We all use smartphones, so what could be better than customizing them to our liking? With the right features and add-ons, your phone can become even more valuable. Except that this isn't always possible, thanks to the custom user interfaces that come preloaded on phones, which can lead to data leakage and have a certain level of control over your device. This article will teach you everything you need to know about getting root access.

Definition - What does Root Device mean?

Even if you wanted to, your phone would not let you, because most users are blocked from doing this kind of thing. To prevent it, smartphone manufacturers “lock down” the devices they sell. But you can jailbreak.

Essentially, “rooting” means unlocking your Android smartphone or tablet to gain greater administrative control and privileged access. It is similar to “jailbreaking” an iOS device. As mentioned, the aim is to gain root access to various subsystems of Android, in order to bypass restrictions that are in place without it.

These devices can be modified or “jailbroken” to install unauthorized apps, delete unwanted system apps, force operating-system updates, underclock or overclock processors as desired, replace firmware, and customize almost anything. They open the door to installing custom ROMs, which for Android users is a veritable path to heaven.

Risks of Rooting an Android Phone

However, gaining root access on a device is no simple feat. There's a price to pay. For the average user, rooting a device can seem like rocket science, and mishandling it can have severe consequences. The process of rooting is delicate and nerve-wracking, potentially leading to a string of unnecessary issues and headaches, especially for inexperienced users.

The Risks of Rooting Your Android Phone

This is why phone manufacturers strongly advise users not to root their devices unless they have the necessary knowledge and experience with how Android devices work and basic programming skills. However, there are specific apps that can help you root your device. You must be extremely careful and precise in your actions, though, because a tiny mistake can brick your Android device. So, it's important to understand that the risks are quite high. Here are some of the risks involved in rooting an Android phone:

    • Brick your smartphone.
    • Malware can compromise your mobile security more easily.
    • Data loss – including all your photos, messages, and everything else you had stored.

Device Data Recovery - How to Remove Root Access from a Device

As mentioned earlier, there are risks involved with flashing firmware, and the worst that could happen is you lose all your data. So, what do you do now? What options do you have? Are you just going to sit there, regretting your life choices? Don't worry; we've got your back. It's common to lose data during the flashing process, and you can use tools like the Data Recovery Wizard to recover and retrieve lost data from your flashed device, but you will need a computer to do this.

Data Recovery Wizard is an all-rounded data recovery software that helps you retrieve accidentally deleted files and data from damaged or formatted hard drives. It is incredibly safe, smooth, and efficient, making it the perfect solution for effortlessly recovering lost data.

It features multiple flexible scan modes, such as Quick Scan and Advanced Scan, that can sweep the storage device sector by sector. You can even preview data before actually recovering it to make sure that the data is, in fact, lost.

It even supports the repair of corrupted JPEG/JPG images stored on hard drives, memory cards, or other storage media. It doesn't matter if the pictures ever existed on your device. By using the Data Recovery Wizard tool, you also get to enjoy other benefits like unlimited data recovery, data retrieval from raw partitions, high-quality remote consultations, and advanced free assistance from tool experts.

You can recover almost any type of file, such as documents, graphics, videos, audio, emails, ZIP files, and more. When you connect a rooted device to your computer, it will be recognized as an external drive. Here's a step-by-step guide to recovering data from a rooted device: 1. **Download and install a data recovery tool**: First, download a reliable data recovery software on your computer, like iMobie PhoneRescue, DiskDigger, or FonePaw Android Data Recovery. Make sure you choose the version compatible with your operating system (Windows or macOS). 2. **Connect your device**: Use a USB cable to connect your rooted device to the computer. Ensure that USB debugging mode is enabled (found in your device's "Developer Options") so the software can correctly identify and access your device. 3. **Launch the data recovery program**: Open the installed data recovery software and follow the on-screen instructions. The software should usually detect your connected device automatically. 4. **Scan the device**: Choose the file types you want to scan for, then initiate a full scan of your device. The scanning process may take some time, depending on the amount of data on your device. 5. **Preview and recover files**: After the scan is complete, the software will display the recoverable files found. You can preview these files and select the items you wish to recover. Click "Recover" or the corresponding button to save the chosen files to your computer or another secure location. 6. **Disconnect safely**: Once the data recovery is finished, safely disconnect your device from the computer. Please note that while rooting provides broader recovery possibilities, not all lost data can be retrieved. It's best to avoid creating new data on the device before attempting data recovery, as new data might overwrite the lost files.

Step 1: Choose and scan the external hard drive

    1. Download and install the Data Recovery tool on your computer or laptop. 2. Connect the external hard drive to your computer. 3. Launch the Data Recovery Wizard, select the external hard drive from the list of external drives, and then click on Scan to search for lost data.
Select External Hard Drive

Step 2: Review the scan results

  • Data recovery software will immediately scan all data on the selected drive, including deleted, damaged, and existing data.
  • You can use the filter feature to quickly locate a specific type of file, such as images, Word, Excel, PDF, videos, emails, etc.
Scan External Hard Drive

Step 3: Preview and recover the data

    Double click a file from the scan results to preview it. Select the files you need, then hit “Recover”. Choose a location different from the original drive to save the recovered files.
Preview and recover data

Extra Hint: How to Get Root Access on Your Android Smartphone

Whenever you are about to take a risk that might lead to some level of damage, proper guidance is always needed. We've already covered all the issues that may arise when rooting a device without prior knowledge or proper guidance, even telling you how to deal with data loss in the process.

There's a safe guide that you can follow to root your device correctly. There are always apps that help you carry out these operations seamlessly. In this case, if you want to root your device, Magisk is your go-to helper. You can use Magisk to root your device. Magisk is a tool for gaining root access to your device. Magisk is like a gateway opening up possibilities of various mods and customizations on your Android device.

There are many Magisk modules available for various purposes. There are modules for ad-blockers, aesthetic themes, enabling the Camera2API, and countless other modifications that you can't do without rooting your Android device. If you're considering rooting your device, chances are that you're an advanced user who wants to get the most out of it and expand its capabilities. To do that, you need to install Magisk. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to install Magisk on your Android smartphone:

First, you'll need a custom recovery. To do this, you'll have to unlock your bootloader. If you've already done that, then you can probably skip ahead. If not, search for your device on the XDA forums, where you'll find a guide. There's no single way to unlock a bootloader, as each phone has its own method. Now that you've got that out of the way, you can continue.

1. Determine the type of boot image

For that, you'll have to download the latest version of Magisk from GitHub. Needless to say, you won't find it on the Google Play store.

Step 1 to root device

Once it's done, open the Magisk app. Take note of the values for Ramdisk, A/B, and SAR.

2. Locate the boot image

If you need to repair the boot image of your device, you'll have to extract it from an official firmware package. One such package is Lineage OS, but you can choose any compatible firmware.

Scenario 1: You have a recoverable ZIP file

It uses a Type A partition layout, with the boot.img located inside the recovery install ZIP file. Extract it.

Step 2 to root device

If your device uses an A/B partition scheme, the boot image and other partition images are packaged together in a file called payload.bin.

Step 3 to root device

Scenario 2: You have access to a fastboot bootable image

If you're lucky enough to own a device from an OEM like Google or Xiaomi that provides factory images that can be flashed via Fastboot, you can extract the boot.img from those.

3. Patched Boot Image

With the boot image in hand, we can now do the patching.

Step 4 to root device

Scenario 1: The value of the "Ramdisk" parameter is "Yes".

    1. First, copy the boot image to your device. 2. Tap on the 'Install' button on the Magisk card. 3. Under 'Method,' choose 'Select and Patch a File,' then select the stock boot image. 4. The application will automatically patch the image.

[Internal Storage] /Download/magisk_patched_[Random String].img.

    Now you can use ADB to copy the patched image back to your computer:

Pull the file /sdcard/Download/magisk_patched_[random_string].img to your local machine using ADB command.

    Now, you can flash the patched image to the device you want to gain root access on. Most devices can use the following command:

Flash Magisk boot image quickly /path/to/magisk_patched.img

  • Restart your device.

Scenario 2: Ramdisk is set to No

    • Copy the recovery image to your device. • Click on the Install button. • Under "Method," select "Select and Patch a File," then choose your stock recovery image. • Magisk will automatically patch the image for you.

/mnt/storage/download/magisk_patched_[random_string].img.

    Now you can copy the patched image to your computer via ADB:

Use ADB to pull the file named magisk_patched_ followed by a random string of characters from the /sdcard/Download/ directory.

    Now you can flash the patched image onto the device you want to gain root access on. Most devices can be flashed with the following command:

Fastboot flash boot /path/to/magisk_patched.img

  • Restart your device.

Now, you may be down to three options.

    • Normal mode, without Magisk.
    • Boot into Magisk-boot by using the recovery key combo and releasing all buttons when you see the boot screen. The system should boot with Magisk.
    • To enter stock recovery, use the recovery key combo, but hold the volume up button when you see the boot screen.

4. Verification

The final step is to verify that everything is in order. Open the new Magisk app and look for the number next to “Installed.” Congratulations – you've done it!

Conclusions

It's not as complicated as it looks, and you'll eventually get the hang of it. We've covered all the pros and cons of rooting your device, and it's entirely up to you if you want to take the risk. If you accidentally lose files in the process, you can use an Android Data Recovery software to help restore them. It's a risky venture, but good luck with your future tinkering!