Rooting an Android device used to be a nightmarish labyrinth of .zip files and command prompts, confusing seasoned modding veterans and newbies alike. Thankfully, the process has gotten simpler over the years, with various “one-click” rooting tool kits surfacing and working for nearly every major Android flagship on the market.
The newest one-click method is called Towelroot, by infamous iOS jailbreaker George Hotz. Interested in the nitty-gritty details of how this exploit works? Check out what Dallas found out for us. But if you want to get right into rooting, grab your GS3, check out the video, and scroll down to Step 1!
Step 1: Download & Run TowelRoot
Firstly, enable the “Unknown sources” setting if you haven’t already, which allows us to install apps from outside of Google Play.
Then you can grab the .apk (short for application package file, the equivalent of a .exe installer for Windows), from the Towelroot website. Simply tap on the lambda symbol to get the download going on your phone’s web browser (Google Chrome is pictured below, but any browser will work just fine).
You’ll receive a notification that the download is complete, so go ahead and tap on it to start the installer. If you accidentally clear the notification, you can find the tr.apk file in your Downloads app.
Once the installer opens, tap the Install button to fire it up. You’ll get a warning that the file contains code attempting to bypass Android’s security protections (which the Towelroot exploit needs to do in order to root your phone). Check the box that says I understand and still want to install it, then tap the Install anyway button.
Once the installer is finished, you can tap Open to launch Towelroot.
Step 2: Run the Towelroot App
Here’s the easy part—simply tap on the make it ra1n button and give the app about 15 seconds, while it roots your device.
After everything is executed, your phone will automatically reboot with root!
Step 3: Verify Root & Install SuperSU
Once your phone boots up, you can verify that you have root with a simple utility called Root Checker, available on Google Play.
Simply hit the Verify root button, and it’ll double check that your device has root.
Now you’ll want to install a root management app. Chainfire’sSuperSU is the preferred choice of most Android enthusiasts and modders, and it’s available right from Google Play.
With SuperSU, you’ll be able to easily manage root by denying or granting root access to any apps that ask for it. Make sure you don’t grant access to any app you don’t recognize, or don’t think needs root access.
What did you think of this rooting method? Incredibly easy, right?
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