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Rooting an Android phone gained popularity when the OS was in its nascent stages. Back in the last decade, it became incredibly popular among the enthusiast community. As for why rooting gained this fame, one only needs to understand the basics of human instincts and freedom. Root access allows an individual full control of the device.
If one needs improved battery life, a much brighter screen, or a completely new OS than the one the device was shipped with, rooting a smartphone is the way to go. Tweaking Android became so popular among hard-core tech enthusiasts that people started jailbreaking iPhones too. The process is different on the two OS, but that’s not the idea.
Root access allows a user full administrative access to the device, post which, one is free to modify the UI and its elements accordingly. Despite the freedom that such an action offers, does it make sense to root your Android device in 2023? Let us weigh the advantages and disadvantages to decide.
Note: This article reflects the opinion of the writer.
What are the advantages of rooting an Android phone?
Unlock more features that were previously not possible on the default UI
Since developers have to design a UI keeping the general userbase in mind, they cannot cater to each and every individual’s likes and dislikes. However, when rooting is involved, independent creators can stuff every feature imaginable into the UI, which the end-consumer can tweak and use accordingly.
It is possible to undervolt the CPU and increase the battery life
Many modern custom ROMs provide the chance to tweak the core clock frequency of the CPU to optimize the battery life accordingly. For example, if the requirement is to boost it by a few hours on stand-by, users can tweak the CPU power down by a few percent and see if the battery life is as desired.
Rooting unlocks a whole another level of customization
When iPhone users switch to Android, they realize the level of customization offered is nothing they have ever seen. Similarly, rooting an Android phone makes the default UI of the device seem like a mere tip of the iceberg.
Features like system-wide colors, shapes of every icon, shapes of quick-setting icons, and innumerable font types become available.
Bloatwares can be removed and updates come under complete control
Chinese OEMs and even Samsung are notorious for including a lot of applications that are unnecessary and simply use up drive storage. By flashing a custom ROM through root access, these unneeded applications can be rooted out. Some of them cannot be uninstalled through traditional means, and thus need root access for permanent elimination.
Unless one owns a Pixel, Day One updates are not possible on any other Android device. Root access enables the usage of custom ROMs that can be updated as soon as their respective updates are released. However, it isn’t vital to use custom ROMs.
Longevity of a device can be drastically increased
The reason we throw away our phones isn’t because the CPU and RAM have suddenly stopped working, it is simply because we stop getting relevant updates. People also get bored of using the same UI for their devices. OEMs stop supporting their older devices after a few years. All these factors result in a device that probably had a few more years of life left.
With custom ROMs that can be accessed by rooting, one can install the latest and greatest version of OS on their, say, five-year-old Android phone. By changing the battery, the device may become as good as new, too.
Rooting does come with its fair share of risks
Bricking the device is easy
Normally, there is a good reason why OEMs don’t want you to have root access on your Android phone. This is because one may unknowingly mishandle a necessary system file, which can lead to catastrophic failures like a boot loop, or worse, a dead device that just refuses to budge, no matter what. Bricking is a major issue even while beta testing, let alone while tampering with root access.
Rooting voids warranty, technically
Even if one knows what they are truly doing while rooting a smartphone, there is still a considerable chance of getting everything disastrously wrong. This forces one to take the model to the service center, where if they detect that the device has been rooted, any repair or replacement is instantly rendered out of warranty.
It makes no sense why OEMs would be willing to provide warranty for something that isn’t their fault.
Rooting may block Android phones from using certain apps
An API called SafetyNet, which is employed by many banking apps, can detect if your device has been rooted and tampered with or not. If it discovers that the phone is rooted, they will not be allowed to install to avoid any financial and security risks. Even though there is a workaround for this using Magisk, it is not foolproof and the risks still persist.
Should you try rooting your phone in 2023?
Root access is tricky and risky for even the most seasoned users who know what they are doing, let alone the average consumer. It used to be much easier in the past, but now the scenario has completely changed. Not only is it difficult to find good root access software, but those that work with a particular phone are rarer still.
Today, the Android system has matured as a software that offers a lot of customization and features that render the jailbreak process moot.
When combined with the longevity of support already offered by OEMs like Samsung and Google, the rewards involved in the root access process are few and far between. Therefore, it is not recommended to root your phone in 2023.
