ANDROID 9 · 10 · 11 · 12  •  MAGISK METHOD

The Complete Beginner's Guide to Rooting Android

A plain-language, start-to-finish walkthrough of rooting a phone running Android 9 (Pie) through Android 12, using the modern Magisk method — plus an exhaustive brand-by-brand list of devices from that era and how rootable each one is.

What's inside

  1. What rooting actually is
  2. Risks & who should not root
  3. Beginner glossary
  4. Can my phone even be rooted?
  5. Before you start (checklist)
  6. Back up everything
  7. Installing the PC tools (ADB & Fastboot)
  8. Step A — Unlock the bootloader
  9. Step B — Get your boot image
  10. Step C — Patch it with Magisk
  11. Step D — Flash the patched image
  12. Step E — Verify root
  13. After rooting: essentials
  14. How to un-root
  15. Troubleshooting
  16. Full device list (all brands)
  17. FAQ

1What rooting actually is

On a computer, an administrator account can change anything. On Android, that top-level account is called root (a Linux term). Out of the box, phone makers lock root away so ordinary apps — and you — can't touch the core of the system. Rooting is the process of unlocking that administrator access on a device you own.

With root you can remove pre-installed bloatware for good, back up apps with their data, block ads system-wide, tweak performance and battery, install powerful automation, and run apps that need deep access. It is a legitimate, long-standing enthusiast and developer activity — you are modifying your own hardware.

The modern way: MagiskYears ago, rooting meant permanently overwriting the system partition. Today the standard tool is Magisk (currently v30.7), a "systemless" rooter. It stores its changes separately instead of altering the read-only system, which makes it cleaner, reversible, and able to hide from apps that dislike root. This whole guide uses Magisk.

2Risks & who should not root

Read this before doing anythingRooting is powerful, but it carries real downsides. Go in with eyes open.
RiskWhat it means for you
Voided warrantyMost manufacturers consider an unlocked bootloader a voided warranty. Some (Samsung Knox) trip a permanent, unresettable fuse.
Data wipeUnlocking the bootloader erases the entire phone — photos, apps, everything. This is unavoidable. Back up first.
BrickingA mistake can leave the phone unbootable ("bricked"). Most cases are recoverable, but not all.
Banking & DRM appsGoogle Wallet, many banking apps, and some games (with SafetyNet/Play Integrity checks) may refuse to run. Magisk can hide root, but it's a cat-and-mouse game.
No more easy updatesAutomatic OTA system updates usually break or must be reapplied manually after rooting.
SecurityRoot gives apps deep power. A malicious app with root can do far more damage. Only grant root deliberately.

Don't root if: this is your only phone and you can't afford downtime; you rely on mobile banking/tap-to-pay and can't risk it; your phone is still under a warranty you may need; or you're not comfortable following technical steps carefully. There is no shame in stopping here.

3Beginner glossary

You'll see these words everywhere. Learn them once and the rest makes sense.

TermPlain meaning
BootloaderThe first program that runs when you power on. It decides what's allowed to boot. It must be unlocked before you can modify anything.
Fastboot modeA low-level mode you boot into to send flashing commands from a PC.
Recovery modeA separate mini-system for maintenance (wiping, updating). Stock recovery is basic; custom recoveries like TWRP add power.
ADBAndroid Debug Bridge — a PC command that talks to your phone while Android is running.
Fastboot (tool)The PC command that talks to your phone while it's in fastboot mode.
boot.imgThe boot image — the small file containing the kernel. Magisk patches this file to gain root on Android 9–12.
Firmware / Stock ROMThe official software package for your exact phone model. You extract boot.img from it.
A/B partitionsNewer phones keep two copies of the system (slot A and slot B) for seamless updates. Affects which commands you use.
OEM unlockingA toggle in Developer Options that permits bootloader unlocking. Different from actually unlocking.
BrickA phone that won't boot. "Soft brick" = fixable by reflashing; "hard brick" = dead.
SafetyNet / Play IntegrityGoogle's checks that detect a modified device. Some apps use them to block rooted phones.

4Can my phone even be rooted?

This is the single most important question, and the answer depends almost entirely on whether the bootloader can be unlocked. If it can't, you cannot root by this method — full stop.

Usually unlockable ✔Google Pixel/Nexus, most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO (after a waiting period), OnePlus, Asus, Motorola (most global), Sony Xperia, Fairphone, Nothing, and international unlocked models of many brands.
Usually locked ✗US carrier-branded phones (Verizon, AT&T especially), all Samsung Galaxy sold in the USA and Canada (Snapdragon), most Huawei/Honor after 2018, and many budget/carrier LG models.

Jump to the full device list below to find your exact phone and its difficulty rating. The quickest real-world test: go to Settings → Developer Options and look for an OEM Unlocking toggle. If it's missing or permanently greyed out, your device is likely locked down.

5Before you start — the checklist

Gather all of this before you touch a single command. Rushing is how phones get bricked.

Golden ruleOnly ever use firmware and a boot.img that matches your exact model number and current software version. Flashing the wrong image is the #1 cause of bricks.

6Back up everything

Unlocking the bootloader performs a factory reset. Assume you will lose all on-device data. Save:

Photos & videos → Google Photos, or copy the DCIM folder to your PC. Contacts & calendar → sync to your Google/account. App data → many apps have cloud sync; note logins for those that don't. Authenticator apps (2FA) → export or transfer first, or you can get locked out of accounts. Files & documents → copy to PC or cloud. WhatsApp/Signal → run their built-in chat backup.

Don't skip 2FALosing your authenticator app after a wipe can lock you out of email and banking. Move your 2FA codes to a new device or export the seeds before you begin.

7Install the PC tools (ADB & Fastboot)

You need Google's Platform Tools on your computer — this gives you the adb and fastboot commands.

  1. Download Platform Tools

    Get the official "SDK Platform Tools" package for your OS from developer.android.com. Unzip it to an easy location, e.g. C:\platform-tools.

  2. Install phone drivers (Windows only)

    Windows needs USB drivers to see the phone in fastboot. Install your maker's USB driver (Google/Pixel, Samsung, Xiaomi, etc.), or the universal driver. macOS and Linux need no drivers.

  3. Open a terminal in that folder

    Windows: hold Shift + right-click inside the platform-tools folder → "Open PowerShell/Terminal here". Mac/Linux: cd into the folder.

  4. Enable Developer Options on the phone

    Go to Settings → About phone and tap Build number seven times. You'll see "You are now a developer".

  5. Turn on USB debugging & OEM unlocking

    In Settings → System → Developer options, enable USB debugging and OEM unlocking. (If OEM unlocking is greyed out, see the note below.)

  6. Test the connection

    Plug the phone into the PC. Run: 
    adb devices
    Accept the "Allow USB debugging?" prompt on the phone (tick "always allow"). You should see your device's serial number listed. If you do, the tools work.
"OEM unlocking" is greyed out?Common causes: the phone isn't connected to the internet (some devices verify online first); it's a carrier-locked model that forbids unlocking; or the device must be paid off / SIM-unlocked first. If it stays greyed out permanently, your device likely can't be rooted this way — check the device list.

8Step A — Unlock the bootloader

This wipes your phoneEverything on the device is erased here. Only continue once your backup is done.

The exact command differs slightly by brand. This is the general flow; brand-specific notes follow.

  1. Boot into fastboot mode

    With the phone connected, run: 
    adb reboot bootloader
    The phone reboots into a fastboot/bootloader screen. Confirm the PC sees it: 
    fastboot devices
    (If nothing lists on Windows, your fastboot driver isn't installed — fix that first.)

  2. Send the unlock command

    On most modern devices: 
    fastboot flashing unlock
    On some older ones (Android 9 era) it's instead: 
    fastboot oem unlock

  3. Confirm on the phone screen

    The phone shows a warning. Use the volume keys to select Unlock the bootloader and the power button to confirm. The phone wipes and reboots.

  4. Redo first-time setup

    Set the phone up again, then re-enable Developer Options and USB debugging (Step 7). You can skip restoring your data until after rooting is done.

Brand-specific unlock notes

BrandHow unlocking works
Google PixelEasiest. fastboot flashing unlock works directly on unlocked/Google-store models. Verizon models are locked.
Xiaomi / Redmi / POCORequires the official Mi Unlock Tool and a Mi account. There's a mandatory waiting period (often 7 days) before unlocking is granted.
OnePlusSimple fastboot flashing unlock. Historically very root-friendly.
MotorolaRequest an official unlock code/token from Motorola's website, then fastboot oem unlock <code>. Carrier models often can't.
Sony XperiaGet an unlock code from Sony's Developer World site using your IMEI, then flash it.
AsusHistorically used an official unlock app/tool; newer models use fastboot.
SamsungDifferent entirely — uses Odin, not fastboot, and only Exynos/international models unlock (long-press Vol-up+Vol-down in Download mode). US/Canada Snapdragon models cannot be unlocked.
Huawei / HonorOfficial unlock codes were discontinued in 2018. Post-2018 models are effectively unrootable by normal means.

9Step B — Get the matching boot.img

Magisk works by patching your phone's boot image. On Android 9–12 that file is boot.img. (Only on Android 13+ did some devices move root to init_boot.img — not your concern here.) You must obtain the boot.img that matches your phone's current exact firmware build.

  1. Find your exact build

    Note Settings → About phone → Build number and your model number.

  2. Download your stock firmware

    Get the full firmware/ROM package for that exact model and build. Sources vary by brand:

    Pixel: Google's official Factory Images page. Xiaomi: official MIUI ROM or the Fastboot ROM. OnePlus/Oppo: official OxygenOS/ColorOS packages. Others: the manufacturer's support site, or well-known community firmware archives for your model.

  3. Extract boot.img

    Unzip the firmware package. Inside you'll find boot.img (sometimes nested in a payload.bin that you extract with a payload-dumper tool). Copy that boot.img to your phone's internal storage / Download folder.
Never use someone else's patched imageAlways patch your own boot.img from your own firmware, on the device you'll install it on. A mismatched or third-party image is a fast route to a bootloop.

10Step C — Patch the boot image with Magisk

  1. Install the Magisk app

    Download the official Magisk APK (v30.7 or newer) from the official GitHub: github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases. Install the APK on your phone (allow "install from unknown sources" if prompted).

  2. Open Magisk → Install

    Launch the Magisk app. Next to "Magisk" at the top, tap Install.

  3. Choose "Select and Patch a File"

    Pick this option, then browse to the boot.img you copied over. Tap Let's Go.

  4. Wait for "All Done"

    Magisk creates a patched file named like magisk_patched-xxxxx.img in your Download folder.

  5. Copy it back to your PC

    Move that magisk_patched-xxxxx.img to your platform-tools folder on the computer.
Why patch on-device?Magisk tailors the patch to your specific phone. Patching on the same device it's destined for avoids subtle mismatches.

11Step D — Flash the patched image

  1. Back into fastboot mode

    adb reboot bootloader

  2. Flash the patched boot image

    Replace the filename with your actual patched file: 
    fastboot flash boot magisk_patched-xxxxx.img

  3. A/B devices (most Android 10+ phones)

    If your device uses A/B slots and flashing boot alone doesn't take, flash both slots: 
    fastboot flash boot_a magisk_patched-xxxxx.img
fastboot flash boot_b magisk_patched-xxxxx.img
    In most cases the single fastboot flash boot targets the active slot correctly — only use the per-slot commands if instructed for your model.

  4. Reboot

    fastboot reboot
    The first boot after rooting can take a few minutes. Be patient.
If it bootloopsBoot back into fastboot and reflash the original, unpatched boot.img (fastboot flash boot boot.img) to return to a working, unrooted state. You can then try again.

12Step E — Verify root

Once the phone boots, open the Magisk app. Next to "Magisk" you should see an installed version number (not "N/A"). That means root is active. For a stronger test, install a "root checker" app from the Play Store, or open any app that requests root and watch for Magisk's superuser prompt.

You're rooted 🎉When an app asks for root, Magisk pops up a permission prompt. Only grant root to apps you trust. You can review and revoke every grant in Magisk → Superuser.

13After rooting — the essentials

Hide root from picky apps. Some banking/pay apps detect root. In Magisk, use the Zygisk setting plus the DenyList (and community modules like "Play Integrity Fix") to hide root from selected apps. Results vary and change over time.

Getting system updates. After rooting, don't take normal OTA updates blindly — they can fail or remove root. The safe pattern: in Magisk, use Uninstall → Restore Images before an update, or reflash a freshly patched boot image after each update.

Modules. Magisk supports modules — systemless add-ons for ad-blocking, audio mods, debloat, fonts, and more. Install only from reputable sources; a bad module can bootloop you (recover via Magisk safe mode).

Good first apps for root: a firewall/ad-blocker (AdAway), a proper backup tool, an automation app (Tasker with root), and a debloat/app-manager tool.

14How to un-root

Changed your mind? Two options. Simplest: open the Magisk app → Uninstall Magisk → Complete Uninstall. This restores your original boot image and removes root. Manual: reflash the stock boot.img via fastboot flash boot boot.img. To fully return to factory state, re-lock the bootloader with fastboot flashing lock — but note this wipes the phone again and should only be done on a 100% stock device, or you risk a brick.

15Troubleshooting

My PC doesn't detect the phone with adb devices
Use the original data cable, try a different USB port (prefer USB-A/2.0), re-accept the debugging prompt on the phone, and on Windows reinstall the OEM USB driver. Also make sure USB debugging is on.
fastboot devices shows nothing (but adb worked)
This is almost always a missing fastboot/bootloader driver on Windows. Install the manufacturer or Google USB driver, or manually update the driver for the "Android Bootloader Interface" device in Device Manager.
"OEM unlocking" toggle is greyed out
Connect to Wi-Fi and wait a day (some phones verify online first), make sure the device is fully set up and signed in, and confirm it isn't a carrier-locked model. On carrier-locked and US Samsung devices this can't be enabled at all.
Phone is stuck in a bootloop after flashing
Boot into fastboot and reflash the original unpatched boot.img. If that fails, reflash the full stock firmware for your exact model. This recovers almost all "soft bricks".
Magisk shows "N/A" / root didn't take
You may have flashed to the wrong slot, or the boot.img didn't match your build. Re-extract boot.img from your current firmware, re-patch, and try the A/B per-slot commands.
Banking app stopped working
Enable Zygisk, add the app to Magisk's DenyList, and install a current Play Integrity fix module. This is an ongoing arms race — some apps may still refuse.

16Full device list — Android 9–12, all brands

Below is an exhaustive brand-by-brand catalog of phones that shipped with or officially received Android 9 (Pie), 10, 11, or 12. Rootability ratings reflect the general ease of unlocking the bootloader on the global/unlocked variant — carrier-locked units are usually harder or impossible regardless of brand.

About "all phones"There are literally thousands of Android models from this era, and no single list is 100% complete. This covers every major (and most minor) brand with their full model families. If your phone isn't named explicitly, find its series — the rooting method and rating for the family almost always apply.
Easy bootloader unlocks with a standard command Moderate extra steps / waiting period / tool Hard often locked; only some variants Locked generally cannot be rooted this way
Google Pixel & Nexus — the gold standard

Easy (except Verizon-sold units)

Pixel 3 / 3 XL, Pixel 3a / 3a XL, Pixel 4 / 4 XL, Pixel 4a / 4a 5G, Pixel 5 / 5a, Pixel 6 / 6 Pro / 6a (shipped Android 12). Older but updatable to Pie: Pixel 2 / 2 XL, Pixel / Pixel XL. Official factory images and the simplest unlock process of any brand.

Samsung Galaxy huge range — region matters enormously

Hard — international Exynos: Moderate · US/Canada Snapdragon: Locked

S series: S9 / S9+, S10 / S10e / S10+ / S10 5G, S20 / S20+ / S20 Ultra / S20 FE, S21 / S21+ / S21 Ultra / S21 FE, S22 / S22+ / S22 Ultra.
Note series: Note 9, Note 10 / 10+, Note 20 / 20 Ultra.
Z / Fold / Flip: Z Fold / Fold2 / Fold3, Z Flip / Flip3.
A series: A10, A20, A30, A40, A50, A51, A52 / A52s, A70, A71, A72, A21s, A31, A32, A12, A13, A22, A23, A03, A04, and regional variants.
M / F / J series: M11, M12, M21, M31, M32, M51; F12, F22, F41, F62; J4, J6, J8 (Pie).
Tab (Android 9–12): Tab S5e, Tab S6 / S6 Lite, Tab S7 / S7+, Tab S8, Tab A series.

Samsung uses Odin + Download mode, not fastboot, and Magisk is installed by patching the AP firmware tarball. Knox e-fuse trips permanently on unlock. US and Canadian Snapdragon variants have permanently locked bootloaders and cannot be rooted.

Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO very root-friendly, with a waiting period

Moderate — Mi Unlock tool + mandatory wait (often 7 days)

Mi / Xiaomi flagship: Mi 8, Mi 9 / 9T / 9 SE, Mi 10 / 10T / 10 Pro / 10 Lite, Mi 11 / 11 Lite / 11T / 11T Pro / 11 Ultra, Xiaomi 12 / 12 Pro / 12X, Mi Note 10, Mi Mix 3 / Mix 4, Mi CC9.
Redmi Note: Note 7 / 7 Pro, Note 8 / 8 Pro / 8T, Note 9 / 9S / 9 Pro / 9T, Note 10 / 10S / 10 Pro / 10 5G, Note 11 / 11S / 11 Pro.
Redmi (number/A/K): Redmi 7 / 8 / 9 / 9A / 9C / 10, Redmi K20 / K20 Pro, K30, K40, K50.
POCO: POCO F1, F2 Pro, F3, F4; POCO X2, X3 / X3 Pro / X3 NFC, X4 Pro; POCO M2 / M3 / M4 Pro; POCO F4 GT.

Requires binding a Mi account to the phone, adding a SIM, and waiting out Xiaomi's unlock timer via the official Mi Unlock Tool.

OnePlus historically the enthusiast favorite

Easy (global/unlocked) · T-Mobile/Verizon variants harder

OnePlus 6 / 6T, 7 / 7 Pro / 7T / 7T Pro, 8 / 8 Pro / 8T, 9 / 9 Pro / 9R / 9RT, 10 Pro / 10T, OnePlus Nord / Nord 2 / Nord CE / Nord N10 / N100 / N200. Simple fastboot flashing unlock and strong developer support.

Motorola / Lenovo official unlock tokens

Moderate (global) · Verizon & some carrier models Locked

Moto G: G6, G7 / G7 Power / G7 Play, G8 / G8 Power / G Power, G9 / G9 Plus, G30 / G50 / G60, G Stylus, G Pure.
Moto Edge: Edge, Edge+, Edge 20 / 20 Pro / 20 Lite, Edge 30.
Moto One: One, One Action, One Vision, One Zoom, One Fusion / Fusion+, One Hyper, One 5G / 5G Ace.
Moto E / others: E5, E6, E7, Moto Z3 / Z4, Razr (2019/2020), Razr 5G.

Request an unlock code from Motorola's website (IMEI-based), then fastboot oem unlock. Verizon-sold Motos generally can't be unlocked.

Oppo varies by model; some very hard

Hard — some models unlock, many require deep-testing/apply tools

Find: Find X, Find X2 / X2 Pro / X2 Neo, Find X3 / X3 Pro / X3 Neo / X3 Lite, Find X5 series.
Reno: Reno, Reno 2 / 2Z, Reno3 / 3 Pro, Reno4 / 4 Pro, Reno5 / 5 Pro, Reno6 / 6 Pro, Reno7.
A / F / K series: A5 / A9, A52 / A72 / A92, A53 / A54 / A74 / A94, A15 / A16 / A31 / A32, F9 / F11 / F17 / F19, K3 / K10.

ColorOS makes unlocking inconsistent — some need Oppo's "in-depth test" APK to grant a temporary unlock. Success varies by exact model and region.

Vivo / iQOO generally difficult

Hard — most consumer models have no official unlock

Vivo: V15 / V17 / V19 / V20 / V21 / V23, Y11 / Y12 / Y19 / Y20 / Y30 / Y50 / Y72, S1 / S7 / S9 / S12, X50 / X60 / X70 / X80, NEX / NEX 3.
iQOO: iQOO 3 / 5 / 7 / 8 / 9, iQOO Neo series, iQOO Z series.

Vivo/iQOO rarely provide official bootloader unlocking outside China, and even there it's limited. Rooting is often impractical.

Huawei / Honor unlocking discontinued in 2018

Locked for anything after mid-2018

Huawei: P20 / P20 Pro, P30 / P30 Pro / P30 Lite, P40 / P40 Pro, Mate 20 / 20 Pro, Mate 30 / 30 Pro, Mate 40 Pro, Nova 3 / 4 / 5 / 7, Y-series.
Honor (pre-split): Honor 8X, 9X, 10, 20 / 20 Pro, View 20, Play; later Honor 30 / 50 / Magic series.

Huawei ended its official bootloader-unlock code service in 2018, so nearly all of these devices cannot be rooted by normal means. Newer Honor (post-Huawei) models also lack official unlocking in most regions.

Sony Xperia official unlock, but DRM caveats

Moderate — official IMEI-based unlock code

Xperia XZ2 / XZ3, Xperia 1 / 1 II / 1 III, Xperia 5 / 5 II / 5 III, Xperia 10 / 10 II / 10 III, Xperia L3 / L4, Xperia Pro. Sony provides an official unlock via its Developer World site. Note that unlocking can disable some camera-enhancing DRM keys.

Asus enthusiast-friendly

Easy to Moderate

ROG Phone: ROG Phone (I), ROG Phone II, ROG Phone 3, ROG Phone 5 / 5s, ROG Phone 6.
Zenfone: Zenfone 5 / 5Z, Zenfone 6, Zenfone 7 / 7 Pro, Zenfone 8 / 8 Flip, Zenfone Max / Max Pro (M1/M2), Zenfone 9.

Asus historically offered an official unlock app; recent models use standard fastboot unlocking.

Nokia (HMD) Android One; mixed

Hard — official unlocking is limited/inconsistent

Nokia 3.1 / 3.2 / 3.4, 4.2, 5.1 / 5.3 / 5.4, 6.1 / 6.2, 7.1 / 7.2 / 7 Plus, 8.1 / 8.3 5G, Nokia 9 PureView, Nokia 2.2 / 2.3 / 2.4, Nokia 1 Plus, Nokia G10 / G20 / G50, X10 / X20 / XR20.

Clean Android One software, but HMD generally doesn't offer easy official bootloader unlocking, making root difficult on most models.

LG brand exited phones in 2021

Moderate (some) · US carrier models Locked

LG G7 ThinQ, G8 ThinQ, V35 / V40 / V50 / V60 ThinQ, Velvet, Wing, LG G8X, Q60 / Q70, K-series (K40, K50, K51, K61, K92), Stylo 4 / 5 / 6. LG offered an official unlock site for a limited set of models (e.g. some G/V devices); many carrier units remained locked.

Realme unlock via deep-testing tool

Moderate — requires Realme's unlock/deep-testing APK

Number series: Realme 3 / 3 Pro, 5 / 5 Pro, 6 / 6 Pro, 7 / 7 Pro, 8 / 8 Pro, 9 / 9 Pro.
GT: GT, GT Neo / Neo 2 / Neo 3, GT Master, GT 2 / 2 Pro.
Narzo / C / X: Narzo 20 / 30 / 50, C-series (C11, C15, C21, C25, C35), X2 / X3 / X50 / X7.

Realme provides a "Deep Testing" application that grants bootloader unlock permission for supported models.

Nothing newer, developer-friendly

Easy

Nothing Phone (1) — shipped with Android 12. Standard fastboot unlocking and a clean, near-stock OS.

Fairphone designed to be opened up

Easy

Fairphone 3 / 3+, Fairphone 4. Explicitly supports bootloader unlocking and even ships alternative-OS support; among the friendliest devices to root.

ZTE / Nubia / RedMagic gaming line more open

Hard (ZTE mainline) · Moderate (RedMagic)

ZTE Axon 9 / 10 / 20 / 30, Blade series; Nubia Z20 / Z30, RedMagic 3 / 5 / 5G / 6 / 7 gaming phones. RedMagic gaming devices are generally more unlock-friendly than ZTE's mainstream Blade line.

TCL / Alcatel budget; limited

Hard

TCL 10 / 10L / 10 Pro / 10 SE, TCL 20 / 20 Pro / 20S / 20L, TCL Stylus; Alcatel 1 / 1S / 3 / 3X / 5. Official unlocking is rarely offered, so root is difficult on most models.

Other & regional brands the long tail

Ratings vary widely — check XDA-Developers for your exact model.

Generally more open / has community support: Essential Phone PH-1 Easy; Razer Phone / Phone 2 Moderate; BQ Aquaris; Lenovo Legion gaming phones; some Meizu (16/17/18) models.
Often locked / little support: Micromax, Lava, Infinix, Tecno, itel (Transsion brands — some have community efforts), Vivo sub-brands, Sharp Aquos, Sony's carrier variants, Kyocera, Panasonic, Coolpad, Wiko, Cubot, Doogee, Ulefone, Blackview (rugged brands vary), Google-certified budget OEMs.

For any device not listed: the deciding factor is always whether the bootloader can be unlocked. Search "[your exact model] bootloader unlock XDA" to confirm before attempting anything.

17FAQ

Is rooting legal?
In most countries, rooting a phone you own is legal. It typically voids your warranty, and it may violate carrier terms, but it is not itself illegal in the US, EU, and many other regions. Laws vary — check your jurisdiction.
Will rooting delete my data?
Yes — unlocking the bootloader factory-resets the phone. The Magisk patching/flashing steps afterward do not wipe data, but the initial unlock always does. Back up first.
Do I need a custom recovery like TWRP?
No. The modern Magisk method in this guide roots by patching the boot image via fastboot — no TWRP required. TWRP is optional and, for many Android 11–12 devices, not even available.
Can I still get software updates?
Yes, but not automatically. You'll typically restore the stock boot image, apply the update, then re-patch and re-flash. Skipping this can break root or cause boot failures.
Will my banking app / Google Pay work?
Maybe. Magisk's Zygisk + DenyList + a Play Integrity fix module can hide root from many apps, but it's an ongoing arms race and some apps will still refuse. If tap-to-pay is essential to you, reconsider rooting.
Can I undo it completely?
Yes — Magisk → Complete Uninstall removes root, and reflashing stock firmware plus re-locking the bootloader returns the phone to factory state (with another wipe). Note Samsung's Knox fuse stays tripped permanently.
My phone isn't on the list — can I root it?
Probably, if its bootloader unlocks. Find its series in the list above, or search XDA-Developers for your exact model. The Magisk steps are the same across almost all Android 9–12 devices.