Program to get root permissions: Android
If it is your intention to unlock the root permissions on a smartphone or tablet animated by the operating system Android, know that you will need some specific tools which, as you will discover shortly, may differ based on the brand and model of device you own, as well as the version of Android in use on it.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, however, I think it is right to make you aware of the risks associated with the root procedure: to begin with, it could void the warranty of the device (depending on the terms of use provided by the manufacturer); besides, that's enough a single mistake in any step to render the device unusable: for this reason, make sure you have a good amount of time but above all a lot, a lot of patience, in order to complete the required steps with absolute precision.
Among other things, unlocking root permissions - since it requires unlocking the boot loader - almost always involves memory formatting of Android and exposes the operating system to malware and, not least, to potential security issues: just one tap is enough to ensure that an app, even unconsciously, can act on delicate parts of the memory that contain personal data or security information.
For this reason, carefully consider the risks and benefits associated with root unlocking before doing anything and, if you are not very experienced, seek the assistance of a more experienced person on the subject, at least for the first time.
Tools required
Unfortunately, given the large amount of Android devices (and operating system versions) on the market, the root procedure it is anything but standard and may require different tools, programs and apps, depending on the exact model of smartphone / tablet in your possession and the edition of the operating system present on it.
In broad terms, however, let me list the most important programs, apps and tools necessary to easily achieve this goal.
- Device driver - are necessary for the smartphone / tablet to be recognized by the computer. You can get the necessary drivers by installing the universal package of ClockWorkMod, or the official management program of the manufacturer: the best known are Samsung Smart Switch (Samsung), HUAWEI HiSuite / Share (HUAWEI), Lenovo Smart Assistant Tool (Motorola / Lenovo), LG PC Suite (LG), Sony Xperia Companion (Sony) and Xiaomi Mi PC Suite (Xiaomi). More info here.
- Android Studio - this is the Android development suite, officially released by Google, which contains everything necessary to ensure that the ADB and Fastboot software, essential to complete the procedure, are correctly installed. Android Studio is available for Windows, macOS, Linux and Chrome OS and can be downloaded from this page. Furthermore, if you use Windows, you can simplify everything by avoiding the installation of Android Studio and downloading only the minimal version of ADB and FastBoot, available on XDA.
- Boot loader unlocking software - on some categories of smartphones, it is sufficient to enable the Android development options and proceed with unlocking the boot loader directly via Fastboot. In some cases, however, it is necessary to request authorization from the device manufacturer and carry out the unlocking procedure using a special program (eg MIUI Unlock, for Xiaomi devices). To learn more, try Google for phrases like unlock boot loader [device brand and model].
- Custom recovery - it must be loaded on the smartphone / tablet via Fastboot and is used to enable root permissions on Android, by installing a specific ZIP file. The recovery currently most used is the TWRP and can be downloaded from this page. Alternatively, there are software such as ODIN, dedicated exclusively to Samsung devices, which allow you to install ZIP files on Android from your PC, without the aid of recovery.
- App per il root - it is downloaded in the form of a ZIP file and must be flashed (i.e. installed) on Android using customized Recovery or specific software. Currently, the most used app for unlocking root permissions is Magisk, available here.
Obtain root permissions
After you get the necessary material, you can obtain root permissions on Android following a series of precise steps. As I have already mentioned a little while ago, the method of execution of the same can vary greatly depending on the device in your possession: below I illustrate, in general, what would be the procedure to follow on a device belonging to the Android One line, which therefore it does not require special requests for unlocking.
- Create a data backup: Unblocking the boot loader, as you will discover shortly, involves the total loss of personal data and settings. Therefore, it is always a good idea to make a copy of them.
- Unlock the boot loader: the boot loader is a small application that runs immediately after turning on the Android device, which checks the integrity of the operating system and runs it. In order to install custom recoveries, it is essential that the same is unlocked: to do this, you need to enable device development options, enable the lever relating to the OEM unlock (if available), connect the device to the computer and, after restarting it in fastboot mode, to boot ADB and issue the command fastboot oem unlock. On some devices, it may be necessary to request a specific code, to be given in the appropriate release software, directly to the manufacturer.
- Install custom recovery: recovery is a software external to Android, which allows you to act deeply on the latter operating system, carrying out operations such as flashing apps via .ZIP files or completely replacing Android. To install the custom recovery, in this case the TWRP, you need to get the file that best suits your device and start it via fastboot, issuing the command fastboot flash boot_a recovery.img.
- Flash the app that enables root: after installing the customized Recovery and starting it, copy the .ZIP file containing the app responsible for activating root permissions (eg. Magisk) and install it, using the specific functionality integrated in the recovery.
Anyway, if you want a concrete example of how to unlock an animated device from Google's operating system, you can check out my step-by-step guide on how to root Android.
Always remember that this procedure can be dangerous and expose your smartphone or tablet to serious security problems: therefore avoid allowing access with elevated privileges to apps that you do not know perfectly, since, by doing so, you would provide almost unlimited permissions on the system. operating.
Program to get root permissions: iPhone and iPad
Unlike what we saw for Android, the procedure for obtain root permissions su iPhone e iPad it is quite “standard”, it only varies according to the version of iOS / iPadOS used. The procedure takes place entirely from the PC: in general terms, here are the programs needed for the most recent versions of Apple's mobile systems.
- If the computer is running Windows 10 or a version of di macOS prior to 10.15 Catalina, you will need to use the program iTunes, which you can download by following the instructions I gave you in this guide. For macOS Catalina and later, this step is not necessary, as the functions of iTunes have been integrated into the Finder.
- You need to download and install a free program, called altServer, which allows you to install an unofficial app store (AltStore) on your device. AltServer can be downloaded from this website.
After obtaining and installing the necessary material, connect the iPhone / iPad to the computer, authorizes devices to communicate with each other (if this is your first time doing this), open altServer and press the button for install AltStore, if you employ Windows; if, on the other hand, yours is a Mac, you will need to install a plug-in per Mail from which to install AltStore on the phone / tablet.
After installing AltStore, go to the iPhone / iPad and authorize the installation of the store by going to the menu General> Device Management> [Apple ID]> Authorize [Apple ID], then open Safari, connected to the unc0ver website and proceed with the installation of the store, following the instructions that are proposed to you.
Finally, launch the app unc0ver, tap the buttons jailbreak e OK, wait for the iPhone / iPad to restart and, at the next access, repeat the same procedure to complete the unlocking procedure (which you will have to repeat if the iPhone is completely shut down).
However, I feel it is my duty to let you know what the side effects of jailbreak: First, this procedure exposes the iPhone or iPad to noticeable security risks and, in some cases, it may even prevent some streaming apps from running (or, in some way, linked to content protected by copyright). Secondly, the jailbreak procedure voids the iPhone / iPad warranty, unless you remove the unlock before taking the device for service (which, in the event of serious malfunctions, may be impossible).
If you are still interested in learning more about the subject, take a look at my guide on how to jailbreak the iPhone, in which I explained everything in detail.
Program to get root permissions: Windows
Despite appearances, there is no need to use any program to get Windows root permissions: all you have to do is activate your account Administrator, that is a particular profile that allows the user to act undisturbed on the computer, without running into blocks or security messages.
The Administrator account can be activated via either PowerShell, that with the Command Prompt, provided that these instruments are launched with administrative privileges. So, if you employ Windows 10, you can start PowerShell by right clicking on the Start button resident at the bottom left, by selecting the item Windows PowerShell (administrator) from the menu that appears and then clicking on the button Yes.
Il Command Promptinstead, it resides in the folder Accessories, or Windows Accessories from the menu Home: to open a Prompt window in administrator mode, right click on the program icon and choose the item Run as administrator, from the menu that appears; alternatively, if available, click directly on the icon Command Prompt (Admin).
Anyway, when the PowerShell / Prompt window opens on the desktop, type the command net user administrator active: yes in it and press the key Submit keyboard: if everything went well, you should see the voice Command operation successful, a sign that the Super administrative account has been activated and made available starting from the next reboot.
If you intend to keep the profile active for a long time, I recommend that you protect it by setting one Password security, since, as already mentioned, this type of profile offers complete and unrestricted access to the computer: among other things, no security warning is shown, even for the most “delicate” operations.
To set a password for the Super administrator account, still in the PowerShell / Prompt window you opened earlier, type the net user administrator command NuovaPassword, replacing NewPassword with the password with which to protect the profile. When you are done, press the button Submit to issue the command e restart your computer, in order to make the new profile operational. More info here.
If you want to disable access to the Super administrator profile, open PowerShell / Command Prompt with elevated privileges again and type, this time, the command net user administrator active: no, followed by pressing the key Submit.
Program to get root permissions: Mac
Also MacOS provides the ability to log in with the user root, i.e. with elevated privileges, however this feature is disabled for security reasons. In spite of what you may think, activating root access on macOS is very simple and does not require any program, as everything is integrated “as standard” in the operating system.
You ask me how to do it? I'll explain it to you right away. To get started, open the System preference clicking sull'icona dell 'gear located on the Dock bar, click on the icon dedicated to Users and groups and then on the symbol of locked padlock, which resides in the lower left corner of the screen that opens.
When prompted, enter the Password on your Mac and press the key Submit on the keyboard, to enable the changes, then click on the entry Login options resident in the left sidebar and press the buttons Login ... e Apri Utility Directory….
Now, click on the locked padlock which is at the bottom left, enter the Password of the Mac in the appropriate field and click on the menu Edit> Enable Root User, residing in the macOS menu bar. Finally, type a Password to be used to access the administrative account in the dedicated boxes and click on the button OK, to activate the root user.
To access the newly activated profile, log out of your user account and, once you reach the macOS login screen, click on the item Other… and type your username when prompted root and Password previously set.
If you want to retrace your steps and disable root access, repeat the procedure I indicated earlier and, after opening theUtility Directory and having enabled the changes, click on the menu Edit> Disable root user, located at the top.
Programs to have root permissions
