If you’re a new Android user, you might have read lots of posts telling you to root your Android phone. You start asking what rooting android means and if it’s absolutely necessary to root your phone and whether doing this will increase your phone capabilities. Another question which may arise is whether rooting your android phone can damage your phone. But wait, what does it mean to root an Android phone?
Simply put, rooting Android OS means modifying your operating system so as to get total control over it. Rooting is a process allowing users of mobile phones, tablet PCs, and other devices running the Android operating system to attain privileged control (known as “root access”) within Android’s subsystem. Rooting is often performed with the goal of overcoming limitations that carriers and hardware manufacturers put on some devices, resulting in the ability to alter or replace system applications and settings, run specialized apps that require administrator-level permissions, or perform other operations that are otherwise inaccessible to a normal Android user. Rooting is almost the same as jailbreaking the Apple iOS operating system or the Sony PlayStation 3 and also hacking the Symbian operating system. On Android, rooting can also facilitate the complete removal and replacement of the device’s operating system.
As Android was derived from the Linux kernel, rooting an Android device is similar in practice to accessing administrative permissions on Linux or any other Unix-like computer such as FreeBSD or OS X.
Before rooting your Android device, please note:
1. Whatever warranty your device has will be void. You should be careful because there won’t be a free replacement or repair in case you damage your phone.
2. If you’re only using the basic functionality of your Android device, I’m not sure there’s a need to root it.
3. There are different methods to root all Android device so you need to be sure the tutorial you’re following is exactly for your phone or tablet model. You can check this by looking under the battery.
4. Do not rush, proceed with utmost care and follow whatever guide you’re using closely.
5. If the guide you’re using is from a web forum or blog post, be sure it can be trusted and the comments are positive ones.
Failure to do these may brick your phone and there won’t be any replacement or free repair from your phone company like I earlier mentioned. You will lose your warranty even if everything goes right. Those are the things you should know before rooting your phone but there are lots of advantages especially if you’re the adventurous type.
Advantages of Rooting Android
1. Total and absolute control over your operating system
With a rooted Android OS, you can get full access to your system files and modify them just as you wish. You get full administrator privilege and can tweak your OS to your taste.
2. Removing useless and unwanted default applications apps
Different phone makers stack your Android device with pre-installed apps you’re never going to use. You can remove every one of them when your phone / tablet is rooted.
3. Installing and changing themes
We all love to personalize whatever your use and your phone / tablet’s theme can be a great way to define a part of your personality. Rooting your Android phone gives you this.
4. Installing unofficial custom applications
There are certain, special applications that won’t be installed unless your device is rooted.
5. Full system backup
Just like you can create system restore point on Windows and even image your hard disk to another partition, Rooting your Android OS can be fully backed up on your SD card and be restored in case you tested an incompatible and things went wrong.
6. Installing Applications to SD card
not all apps can be installed on your memory card but rooting your Android phone / tablet will allow you to install just any application on your SD card and this is a great way to free your phone memory and allow your phone to run faster.
7. Installing custom ROMs
A custom ROM is a fully standalone version of the OS, including the kernel (which makes everything run), apps, services, etc – everything you need to operate the device, except it’s customized by someone in some way.
If you’re wondering how to get your phone rooted, there are lots of android forums around that will be of help. Why not google out for a good tutorial with postive reviews? Just be absolutely sure the guide your following is specifically for your device.