CyanogenMod: How to Enable Root Access

Root access is baked right into CyanogenMod but it is buried deep in the Settings menu so let’s talk about how to enable root access on CM12, CM12.1 and others.

You might instinctively decide to install SuperSU on your CyanogenMod smartphone or tablet because that is what a lot of people do when they want root access on their device. To do this, you’ll need to download the SuperSU binaries and then reboot your smartphone into the custom recovery(TWRP, CWM, etc) and then flash SuperSU this way. However, there is another way that you can get root access to your smartphone if you have CyanogenMod installed and that’s what I wanted to show you today.

This process should work for everyone that is running a current version of CM, so builds like CM12, CM12.1 and possibly a few versions before it too.

With SuperSU, you’re using a closed source solution for maintaining root access on your device. Not everyone is okay with running closed source software on their phone so they might prefer the solution that Cyanogen has come up with. The team behind Cyanogen calls their tool Superuser and it essentially functions the same way as SuperSU. Granted, you won’t get as many features as SuperSU has, but I would say that a majority of the people who want a tool to manage which apps have root access will not notice a difference.

CyanogenMod Enable Root

  1. Launch the Settings Application
  2. Enable Developer Mode
  3. Go Back to the Main Settings Menu
  4. Scroll All the Way Down and Tap on the ‘Developer Options’ Option
  5. Scroll Down and Tap on the ‘Root Access’ Option
  6. Tap on the ‘Apps Only’ or ‘Apps and ADB’ Option

Explanation

The menu to enable root access on a current version of CyanogenMod is hidden within the Developer Options menu and to access this, all you have to do is enable Developer Mode on your device. From here, scroll down to the Developer Options menu and then look for the Root Access feature that you should see about a page or so down from the top. Tapping on this option will bring up a dialog box that asks you which type of root access you would like to enable. You most likely want to enable both Apps and ADB, so if you are confused here then just enable root access for both, but if you know exactly what you’re doing then you might decide to only enable root access for one or the other.

After you choose to enable root access from here that is all there is to it. Simply tap on the home button to exit the Settings application and you should automatically have root enabled. Just like with SuperSU, when an application asks for root access you will see a dialog box pop up. From this box you can grant or deny root access to an application or service. With SuperSU, you have the ability to only grant root access for 15 minutes or you can permanently allow/deny root access. With Superuser, you don’t have this 15-minute option as you can only allow or deny root access to an application. There is however an option to remember your decision so you don’t have to constantly allow or deny access to an application.

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8 comments
  1. I am unable to gain access even after checking root apps and ADB.
    It still says root access is not properly installed.
    plase help :'(

  2. if there a way to enable root on a cyanogenmod phone which is rooted but the developer option has been turned off, and and root access is the to disabled.

    I mistakenly thought that the root enable would be for the current user, in other words like in the debian system there is a user root, but you can log in using a user account, in cyanogenmod it appears the root disable, apps only, adb only, apps and adb for root, is for the entire phone for all users.

    The question can the process of enabling root instead of doing it from the GUI, that same process that is described on this page can it be done from the command line.

    That is when root is disabled on a cyanogenmod phone.
    enable developer mode from the command line and then enable one of the root modes also from the command line.

    Is that possible if it is, how is it done?

    Thanks

  3. This is a great article on how to enable root access on a CyanogenMod device. I have a similar device and this is the first time I’ve been able to do this. Thanks for the guide!

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