One of the first things that most expert Android users do with their phones is to root it. Rooting provides additional access to the operating system and hardware functionality and allows users to do things which they can’t otherwise. Things such as overclocking, changing the Google Play store location and much more are possible only after rooting. If you are one of the lucky users playing around with a Nexus 5, read on to find out how you can root your phone.
Before we begin, make sure that you back up all your data. Although data isn’t lost in this procedure, it is better to be safe than sorry. Also, make sure that you have a recovery installed. If not, follow our guide on how to install a recovery on Nexus 5 before processing.
Root Nexus 5
- Download SuperSU binary from the link provided at the end of this article.
- Copy it to your phone, preferably, to the root location.
- Turn off your phone and restart it holding down the following button combination: volume down + power button
- The phone will start in the bootloader. Use the volume button to scroll between options until you see Recovery Mode. Press the power button to restart the phone in recovery mode.
- You should now be in the custom recovery. Depending on which one you have installed, TeamWin Recovery Project or ClockworkMod, you would have to navigate to install zip from SD card ( or install for TWRP ), browse to the location where you copied SuperSU zip file, select it and install it.
- Once the installation is complete, restart your phone and look in apps. You should see the icon for SuperSU.
If you need any help with the instructions, leave a comment below.
