What Is Rooting On Android Device

What is Rooting on Android? The Advantages and Disadvantages

What is Rooting?

“Rooting” your device means obtaining “superuser” rights and permissions to your Android’s software. With these elevated user privileges, you gain the ability to load custom software (ROM’s), install custom themes, increase performance, increase battery life, and the ability to install software that would otherwise cost extra money (ex: WiFi tethering). Rooting is essentially “hacking” your Android device. In the iPhone world, this would be the equivalent to “Jailbreaking” your phone.

Why is it called Rooting?

The term “root” comes from the Unix/Linux world and is used to describe a user who has “superuser” rights or permissions to all the files and programs in the software OS (Operating System). The root user, because they have “superuser” privileges, can essentially change or modify any of the software code on the device. You see, your phone manufacturer/carrier only gives you “guest” privileges when you purchase your device. They do this for good reason… they don’t want you getting into certain parts of the software on your phone and screwing it up beyond repair. It makes it much easier for them to manage and update the devices if they lock it all down. This way, all the users are running the same unmodified version of the phone’s software. This makes it much easier for them to support the devices. But, for the tech-savvy crowd, only having “guest” privileges on your device is pretty lame and it locks down a lot of potentially useful features.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Rooting Your Android Phone

To root or not to root, that is not the subject of this article. Well, at least not for today. I am neither going to show you how to root your Android phone nor convince you to root your device. Instead, I am going to take an impartial approach by illustrating to you some of the commonly known advantages and disadvantages of rooting a phone.

The Android operating system was designed for both commercial and private use. Out of the box, the operating system comes with some features disabled, either for future use or to prevent the average user from unwittingly causing permanent damage to the OS.

Rooting is the process in which a user gains full access to the previously restricted features, settings, and performance levels. In other words, the user gets access to the ‘root’ of the operating system and can make fundamental changes.

Disadvantages of Rooting – Let’s start off with the disadvantages as most users often don’t need to root their phone. Most users are primarily driven by the thrill of getting the forbidden fruit and not that they need the abilities that come with rooting. Soon, realize they did not need to root their device in the first place; albeit it is already too late. These are some of the disadvantages of rooting your Android phone:

It voids your Phone’s Warranty – Once you root your phone, the manufacturer’s warranty becomes void. Should any problem develop, even if not caused by the rooting, it will be a waste of time trying to claim warranty cover for the damages.

Increased likelihood of ‘bricking’ the phone – A ‘bricked’ phone means a dead phone and is the same as carrying around a brick in your pocket.

Poor Performance – Some users experience reduced performance after rooting their phones. Despite the fact that increasing the device performance is what drove them into rooting in the first place. You should remember that by rooting your phone, you are making changes to the stock operating system.

Higher vulnerability to Viruses – By now you should know your smartphone is a target of viruses, malware, adware and all sorts of crapware, just like your PC. When you root your phone, you can also flash the device’s ROM using custom programs. Making such changes to the code of a software increases the likelihood of introducing a virus.

Advantages of Rooting – As a rule of thumb, root your phone if you really need to. But never out of a mere curiosity. So assuming you know what you are doing, the following are some of the advantages that come with rooting your Android phone.

Running special Apps – More often than not, users root their phone in order to use app that would not run in ‘un-rooted’ phones. Take, for instance, Superuser app; this will allow you to take control of which apps can access the root system. Once you root your phone, you will be able to tether your PC to your Android phone. Enabling you to connect to the internet on your PC using the phone’s data connection.

Free up Memory – On a ‘un-rooted’ phone, whenever you install an app, it gets stored on the phone’s internal memory. By rooting, you will be able to move installed apps to the SD Card, and thus free up the system memory for more app or files storage.

Custom ROM’s – Perhaps the best feature of a ‘rooted’ phone. Once rooted you can have one of the hundreds of custom ROMs available that will allow them to do a wide variety of functions. Including speeding up the processor and giving the phone a completely new and different feel.

However, you should really think twice if not thrice about rooting your phone. Don’t be lured by the possibilities of having a rooted phone. Sure an unlocked phone can be a very powerful device. But if things go south, it will become bricked.

However Bricked Phone can be mad normal but it is a long process.And latest versions of the android doesnt support root because there is no draw backs in latest version,Root works on the devices which have older versions because there are draw backs of that version which allows the app to make your mobile root.

                                                                                     So Thank You Friends