If you have recently flashed the Android (6.0) M developer preview image on your Nexus 5, you have probably tested all the new settings and features that the latest Android version has. New permission settings, enhanced battery life (Doze) and new launcher are a few things to check out once Android M is up and running on your device.
But again, after the fun of new software has gone away, you will look for ways to root your phone. If you search for the latest version of SuperSU, you will see that the developer hasn’t updated the program for Android M. Does this mean that you cannot root your Nexus 5 running on Android M? Absolutely not! There are other methods of rooting your Nexus 5, and we have one right here.
While SuperSU doesn’t support Android M by default, recognized developer DespairFactor has created the first Android M kernel for Nexus 5 called Despair kernel. The developer has made a few modifications to the core code of the kernel which makes it possible for SuperSU to work, thus allowing root on Android M. Here’s how to easily root your Android M Nexus 5 device.
In order to root your Nexus 5, you will have to download the latest version of Despair kernel, SuperSU V2.49 and the phone should be running on the latest Android M (MPZ44Q) build. You also need a custom recovery like TWRP to flash the required files.
How To Root Nexus 5 on Android M Build
- Recovery: TWRP recovery
- SuperSU: BETA-SuperSU-v2.49.zip
- Despair Kernel: Despair.M.HH.R1.5.zip
How To Process
- Firstly, make sure you have TWRP custom recovery installed. You can try other custom recoveries as well but TWRP has proven to be more reliable.
- Next up, download both the files required on the download links above: BETA-SuperSU-v2.49.zip and Despair.M.HH.R1.5.zip.
- Transfer the files to the internal storage of your phone.
- Turn the phone off. Pres and hold the power button, volume up and volume down keys at the same time to boot into fastboot mode. Press the volume buttons to highlight the recovery option and press the power button to select it. You will go into recovery mode shortly.
- Flash the Despair kernel. Go to Install and select the Despair.M.HH.R1.5.zip file.
- Go back and do the same thing with the SuperSU file.
- Once you have flashed both files, reboot your phone.
Now your phone will reboot and you will have a rooted Nexus 5 running on Android M. You can download root checking apps from the Play Store to verify root access.