After researching the rooting process on this sub, I specifically asked the eBay merchant to send me a Pixel with Android 7 or 8 on it. The version of Android could make a difference. I feel like this might be the most important part since the phone is 100% my property. I’m not on a lease program or a new phone program where you pay a small amount each month and then turn in your phone after a year to get a new one. So the SIM card unlock trick could have a few caveats so I’ll list them here: - My phone carrier and SIM card are from AT&T (ie non-Verizon) - The iPhone I use on AT&T is fully-paid. Phone has continued to stay unlocked-no problems Proceeded with TWRP/Magisk/Smali per this sub’s instructions. Powered the phone back on and boot into boot loader (hold power and volume down buttons while powering on) Immediately turned off the Pixel and removed my SIM card Opened Chrome to any web browser page (per XDA)įound “OEM Unlocking” was still grayed-out but tried to use the slider anyway, and bingo the switch slid to “on” (highlighted blue) Unlock System/Developer Options the usual way (tried the “OEM Unlock” but it wouldn’t unlock) Skipped through all the phone’s initial setup steps that I could (including skipping the WiFi setup) Inserted my SIM card from active service plan (I cant remember if the Pixel was powered off before I inserted the SIM if my phone was already on, then I would have inserted it after fully booted and finished with the phone’s initial setup steps) Pixel already factory reset/clean and had Android 8.1 already installed when I received the phone So after a couple of days of failed attempts I decided f- it and tried the one thing everyone said not to do: I put in my SIM card from the phone I use on another carrier. Yeah I tried every single step I could find on XDA and couldn’t get anything to work, and was ready to throw away the phone lol. Unlock bootloader instructions for Verizon Pixel phones as per /u/myleftthumb212 (to use with the downgrade method: Google Nexus 5x or 6p are the best options, Pixel too - non Verizon ones) Most of these phones can be bought for about 50$-60 $US, used. Which phone should I buy if I want to root?Įvery Google device that has unlocked boot loader (without Verizon) or a device you can be certain it can be easily rooted and unlocked.Ĭheap Google phones 64 bit: Nexus 5x/6p.
We had so many dramas with this VMOS thing and even a ban wave that we never had with the 3 previous methods, so we are not supporting it! You can ask specific questions on VMOS in the forum.īut if it get's too much or the questions are repetitive ("Where do I download VMOS", "How to use VFIN", "VMOS is down" etc.) or there is another ban wave we are going to remove them from the sub. VMOS is no longer a supported method in this forum.ĭo your own research on VMOS, Google, Youtube whatever. If you can make this one work - this is the best method! Works on everything, even Android 10. Smali Patcher (the only method working on Android 10)Īdvantage of smali patcher is that you don't need to transfer the fake gps routes app to the system folder and you can spoof without rubberbanding. Uninstalling Magisk is sometimes tricky, so do your research based on your particular device model and CPU. If you don't want to leave the device rooted you can follow the steps in the above video and then use this video or any other video like it to uninstall Magisk
Guide how to enable expert mode for Fake GPS to work with this method on Android 8, 9, doesn't work on Android 10 (use Smali) Google: your device name + "unlock boot loader") (a very thorough guide - all you need to figure out is how to unlock your boot loader first. don't work with this method, also some Android 8.1 versions with Google play services 12.8.x that can't be downgraded) Without rooting - downgrade Google play services, works on Android 6, 7 and 8. Here are all the working methods for 2020Īndroid 5 and below require root - no way around that, don't ask!