How to Root the Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx HD on Jelly Bean

The most anticipated update for the Droid RAZR Maxx HD, Jelly Bean, has arrived and it brings the Android version up to 4.1. The update adds a number of new features to the device, that we’ve seen when the Jelly Bean was announced first. As usual, the update broke the root access and hence created a challenge for developers to gain root access on the device once again and the developers did it. The root access has been achieved on the device and in the following guide, we’re gonna show you the same. It shows how you can root your Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx HD device.

I. Before You Begin:

1. If you’ve updated your device to Jelly Bean, then first downgrade it to stock ICS using the tool given here.

2. Make sure your device’s charged fully or has at least 80% of battery life left.

II. Downloading Required Files:

1. Root Package (It’s attached in the first post)

III. Rooting the Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx HD:

1. Download and place the Root Package ZIP on your Desktop.

2. Extract files from the archive to your Desktop. Do NOT launch any file just yet.

3. Install the Motorola Drivers using the files you extracted from the archive.

4. On your device, head to Menu>>Settings>>Developer options and enable USB debugging.

5. Connect your device to your PC using the USB cable.

6. Double-click on the file named RUN.bat, it’s one of the files you extracted to your Desktop.

7. Follow the on-screen instructions.

8. You should be rooted now!

Your device’s rooted. Now, before updating to Jelly Bean, follow the following steps to keep the root access alive on your device.

IV. Keeping the Root Access Alive:

1. While you’re rooted on ICS, head over to Play Store and download VooDoo Rootkeeper.

2. Install the app on your device.

3. Once it’s installed, launch it from Menu.

4. Tap on Protect Root option in the app.

5. Once the root’s protected, tap on Temp Unroot button.

6. Your device should be unrooted temporarily.

7. Now, update your device to the latest Jelly Bean OTA by heading to Menu>>Settings>>About phone>>Software update>>Update.

8. Once you’ve updated your device with the latest OTA, launch the VooDoo Rootkeeper app on the device.

9. This time, choose the Restore Root option and it should restore the root access on your device.

10. You’re all done!

Congratulations! You now have root access on your Droid RAZR Maxx HD running on the latest Android Jelly Bean build. Although the JB’s full of features that would take a while for you to be familiar with, you may want to try out some root-only apps in the meantime!

If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.

If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum.

This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our Android How To’s, head here.

25 thoughts on “How to Root the Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx HD on Jelly Bean”

      1. It worked on my maxx hd . But when you are using ap fastboot ( directions are in the utility) make sure your battery life is over 80%.. not the 60% they listed. If its not over 80 most likely it will brick your phone because the process takes up huge amounts of battery life.

        Good luck guys

  1. Procedure works, and Voodoo Rootkeeper reports checkmarks for all boxes on Jelly Bean when complete. However, Titanium Backup is unable to obtain root access. So, I can’t restore my apps and other stuff. What’s up with that? Any solution?

    EDIT: Had to make sure Voodoo Rootkeeper and Superser were up to date, and that I went into Superuser and updated su binaries. Voodoo Rootkeeper back must be taken AFTER su binaries are updated. Also, take the addition steps of loading Busybox installer, Root Checker, and Titanium Backup and running all of them to get their records into the Superuser app (make sure Remember box is checked for each one). After following these additional guidelines, it all works. Now to figure out the best way to bring back my applications from Titanium Backup without fouling up the system.

    1. Nop, it doesn’t. It works on only those devices mentioned in the procedure, it doesn’t work on any other devices.

      Thanks!

  2. Register Merrill

    Hi, I would love to root my phone, Verizon is not going to charge me so that I connect my phone to my PC to use the data connection that I already pay for, (this was a feature in ICS, but it is not available with JB).

    Anyways, I have the Droid RAZR XT912 (this is the Verizon CDMA version, not XT910 which is the GSM). Is this guide still useful to me? Can I still use the tools, or will I brick my phone?

    Any help would be useful,

    Thank you

  3. Does not work on x912!!!! Can not go back to ice cream sandwich !!!! When you update you stay on jelly bean! If you have done this and are bricked! If you can reboot into recovery choose update from external SD ! This is what worked for me ! Jelly bean update is nice would be awesome if I had root access!! Oh well guess I’ll have too wait!

  4. You know your update process is completely wrong and will brick people. It’s obvious you didn’t test it. I know now never to follow any info on this site.

  5. You really should change the link for the utility to the proper one for the Droid Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD. The link you have for the utility right now if for the OG Razr and Razr Maxx. That is where all of the confusion is coming from.

    1. PS: THIS DOES NOT WORK —-> 7. Now, update your device to the latest Jelly Bean OTA by heading to Menu>>Settings>>About phone>>Software update>>Update.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.