How to Install Magisk on Android Phone 2024 – A Comprehensive Guide

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How to Install Magisk on your Android Phone

What is Magisk & How to Install Magisk

Magisk is a popular systemless interface for root access on Android devices. It allows you to root your phone and run root apps while still being able to pass SafetyNet and use apps like Android Pay.

Developed by topjohnwu (John Wu), Magisk modifies the boot image on your phone to allow root access. The great thing is, it doesn’t touch your system partition. This makes it fully systemless and allows it to hide from detection.

Benefits of installing Magisk

Here are some of the benefits of installing Magisk:

  • Full root access– Get complete control over your phone with superuser permissions.
  • Systemless interface– Doesn’t modify system partition so easily passes SafetyNet.
  • Modules– Tons of useful modules to add tweaks and customizations.
  • SafetyNet passing– Hide Magisk and use apps like Android Pay.
  • OTA updates– Still receive future OTA updates from your phone’s manufacturer.
  • Xposed Framework– Use the powerful Xposed Framework by installing Magisk.

As you can see, Magisk offers quite a lot over traditional root methods. Let’s go through how to install it.

Prerequisites

Before you install Magisk, there are a couple of requirements:

Unlocked bootloader

First, you need an unlocked bootloader. This allows you to make changes to the boot partition where Magisk works its magic.

Unlocking your bootloader will wipe your data so make sure to backup anything important first!

To unlock your bootloader:

  • On most phones, enable OEM unlocking in Developer Options then use the fastboot OEM unlockcommand while your phone is in bootloader mode.
  • For phones like Samsung, you may need to download a custom recovery first and then use it to unlock the bootloader.
  • You can also unlock the bootloader by flashing a custom ROM like LineageOS. Just opt to install the recovery when prompted.

Custom recovery (optional)

A custom recovery like TWRP or CWM is recommended but optional.

A custom recovery will allow you to easily flash Magisk from a zip file. You’ll also gain access to back up your phone, install updates, and manage files on your device.

Here are the top options for custom recovery:

TWRP

TWRP (TeamWin Recovery Project) is the most popular custom recovery. It provides a touch interface to flash zips and manage your phone.

To install TWRP:

  • Find the latest version for your phone from https://twrp.me.
  • Download the TWRP img file for your specific device & Android version.
  • Connect the phone to the PC and boot into bootloader/fastboot mode.
  • Use fastboot boot {twrp_file.img}to temporarily boot TWRP.
  • Once booted into TWRP, tap Install and select the TWRP image file to flash.
  • When done, tap Reboot > System to exit recovery.

Now when you reboot into recovery it will load TWRP instead of stock recovery.

CWM

ClockWorkMod (CWM) is an older custom recovery but still maintained and works great. The installation process is similar to TWRP.

Just download the CWM img file for your device from https://androidfilehost.com/?fid=529152257862698278

Then boot into fastboot mode and use:

Copy code

fastboot flash recovery {cwm_file.img}

to permanently flash CWM.

Installing Magisk

Now let’s install Magisk. There are 2 methods:

With Custom Recovery Installed

If you have a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM, this is the easiest method.

  • Download the Magisk APK from Magisk Manager. Go to Assets and download the Magisk-v*.zip file.
  • Reboot your phone into recovery mode. This is usually done by holding Volume Down + Power.
  • Once booted into custom recovery, install the Magisk zip file like any normal update zip. Tap Install and select the zip.
  • When done, go back and tap Reboot > System to exit recovery.
  • Magisk should now be installed! Open the Magisk Manager app to verify.

Without Custom Recovery

If you don’t have a custom recovery, you can still install Magisk by patching the boot image file.

  • Download Magisk Manager and open the app.
  • Go to Settings > Install > Select and Patch Boot Image File
  • Choose the stock boot image for your phone. If you don’t have it, extract it from the firmware OTA file for your phone model & version.
  • Magisk will patch the image file. Save the patched boot.img somewhere easy to access.
  • Reboot your phone into fastboot/bootloader mode.
  • Use the fastboot boot {patched_boot.img}command to temporarily flash the patched boot image.
  • Once your phone boots up, reopen Magisk Manager. It will give you an option to install Magisk. Follow the prompts.
  • When done, you will be prompted to reboot. Your phone will now have Magisk installed.

Additional Steps

After installing with either method, there are some extra steps you should take:

  • Open Magisk settings and enable MagiskHide. This will hide Magisk from many detections.
  • Also, go to MagiskHide and select all apps you want to hide root from. Common ones are Android Pay, Pokemon Go, and your banking apps.
  • If you want to pass SafetyNet (for things like Android Pay), enable MagiskHide in settings, then go to Modules and download “MagiskHide Props Config”.
  • You can adjust additional Magisk settings like app permissions and notification options as needed.

Troubleshooting

Here are solutions to potential issues:

  • If certain apps aren’t working or detecting root, make sure MagiskHide is enabled and those apps are selected under MagiskHide.
  • If Magisk Manager itself isn’t hiding properly, go to settings and toggle on “Hide Magisk Manager”.
  • For SafetyNet to pass, MagiskHide must be on, and you need the MagiskHide Props Config module installed and enabled.
  • Be sure you are fully closing out of apps as needed when testing detection and SafetyNet. Just backing out isn’t always enough.
  • You may need to adjust settings for Google Play services and the Play Store to get SafetyNet and Android Pay working.
  • As a last resort, wipe data and cache for the app in recovery then re-test.

Using Magisk

Now that Magisk is installed, let’s look at how to make full use of it:

Download modules

One of the best parts of Magisk is the modules which add tweaks and customizations to your phone.

Inside Magisk Manager, go to the Modules tab. Here you can browse and download all sorts of modules. Some good ones include:

  • AdAway– Easily block ads across your device without needing a root app.
  • Amplify– Manage wake-locks and limit battery drain from background apps.
  • Greenify– Further limit background apps from draining the battery.
  • YouTube Vanced– Modified YouTube app with no ads, background play, and more features.
  • Call Recording– Record your incoming and outgoing phone calls.

Modules are super simple to use. Just download, enable, then reboot – that’s it! Take a look at the huge selection of modules available to see what interests you.

Systemless hosts file

With root access from Magisk, you can also modify the system host file without actually touching the /system partition.

This allows you to block ads, remove bloatware redirects, stop tracking, and more.

To edit the host file:

  • Install a File Manager module if you don’t already have root file access.
  • Navigate to /sbin/.magisk/mirror/system/etc/
  • Locate and open the hostsfile in a text editor.
  • Make your desired changes and save the file.

Changes take effect immediately without needing to reboot or alter the real host’s file.

Systemless Xposed

The incredibly useful Xposed Framework can also be installed through Magisk. Look for the module “Xposed Framework for Android Pie” and enable it.

With systemless Xposed, you can use all your favorite modules like GravityBox, Snapprefs, MinMinGuard, and more without issues. It’s a major advantage of Magisk.

Android Pay fix

If you want to use Android Pay while rooted with Magisk, enable MagiskHide first as mentioned earlier.

Next, install the “MagiskHide Props Config” module and reboot. This will allow SafetyNet to pass so Android Pay functions.

Useful Modules

Here is a quick recap of some of the most useful Magisk modules in my opinion:

  • AdAway – Block ads
  • YouTube Vanced – Enhanced YouTube
  • GravityBox – UI tweaks
  • Greenify – Limit battery drain
  • Xposed Framework – Use Xposed mods
  • Call Recording – Record calls
  • Amplify – Manage wakelocks
  • DNS66 – Ad blocking for the whole device

Be sure to browse the Modules section inside Magisk to find other helpful ones for you. The options are nearly endless for customizing your phone!

FAQs

Here are some common questions about Magisk:

What if I brick my phone?

It’s highly unlikely that Magisk will brick your device. At worst, you may bootloop if something goes wrong. Generally, you can always reboot back into recovery and uninstall Magisk to get back up and running. Keep an Android backup through TWRP just to be safe too.

What is SafetyNet?

SafetyNet is Google’s system for verifying devices and apps haven’t been tampered with. Passing SafetyNet is required for things like Android Pay, Pokemon Go, and some bank apps. Magisk can often hide itself and bypass SafetyNet checks.

Do I need TWRP for Magisk?

No, you can patch images directly and flash through fastboot instead of TWRP recovery. However, TWRP makes the process much easier and allows managing backups, files, etc.

Does Magisk work on all phones?

Magisk works on most devices but very occasionally has issues with certain models. Checking the Magisk threads on XDA or Reddit can confirm support. Topjohnwu is also great about quickly adding support for new devices.

Does Magisk drain the battery?

Magisk itself has minimal battery impact. However, some modules may affect battery life depending on their functions. Poorly coded modules could also potentially reduce battery. Check Magisk battery settings and uninstall problem modules to improve battery.

Conclusion

Installing Magisk is the perfect way to gain the benefits of root without compromising stability or security.

As you’ve seen, the installation process is straightforward whether or not you have a custom recovery installed. Magisk offers a nearly endless amount of tweaks and customizations through the modules system.

It allows you to continue receiving OTA updates, pass SafetyNet for app usage, and remain undetected for the most part. The developers are constantly upgrading Magisk and finding new ways for it to integrate seamlessly into Android.

For these reasons and more, Magisk has become the preferred root solution for many Android users. I hope this guide has helped explain how to get Magisk up and running so you can take advantage of its possibilities.

Happy modding!

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