Google puts a lot of time into thinking about Android security, and has developed systems like the way the OS handles app permissions in order to give us control over how software gets to see our data. But that sort of gatekeeping doesn’t just apply to apps, and we’re also limited ourselves in what Android will let us do — admittedly, often for our own protection. And while there are ways around some of those limitations, taking advantage of them isn’t always without consequence.
We’re talking today about rooting your phone, the process by which you manipulate Android into giving you superuser access. There are plenty of good reasons to root, like being able to remove stubborn bloatware, or just modifying the way existing apps run. That said, there are just as many reasons to be apprehensive, from weakening your phone’s security, to risking an outright brick.