Rooting Your Android: What Are the Risks?

Rooting your Android device can come with a lot of advantages, like being able to install software you normally couldn’t, taking advantage of the latest software versions before they get pushed to your device, customizing your device to your own preferences and many other things. But are there risks involved?

Like any process that the manufacturer doesn’t recommend, rooting can lead to some unwanted things happening to the device in question, especially if not done properly. Let’s take a look at some of those risks and then you can weigh the pros and cons and see if rooting your device is what you want.

Things not working as planned

If done properly, not much can go wrong, so that’s why you should read what other users that have successfully rooted a device just like the one you own are saying on forums. Each Android device has its own specifics, so make sure you use software designed for your exact device.

Read everything you can find about rooting your specific device, then make sure you follow instructions from users that have successful done it by the letter.

Otherwise, you might compromise the functionality of your smartphone or tablet. That could result in endless restart loops, or even bricking the device itself.

Warranty compromised

Rooting involves making a full backup of your device ROM, in case something should go wrong, as many manufacturers will void a rooted device’s warranty. You can, however, restore the original ROM before sending the device to warranty (in most cases), and nobody will know it’s rooted.

Malware vulnerability

This is probably the largest risk you’ll be facing (you know what they say: “with great power comes great responsibility”). Rooting your device makes it more vulnerable to various types of malware, hidden in apps you install and that’s why you should be extremely careful.

An app could, for example, steal personal data from your device, or use the GPS receiver to track you every move.

If you make sure you know what you’re doing and you’re careful, rooting could certainly bring you some added bonuses.

Conclusion

Now remember these are the potential risks of rooting your Android. Also, it’s not for the faint of heart, it takes some knowledge and is a geeky process. Of course, a lot of Android enthusiasts do it every day, and they love their Android experience after updating to the latest ROM.

If you’re new to what Rooting an Android device takes, check out these articles to get an idea of what it’s all about:

• How To Root Motorola 4G Photon
• How To Root Asus Transformer Prime
• How To Root the Kindle Fire HD