I am a Tasker enthusiast and when I can automate something simple on my phone I like to. I set a simple task to turn off WiFi when my home network is not detected so my phone doesn’t scan and report my location to businesses. However, this functionality is now nonexistent and the developer has to ask people not to one-star their app because it doesn’t work. My phone is my phone and killing my ability to use it as such for whatever security theater Google is playing at is why I root my device. Anyone else still rooting for similar reasons?
ELI5 how can i root my device?
Depends on your device
Rooting a device is a process that depends on the phone and manufacturer. On some devices it is flat out impossible, on other it is trivial (those tend to be increasingly rare). The steps usually go something like this
- Put your phone in developer mode
- Unlock the bootloader (that’s the part that is manufacturer/phone dependent)
- Use fastboot to install a replacement bootloader (I used TWRP in the past, now I use Orangefox)
- Once you have a good bootloader, youll be able to install apps from outside Android. This will enable you to give those specific app root access.
- Install Magisk or superSu or whatever app that gives you root access once booted back in android.
Keep in mind that you can 100% brick your phone doing this and that it’ll most likely void your warranty. Do not root your device following this post alone. I tried to answer an ELI5, not a Teach Me How To Do It Like I’m 5.
More information:
- bootloader : that’s like the BIOS of your phone. It’s software that is used right before your OS (android) launches
- fastboot : that’s a mode you can set your phone in that will enable you to run commands via a computer to which your phone is plugged by usb. You can upload custom code to it this way (such as a replacement bootloader)
- https://orangefox.download/
Steps 2-3 are sadly impossible on most devices. If you have one of the bag ones, I’d recommend making some searches before you choose your next one.
Does this disable any OEM updates?
It will disable incremental updates but as long as there is a flashable zip file of the full image you can update using that
You can also quickly unroot then do an incremental update and then use magisk to create a flashable boot image afterwards to re-root
Your phone isn’t your phone as long as you run either google or apple software…
Joke’s on them my phone’s a Huawei and reports directly to the CCCP.
Oh, wait…
Sometimes I do wonder as a morbid curiosity if using their software could have a privacy benefit. Not to imply that they wouldn’t spy, just that they have less ability to act on the information. Like the report of a mother discussing an abortion with her teen daughter on messenger were Meta turned over the chats.
Also as a snide comment the CCCP is the Soviet Union, which is defunct now. One less C and you might improve your standing and get a television.
Also as a snide comment the CCCP is the Soviet Union, which is defunct now. One less C and you might improve your standing and get a television.
Not even snide I hate making mistakes like this, thanks man.
Idk about privacy, I doubt it, but at least the weather system sucks. Fetches info from some system which clearly isn’t the same data as my local, more accurate forecasts.
TIL Tasker even worked without root lol.
Also, why do we even need tasker to do that? iOS allows you to do that with its Shortcuts app lol, this is a weird moment when Android is becoming more closed and iOS open (in system wide features).
Well, that is why I chuckle when people say there is no reason to root nowadays… Heck, not even banking apps will prevent me from rooting my phone, and my next android purchases are gonna be based in whether it can be rooted or not.
Well, you need Tasker because that’s one of the Android equivalents of the Shortcuts app.
Sure, but I meant, how is it that we don’t have a native tool for this (like Automator) or at least a system app from Google (like Shortcuts app).
Fair, I was being cheeky. I don’t know if I trust Google anymore to make and maintain a good app or service.
Samsung has Routines. Might be worth to check out of its possible to run it outside OneUI.
It barely works for Android 14+ without root. Macrodroid has much better compatibility for whatever reason.
Unfortunately rooting while passing safetynet verification is very hard or impossible lately depending on the device. If apps didn’t unnecessarily check safetynet status this wouldn’t be a problem, but since so many now the rooted phone effectively becomes a brick. I really miss the days of custom ROMs and full device automation without stupid workarounds. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any going back without app developers getting on board with an alternative to Google-verified security on Android.
MD has a companion app, and you have to grant it special rights via adb (read/write secure settings) first. might also work for tasker
iOS open
So open that you need an app to send a file over Bluetooth…
Come on, you know what I meant, compare pre iOS 7 with whichever Android was at that time… You can see nowadays the release updates are switching and iOS is implementing more features (or features that it should have had since the beginning lol) and Android is closing down more (Google’s fault and no root ofc).
Tasker is anti-libre software. We do not control it. It fails to include a libre software license text file, like AGPL.
Serious question, what would be a recommended alternative?
Not as powerful as Tasker, but for some basic automation tasks PhoneProfilesPlus is a good alternative.
Appreciate the response / information. I’ll check it out!!
Wow that’s actually a great app. Thanks.
Tasker is the reason Android is so much better than iOS
It requires Google play
Tasker? It’s provided an alternative for several years, it is literally the only paid app I know which does this.
I know of FairEmail, Niagara Launcher, FolderSync and Symfonium (if you DM the dev) which offer alternate payment methods.
Oh wow
And now, even when your WiFi is off they still turn it on to “help with location tracking.” And they’re talking about taking away the ability to turn Bluetooth off.
blcoking ads. fuck ads.
BECAUSE I FUCKING OWN YOU (me to the phone)
I like being able to use my banking app. I do miss having proper control, though.
Does that effectively hide root? Because the parent repo says it’s only “guaranteed” to work for Google apps.
Shamiko does help hiding root with most apps.
Shamiko is anti-libre software. We do not control it. It fails to include a libre software license text file.
Meanwhile my latest phone I haven’t yet rooted but am running a custom ROM & the banking app crashes
shoutout to USAA banking app that detected my root, but just showed a warning and allowed me to continue. that’s how it ahould be imho
Big fuck you to the Belgian govt who detected my developer settings being on and blocked their app from working…
That’s pretty badass.
Magisk zygisk won’t work for you?
It’s been a while since I’ve rooted. I’ll look into it. Thanks for the direction.
Didn’t when I tried when on LineageOS. I needed that bank app for work, so got a Pixel and switched to GrapheneOS. The bank app works, and it is useful to be able to on and off Google Maps (because of traffic routing and search, when compared to Organic Maps). But LineageOS worked better. GrapheneOS has more bugs and a small community.
What is?
If you root with Magisk you can still use the banking apps, at least i can.
It’s still a cat and mouse game between Google and playintegrityfix/next. If you need to rely on your phone at any time rooting isn’t really an option anymore. I don’t see Google changing to be less hostile toward device automation unfortunately.
We really need a 3rd competitor or better workaround. It would be cool if you could have a virtual Android device inside a rooted device to run apps requiring safetynet. But that’s way way way easier said than done.
It’s not even just banking apps anymore. Tons of libraries just check by default before allowing apps using them to run. I can’t use my local transit agency’s app with root, not can I order a fast food burger.
Yeah Micky D’s blocking root was enough reason for me to avoid installing it on my non-rooted phone for ages, because of the implication.
Did eventually cave though, saves me a few bucks once in a blue moon when I do go.
You could just not use Google Android. Lineage OS all the way with no Google apps
Security and Privacy are not the same thing.
Stock Google is absolutely a hit to ones privacy, but LineageOS is a often big hit to device security.
If you don’t have a Pixel, and therefore can’t use GrapheneOS, check and see if your device is compatible with DivestOS.
However, neither will offer root support for reasons that both devs have decent write-ups explaining within each project’s documentation.
I do realize that not everyone places security above all other factors when deciding on their smartphone OS, but I think they should be aware of the trade-offs so they can make an informed decision.
Lineage OS is in fact not terrible for security. Other than a unlocked boot loader I have not seen anything wrong with it.
As for Divest OS is has all the same issues as Graphene OS.
The inability to relock the bootloader is gigantic security vulnerability. It negates, or entirely voids, a significant amount of a devices physical security, including FDE.
There are other security issues with LineageOS, but that’s part of the trade-off. There’s nothing inherently sinister or incompetent about that, it’s just the nature of the beast.
Regardless, I’m not here to chastise anyone’s choice of OS, or to even imply that there is a right, and wrong ROM, there isn’t.
I was just pointing out that there are pros and cons, and users should be aware of them when making those decisions.
Why do you keep stating blatantly false info as facts when it is obvious that you’re knowledge of the topic at hand is superficial at best?
In this comment thread alone you’ve stated that:
- to avoid “Google Android”, one should use Lineage OS (?)
- Apps on Lineage are some kind of separated on Lineage OS and not abandonware (??)
- Lineage OS is not terrible for security, because you haven’t found anything wrong with it besides that small little, insignificant detail of an unlocked bootloader (???)
- DivestOS has “all the same issues” as GrapheneOS(???)
Genuinely not trying to stir up shit, I’m curious. Why?
Dunning-Kruger effect
Google has a disproportionate and overwhelming say in AOSP. What do you think Lineage OS is based on?
When Google makes API changes to Android, it hurts AOSP too. Can the devs try to maintain the legacy API on their own? Sure, but it’s extra effort, so it’s usually not something you can count on.
True, but there isn’t a lot of options. At least with Lineage OS the apps are all separate and not abandonware
Both are based on AOSP, same issue there.
How does it detect your home wifi if it has turned off wifi? I don’t know Android, but the logic there seems odd. Are you using location services to drive it?
You’ve misread that. When he leaves his home network, he has it switch off wifi to prevent it being picked up by other networks. Probably has it being switched back on by cell tower / similar location option
Just have your WiFi turn back on when you get back to your home, you can do location based stuff with tasker, I used to have it on my old phone and made it turn my phone on silent and turn off the WiFi when I got to work, but as soon as I got home it put my phne back to normal.
Ew Location based stuff is even less privacy. That is a feature I never turn on unless I really need directions …
Yeah thars what I said :P
No you don’t understand. See you can set it to turn on once his GPS shows he’s home again.
Yes, which i literally said “cell tower / similar location option”
Cell tower is the lowest power cost for getting location, GPS is the most power hungry.
https://tasker.joaoapps.com/userguide/en/loctears.html
I’ve used tasker for 13 years, im quite aware it can do GPS :P
I don’t think I did. I just assumed it would be impossible to detect the home network automatically once WiFi was automatically switched off. Unless off isn’t actually off. Or the “auto on” part was location based.
You are right, that is impossible, but it isn’t what they are doing.
They are turning it back on either manually or by some other method (cell tower for instance). This automation seems to be to just turn it off.
You’ve now misread twice. Go back and try again.
You could have been helpful and chose to be an asshole instead. Go back and think about what you did.
There’s no helping some people.
I’ve considered it for similar reasons to your own. I like using Tasker for Bluetooth and it seems most of that compatibility is removed now as well.
I just want to enable adb over tcpip 5555 at boot.It is simply impossible on my device and I cannot disable bootloader lock.
This feature comes without Root on CalyxOS :p
So, PinePhone is gonna be a mature project… when? Can’t be soon enough.
Never… Pine kinda throws you the thing completely half assed for the people to build the whole stack. It’s a really slow process.
