Root Access

Through rooting, the users of tablets, smartphones and devices operating on Android OS can get “root access” or privileged control over the subsystems of Android. Rooting is typically done to overcome the restrictions which hardware manufacturers and carriers have put on different devices. Root access basically allows the user to change or replace the existing system applications and settings. It lets him perform operations which are not otherwise possible for a regular Android user. Where Android is concerned, root access may help to remove and replace the device OS with a more recent version of the existing OS.

Root access has often been compared to “jailbreaking” devices which run the Apple iOS. However there is a slight difference between the two operations; in jailbreak, you can bypass the prohibitions for end users and modify the operating system or install non-approved apps through sideloading. Jailbreaking offers users administrative privileges which are comparable to Android rooting. So, rooting is usually needed for the more advanced and dangerous operations like changing and deleting system files, deleting apps installed by carriers or manufacturers or for low-level access to hardware. Rooting installs the superuser application that monitors applications which have been granted superuser rights.