In the early days of Android, rooting your phone was very common to get more control over your device and access features that were not available unless you had root access. However, over the years, Android has become more customizable and feature-rich out of the box.
With the advent of features like Android’s built-in dark mode, well-being features, improved accessibility and privacy controls, flash notifications, lock screen customization, app theming etc the need to root may be less pressing than in the past. Find all the new features in the latest Android OS update here.
So is rooting your Android phone still worth it in 2024? Well, the answer is: it depends.
Before we dive into the pros and cons of rooting your Android device in 2024, let’s talk about what rooting is all about.
What is Rooting?
Rooting simply means gaining administrator access to the Android operating system that is running on your smartphone. It allows you to remove pre-installed apps (also known as bloatware), install custom firmware, mods, and tweaks, automate tasks, install apps that require root access, block ads system-wide, get advanced performance tweaks, and more.
However, rooting voids your device’s warranty since you are making unauthorized changes to the software. There is also a small risk of bricking your device if something goes wrong during the rooting process. So it’s crucial to read guides carefully and pick reputable root software before making any changes.
Pros of Rooting in 2024
Here are some of the benefits you can still enjoy by rooting your Android device in 2024:
Remove Bloatware
Most Android devices come with many pre-installed apps (bloatware) from carriers and device manufacturers. Most of these apps you probably do not need and will not use but take up a portion of your system resources and in turn reduce your phone’s performance. You cannot uninstall these without root access. By rooting your device, you can free up storage space and slim down your system by removing bloatware.
Customize Everything
Want to change the look and feel of your phone’s software? With root, you can install custom ROMs, kernels, mods, themes, icon packs, fonts, and more to customize Android to your liking. Options were limited back in the day, but now there are tons of ways to personalize your phone when rooted. There are tons of unofficial custom rom support for so many devices from top manufacturers, so, you have a huge list of options to choose from and give your device a new feel.
Automation Powers
Apps like Tasker and MacroDroid let you automate various tasks on your phone based on triggers and events. However many of their powerful features require root access. So if you want to take your smartphone automation to the next level, rooting is the way.
Ad Blocking
While free apps support themselves through ads, excessive ads can ruin the experience. With root access, you can install a system-wide ad blocker to reduce or completely remove ads from apps and websites. This way you enjoy a better app and website experience with no intrusion whatsoever.
Faster Performance
Rooting your device allows you to apply tweaks to boost performance. You can overclock your CPU, modify GPU settings, tweak RAM usage and more to get the best performance from your device. Apps like Kernel Adiutor make the process very simple. This level of control can lead to noticeable speed boosts.
Cons of Rooting in 2024
However, there are also some downsides to rooting Android devices in 2024 to consider:
Security Risks
Rooting opens up your device to higher security risks. Malware targeting rooted devices can gain complete control. You have to be very careful about what you install. Security updates also stop once you install custom firmware.
Instability Issues
While custom ROMs and mods provide many customisation options, they can also introduce instability and app compatibility issues in some cases. If not properly tested, custom firmware can cause random crashes or bugs. This is not to say official ROMs are completely stable themselves. As we’ve seen over the years, official ROMs also come with their issue (or bugs) that can make the mobile experience quite frustrating.
There have even been a lot of cases where devices got completely unusable due to a bug or system update.
Void Warranty
Rooting almost always voids your device’s warranty since it breaks the terms and conditions set by the manufacturer. This means if you run into hardware issues later, you may have to repair it out-of-pocket.
Bricking Risk
You run the risk of bricking your device when trying to root it or flash custom mods and tweaks using a custom recovery after rooting it. This will essentially turn your device into an unusable paperweight. Recovering from a bricked state is very tricky for average users.
In most cases, a simple firmware flash will fix the device brick issue, or you may have to tinker with your device hardware or get a more sophisticated flashing tool (paid tools) to fix the issue. So, you need to understand what you’re doing when rooting your device.
Extra Maintenance
Maintaining a rooted phone with custom firmware requires more technical knowledge and maintenance. You have to be careful when installing OTA updates, regularly backup your device, troubleshoot issues and keep malware in check.
Should You Root Your Android in 2024?
Given the pros and cons, whether you should root your Android smartphone in 2024 depends on your needs and willingness to accept the risks.
If you’re a casual Android user who simply wants to use standard apps and functionalities on a smartphone, say gaming, chatting, entertainment apps and others that don’t require any technical know-how, rooting is not necessary and may do more harm than good if you install unstable mods. You already get a lot of customization options without root now.
However, If you’re a power user and want to unlock the full potential of your Android device for advanced modding, customization, automation and performance tweaks, then rooting still offers enough benefits to be worth it in 2024. Just be prepared for the extra maintenance required. Proceed carefully!
Read also: How to Change the Default System Font on Windows 10 and 11
Overall there are still some unique benefits to gain with root access in 2024. But it also comes with considerable risks – especially for average users just looking to access a couple of basic root-only apps. Evaluate the tradeoffs based on your needs. With the right technical know-how, you can take your rooted Android device to new heights through advanced customizations.
That’s it on rooting your Android phone in 2024. Do you think it is still worth it to root your device? Tell us why your device is rooted or why you will still root your next Android device and if you have a different opinion, let us know in the comment section below.
Rooting is not really worth it , most frustrated thing is Ur bank App won’t work natively you still need to use module. And installing module or kernel can brick Ur phone . Imagine u don’t own a laptop ur phone will be useless and besides our phone manufacturer have made our phone to get best customisation close to rooting customisation so I see no reasoning for Rooting .
You make a valid point. However, like I mentioned in the article, unless you are a power user that wants to push your device to the extreme, you probably don’t need rooting.