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Help Root or Not to Root
- Thread starter iCrauz
- Start date
psionandy
Extreme Android User
Yes there are drawbacks to rooting... while it does let you do some things accessible for change... it does mean that you can break some stuff... to the point where you have a shiny paperweight in your hand instead of a phone.....
Make sure you read, read, read... and know how to recover your device back (if you need to re-install the software again a simple factory reset will NOT do it for you)... with some devices you should be able to do this (find out first before you root) .. with a generic cheap device you stand no chance...
Also, some Apps, won't work on a rooted device, these include Banking, TV, and some games like Pokemon Go. Whilst there are ways of cloaking your device from these, they won't always work.. OTA updates can cause major problems for rooted devices... and of course some manufactures may consider rooting to void your warranty.
Am I saying don't root your device? NO, I'm not saying that. But on the other hand you might not even need to. A couple of years ago, you needed to do that do a lot of things... these days, the need to root (for most people) isn't quite as compelling. If there isn't a reason why you need to do it, you might want put it off for a while , and just enjoy your device.
Make sure you read, read, read... and know how to recover your device back (if you need to re-install the software again a simple factory reset will NOT do it for you)... with some devices you should be able to do this (find out first before you root) .. with a generic cheap device you stand no chance...
Also, some Apps, won't work on a rooted device, these include Banking, TV, and some games like Pokemon Go. Whilst there are ways of cloaking your device from these, they won't always work.. OTA updates can cause major problems for rooted devices... and of course some manufactures may consider rooting to void your warranty.
Am I saying don't root your device? NO, I'm not saying that. But on the other hand you might not even need to. A couple of years ago, you needed to do that do a lot of things... these days, the need to root (for most people) isn't quite as compelling. If there isn't a reason why you need to do it, you might want put it off for a while , and just enjoy your device.
chanchan05
The Doctor
The firsr question to answer is why do you want to root your phone? I rooted my first Android phones, but I haven't felt the need to root in the last 4 years.
M
Member 1919122
Guest
I'm not rooted and no issues
lvt
Android Expert
For most of users who have devices with limited apps storage, rooting is the only way to increase apps storage so they can install as much apps as they want.
But new devices usually have more storage space and manufacturers seem to have stopped using pattitioned storage so you are only limited by your device's internal storage, if you have a device with 32 or 64GB of internal storage, it's rare that you will have issues with installing apps.
But new devices usually have more storage space and manufacturers seem to have stopped using pattitioned storage so you are only limited by your device's internal storage, if you have a device with 32 or 64GB of internal storage, it's rare that you will have issues with installing apps.
Keep in mind that I do my research before purchasing a device. I only buy if they are easily rooted and have a strong development community.
What can I say?..I love customization.
I present exhibits 1-8.
The defense rests.
What can I say?..I love customization.
I present exhibits 1-8.
The defense rests.
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I do root, but that means that I find out how easy it is to root a device before buying it. I do it to have more control and more options rather than for space or something like that, though better backups do remain a concrete advantage. And I do so knowing that updating the system is something I will need to handle rather than getting updates from the manufacturer, and that some apps won't work if I root.
Avoiding bricks is largely a matter of understanding what you are doing before doing it, and making sure you know how to recover (not just in general terms but the location of the files you would need to recover the device) before you start. And accepting that anything you do is at your own risk, and it's nobody's fault but yours if you mess the device up.
Avoiding bricks is largely a matter of understanding what you are doing before doing it, and making sure you know how to recover (not just in general terms but the location of the files you would need to recover the device) before you start. And accepting that anything you do is at your own risk, and it's nobody's fault but yours if you mess the device up.
Davdi
Android Expert
A related issue is unlocking the bootloader, installing a custom recovery (TWRP/CWM) an using CM or similar to get a newer version of Android than the Manufacturer/Google provide. My phone is an original 2012 Moto G on Virgin UK. It's stuck on 5.1.1, so, in order to update to 6 or 7 I'll need to follow the process outlined above. Running rooted CM or similar is OK as I din't use any apps which break on a rooted device.
hiredgun
Android Expert
Rooting itself really isn't as "scary" as people make it out, and not nearly as "dangerous" as it's made out to be either. All it does actually once your phone is rooted is allow you to delete apps that you can't without the root! There is where the "scary" part comes in because if you delete something you shouldn't you could brick your phone and the people here would have to bail you out, lol. I do have a lot of older phones with limited storage and have rooted them all and deleted the bloatware for more space, and they are all running fine. I haven't rooted my current phone, which is an S5, simply because anyone can make a mistake deleting things and I don't want it to be me! 
That particular problem can be addressed by taking a nandroid backup before changing any system software. Then if you do get it wrong you just go into recovery and restore the backup.
People who don't have a custom recovery should be very cautious indeed about doing anything to the system. Personally I wouldn't touch any root method that didn't give me a custom recovery.
People who don't have a custom recovery should be very cautious indeed about doing anything to the system. Personally I wouldn't touch any root method that didn't give me a custom recovery.
Kaizuroge
Well-Known Member
The last phone I rooted was my Note 5 because it was network locked and had a ton of bloatware I didn't need or use. I haven't even considered rooting my new device since it's not carrier lock and came stock Android 6.0.
Rooting comes with pros and cons.
Pros are you are absolutely free to customize your device especially if you have limited storage but this is no longer the issue since most phones now a days have high storage capacity and ram.
Cons well the 1st is completely voiding your warranty. So if anything happens to your device it's now up to you. 2nd is some apps will not work on rooted devices, there are some workarounds to this but not all apps accept it. OTA updates are no longer available for you but of course since you're rooted you can download a custom Rom and flash it to your device. However not all devices have custom Roms.
You need to do a lot of research before you buy a new device if you are interested in rooting. So that you know if this device has a following of development in Roms and support. Most known brands and higher end devices have a following but mid to lower end devices often do not. So always exercise caution.
Rooting comes with pros and cons.
Pros are you are absolutely free to customize your device especially if you have limited storage but this is no longer the issue since most phones now a days have high storage capacity and ram.
Cons well the 1st is completely voiding your warranty. So if anything happens to your device it's now up to you. 2nd is some apps will not work on rooted devices, there are some workarounds to this but not all apps accept it. OTA updates are no longer available for you but of course since you're rooted you can download a custom Rom and flash it to your device. However not all devices have custom Roms.
You need to do a lot of research before you buy a new device if you are interested in rooting. So that you know if this device has a following of development in Roms and support. Most known brands and higher end devices have a following but mid to lower end devices often do not. So always exercise caution.
ahmadbarry173
Lurker
Root
GameTheory
Android Expert
I always say that if you have to ask whether you should root or not, then you should not root.
I root for many reasons. One reason, being a linux user I believe that I should have the same root privileges on android as on my linux OS. After all, android is basically the mobile version of linux.
There's pros and cons to both rooting and not rooting depending on who you talk to. For me the pros of rooting far outweigh the cons.
I root for many reasons. One reason, being a linux user I believe that I should have the same root privileges on android as on my linux OS. After all, android is basically the mobile version of linux.
There's pros and cons to both rooting and not rooting depending on who you talk to. For me the pros of rooting far outweigh the cons.
Milo Willamson
Extreme Android User
Could you explain why you want to root your cellphone? What are your reasoning is to?
Milo Willamson
Extreme Android User
I tried rooting my galaxy s3 for some strange reason, this was before cloud these days, I got too tired of connecting, empty out my photos onto the comp and vice versa. Depending on what you use mostly on your device . I try to stay away from the words "Rooting your device" As well as "Bricking".
Back in the days of the Motorola Droid, Galaxy Nexus and Note 3, I would have said ROOT! Flash TWRP and install a custom ROM to get the most out of your device! But these aren't those days.
Several years ago I predicted the end of rooting, and it is here. Android has matured to the point that most of the reasons we rooted no longer exist. Features are included. Now, in many cases, rooting blocks critical functions: Mobile banking and payment apps, like Google Pay and Samsung Pay, will not run if the device is rooted. Many flagship devices have encrypted bootloaders, making rooting nearly impossible. Installing ROMs can only be done via a bootstrap method... but again, why? Weighing what can be gained against what would be lost, rooting just doesn't have the appeal it once did.
Several years ago I predicted the end of rooting, and it is here. Android has matured to the point that most of the reasons we rooted no longer exist. Features are included. Now, in many cases, rooting blocks critical functions: Mobile banking and payment apps, like Google Pay and Samsung Pay, will not run if the device is rooted. Many flagship devices have encrypted bootloaders, making rooting nearly impossible. Installing ROMs can only be done via a bootstrap method... but again, why? Weighing what can be gained against what would be lost, rooting just doesn't have the appeal it once did.
I wholeheartedly concur!
My original reasons for rooting involved wanting to make my Linux (Android) devices as customizable as my Linux computers. Well, that plus I'm an old CLI person.
But now, I just don't see a need, and having learned from AF that, as you said, some [important] apps won't run if the device is rooted, well, that sealed it.
I may muck around with my previous phone (which I still use) at some point, just for shits and giggles, but not on the phone I rely on!
