Rooting allows Android mobile operating system users to reach privileged control (known as root access) over various Android subsystems.
Android uses the Linux kernel. Rooting an Android device gives similar access to administrative (superuser) permissions as on Linux or other Unix-like operating systems such as FreeBSD or macOS.
Non-rooted Android images
Genymotion Desktop offers several unrooted Android images which can be rooted dynamically.
| Android version | Initial state | Dynamic rooting (license required) | |---|---|---| | 16.0 | Unrooted | | | 15.0 | Unrooted | | | 14.0 | Unrooted | | | 13.0 | Unrooted | | | 12.1 | Unrooted | | | 12.0 | Unrooted | | | 11.0 | Rooted | | | 10.0 | Rooted | | | 9.0 | Rooted | | | 8.1 | Rooted | | | 8.0 | Rooted | | | 7.1 | Rooted | | | 7.0 | Rooted | | | 6.0 | Rooted | | | 5.1 | Rooted | | | 5.0 | Rooted | |
Our most recent Android images are not rooted by default. Rooting can be done dynamically.
arm64
x86/x86_64
| 16.0 | Unrooted | | | 15.0 | Unrooted | | | Automotive 14.0 | Unrooted | | | 14.0 | Unrooted | | | 13.0 | Unrooted | | | 12.1 | Unrooted | | | 12.0 | Unrooted | | | 11.0 | Unrooted | | | 10.0 | Unrooted | | | 9.0 | Rooted | | | 14.0 | Unrooted | | | 13.0 | Rooted | | | 12.1 | Rooted | | | 12.0 | Rooted | | | 11.0 | Rooted | | | 10.0 | Rooted | | | 9.0 | Rooted | | | 8.1 | Rooted | | | 8.0 | Rooted | | | 7.0 | Rooted | | | 6.0 | Rooted | | | 5.1 | Rooted | | | 5.0 | Rooted | |
> Warning: x86/x86_64 images have been deprecated and are no longer supported.
Some of our images are un-rooted images and can be dynamically rooted.
| 16.0 | Unrooted | | | 15.0 | Unrooted | | | Automotive 14.0 | Unrooted | | | 14.0 | Unrooted | | | 13.0 | Unrooted | | | 12.1 | Unrooted | | | 12.0 | Unrooted | | | 11.0 | Unrooted | | | 10.0 | Unrooted | | | 9.0 | Rooted | | | 8.1 | Rooted | | | 8.0 | Rooted | | | 7.0 | Rooted | | | 6.0 | Rooted | | | 5.1 | Rooted | |
Root and Un-root a device
Genymotion Desktop
Genymotion SaaS
Genymotion PaaS
> Warning: This feature is not available on rooted Android images ( 11.0 and below).
Rooting and unrooting the device is controlled via the device property persist.sys.root_access.
The device property persist.sys.root_access can be changed from the Advanced Developer Tools, when creating or editing a device from the launchpad.
When creating a device
When creating a device, check the "Root Access" option in the virtual device installation wizard.
Then proceed to create the device.
Root access will then be enabled by default.
From launchpad
Rooting and unrooting the device is controlled via the device property persist.sys.root_access.
This device property can be changed from the Advanced Developer Tools, when creating or editing a device from the launchpad.
In Advanced Developer Tools
Edit a virtual device settings and go to the System tab.
Toggle Root access by checking the "Root Access" option.
Open the Advanced Developer Tools Widget and toggle "Root Access".
Root toggling is controlled via the device property persist.sys.root_access.
Root toggling can be changed only by command line, with adb, for the moment.
To toggle root
2. Run the following ADB command:
To disable root
To disable root, run the ADB command:
Root toggling via UI and APIs
Root toggling is controlled via the device property persist.sys.root_access.
The device property can be changed either from the user interface, by command line or with the HTTP API.
Web UI
Navigate to the Configuration left-bar menu in the Web UI.
Go to the Root Access card.
Click to toggle root access.
> Note: This feature is only available with Android 10.0 and above for the moment.
With lower versions, the toggle switch will be disabled.
Command line
To root the device, set the persist.sys.root_access property value to "3" with the setprop command:
setprop
3
To revert back and unroot the device, set the property value to "0":
setprop
0
The current value of the property can be retrieved with the getprop command:
getprop
HTTP API
Device properties can be changed using the HTTP API endpoint /configuration/properties.
To root the device, set the persist.sys.root_access property value to "3" with the POST method.
To revert and unroot the device, set the property value to "0".
The current value of the property can be retrieved with the GET method.
Response:
Once the device is rooted, root access is granted.
Root access is available for applications.
Root access is available from command line interfaces.
Root access for applications
If you are using a un-rooted device, Superuser will only be available once the device has been manually rooted.
If you are using a rooted image, Superuser is already installed.
When an application requests root access, the application prompts a pop-up asking whether root access should be authorized or denied.
The default policy can be changed using the Superuser application.
Root access by command line (adb)
> Warning: Connecting as a root user may damage your instance or jeopardize your data. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
> Warning: Android 10.0 and above images are no longer rooted by default: root access is only accessible after the device has been manually rooted.
Android 9.0 and below images are always rooted.
When logging with adb shell, the session already runs as root.
Use the adb root command to switch directly to root.
Use adb unroot to switch back to standard user.
How to sign your system app
> Non-rooted Android images are user build type.
Rooted Android versions are userdebug build types.
Non-rooted Android images are signed with release keys.
You can use the keys provided in this public repository, to sign your system apps.
The other rooted Android images are signed with the default AOSP test keys.