Android Rooting 101: Things to know and do before you root

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Published 19 Feb 2014

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Over the last couple of days, we have explained to you what rooting is and all the terms you need to be familiar with. However, before you jump to the actual rooting process, there are a few things you need to do and keep in mind. While not essential, they will help make the process of rooting your device easier and save you some headache as well. 

Create a backup: Usually, rooting an Android device requires you to first unlock the bootloader, which will wipe your device clean of all data. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you create a backup of all your data on the device including contacts, messages, calendar entries, camera pictures and other media files stored in the internal memory. Sadly, it is not possible to create a backup of your installed apps and their data so you will have to sacrifice all your saved game progress.

    Read, read and read: Rooting is a fairly complex process and requires a bit of research. You will need to get yourself familiar with quite a few terms and tools before you can root your device easily. Make sure to read multiple guides since most of them miss mentioning one or the other key stuff. Also make it a point to read the comments and other users’ feedback in rooting guides. This way, you will be prepared if an unexpected error pops-up during the process.

    Double check everything: It is always recommended to double and triple check everything before you begin rooting your Android device. Make sure that the rooting guide you are following is meant for the specific model and particular software version that it runs. Also, make sure that you have downloaded all the drivers and tools recommended in the guide and that your device has at least 75% of its charge left. 

    Take your time: Sit down to root your device only when you have at least a few hours in hand. Unlike Jailbreaking on iOS, rooting an Android device and setting it back up like it was before can easily take a few hours, especially if its your first try. 

    Remain Calm: If you are rooting an Android device for the first time, chances are something will go wrong. Do not panic if your device takes longer than usual to boot after rooting or does not boot at all. It is almost always possible to restore the device back to its original state using some community-made tool. If you start panicking, you might end up doing something stupid and bricking your device for good!

    As you gain experience in rooting devices, you will not have to follow all the points mentioned above. It is also a good habit to keep a spare phone ready with the number of your geek friend, in case things go horribly wrong.