Easiest Ways to Root an Android

Reasons

Many reasons exist for wanting to root an Android phone. In addition to full control over the operating system, you can install applications that require root access, perform system tweaks to make your phone operate more efficiently, put applications on your SD card instead of your phone's internal memory and update your operating system to the latest version without waiting for your wireless carrier to make an update available.

SuperOneClick

SuperOneClick, as the name implies, is an Android application that only requires one click to root your phone. You do need a small amount of preparation on the phone before you can run SuperOneClick. The phone's debugging mode needs to be turned on and the Android software development kit has to be installed. After these requirements are met, SuperOneClick only needs a click of the Root button to open up your smartphone. If you change your mind about rooting your phone, SuperOneClick provides an unrooting button that returns your Android phone to its original configuration.

Universal Androot

Universal Androot offers an even easier method for rooting your phone, as you do not need to install the software development kit for it to work. Instead you install the Androot APK file on your system from the SD card to add the application to your phone. You do need an Android phone that is capable of installing applications outside of the marketplace before rooting, however. Once Universal Androot is installed and launched, you follow the application's commands to root your phone.

Considerations

If you do not have experience with the Android operating system, you may run into problems with a rooted Android. You may end up installing infected applications that put a virus on your phone, altering a system setting that causes performance issues or voiding your warranty. If you want to revert your Android phone back to factory settings, you need to find the stock ROM for your specific phone model and flash it back to the original settings. Not all Android phones are compatible with popular rooting applications. You may need to try several applications before finding one that works properly with your specific smartphone model.