me).
2. Download ODIN from here (bottom of the page), and as I assume you have already, download and install the appropriate Windows drivers (the laziest way to do this is just install Kies [shudder])
3. Copy the ROM (not the recovery image) you want to flash to the internal storage on the Note.
4. Open Odin.
5. Disconnected from the PC, reboot the Note into download mode.
6. Plug in to the PC, and you should now see the first square in Odin turn yellow and say Ready
7. Untick Re-Partition
8. Click on the PDA button, and select the .tar file you’ve already downloaded.
9. Click Start and wait for the phone to reboot.
You should now be rooted, and able to follow the Installing CyanogenMod from recovery guide from step 4 onwards.
Success at last. You sir are a lifesaver! A thousand thank yous
Not a problem
I appreciate why the instructions say to use Heimdall because it should work with every device, however for Samsung devices it’s generally easier to use ODIN.
Plus I can’t see the need to use the command line to copy the files across (I assume it works for all), when most users will have a GUI option for doing it.
With the advent of ICS, I’d suggest that even #9 is less necessary:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup
The main reason I rooted my old Galaxy S was to use OpenVPN – but it appears that Android now has an API for VPNing – and someone’s made a version of OpenVPN that works brilliantly even without root (“OpenVPN for Android” by Arne Schwabe).
Also, #2 isn’t strictly about rooting but ROM flashing (thought I appreciate they often go together).
For anyone needing help on how to root
Here’s how I’ve done it most times, saves the coding
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/root-android-phone-superoneclick-2/
This or http://forum.xda-developers.com/ (technical) or possibly http://www.freeyourandroid.com/ (less technical and friendly bunch on irc)
2, 3, 4 & 5 (and possibly 6 & 8, depending on your current ROM) are not dependant on whether you have root access, but rather having access to the bootloader to install alternative ROMs, which is a different matter all-together.
A bit of digging and here’s a very helpful video and a link to the software used (I haven’t used this yet myself but intend to and have no idea if it’s any good!):
http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/433970/20130212/nexus-4-root-google-lg-guide-video.htm#.UR5PjKXvj-Y
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=34209287&postcount=1
I rooted my HTC desire so I could actually add some apps (using a2sd) and get to ICS. Unfortunately a lot of companies (Sky, I’m mainly looking at you, but Flixster, O4D) won’t let you use their apps on a rooted phone.
I now have a Galaxy S3 and I’m fairly happy to leave it as is, for now. It might not have the latest Jelly Bean (it’s on 4.1.2) but I can live with that.
Have to say having watched a few videos about CyanogenMod which seems to be one of the more popular ROMs I see little advantage at the moment in rooting as a lot of the ‘features’ I have through various apps.
I would like to lose (or dim) the menu buttons at the bottom of the screen when using Kindle, allow Tasker & NFC access to Airplane mode and I want to extend my battery life but that’s about it. Not sure it’s worth all the risk and aggro.
That’s just it though – because they’re baked into the OS, you don’t have the additional system resource overhead of using a dedicated app to perform the function.
Based on Chris’ experience, the battery life alone is worth it.
Hmmm…still nervous, might try it
Tbh, the best thing you can do is pull your finger out and find us on G+ for the simple reason there are more than enough people on there with rooted and/or N4s running custom ROMs all of whom will be able to talk you through it
Resisted the whole ‘social network’ thing for so long though….have to ponder on it
Btw you might want to download the android market app too. Not sure if it’s included in CM 10 or the nightlys, I’m only on CM9 and had to do it myself.
You have to download the Google Apps for all CM builds – they’re not allowed to include them. However you do only need to flash them the first time, and can use the updates thereafter.
Ah, I guess that makes sense. I thought I’d mention it though since I didn’t expect that it wouldn’t even though it was simple to get.
Think of it as less of a social network and more of an open forum
lol
One where you already have a vague idea of whom you’re talking to!
Once I understood the guide I was following, rooting my device was surprisingly easy. It’s probably unlikely anything bad will happen as long as you follow instructions.
thanks
LOL! I just love the GIF! Made me giggle.
4 is the only valid reason for me. 3 is the opposite for me, my OEM skin is better than stock.
If you have no experience with rooting – I recommend you not to even try it! You can brick your device, then your fucked.
My thoughts exactly. I’ve got the Nexus 4 and friends keep saying, ‘have you rooted it yet? Oh, you must root it’. Can’t see the point for my purposes as long as I’m getting the updates (JB 4.2.1 currently) although if I had an ICS device then I’d give it a go. Rather keep all my warranties and insurance valid for the moment
Ive rooted every android handset ive owned and a number of friends and not once has it been bricked
Gotta start somewhere
. I found it pretty simple myself after reading a guide beforehand to make sure I understood it properly.