How to Root the Sony Xperia Z

Sony Xperia Z is one of those rare smartphones that have got a root method before the device could actually arrive in the hands of the customers. You can call this smartphone a powerhouse as it’s got a Quad-Core 1.5GHz processor and 2GB of RAM, much more than what you would normally find in Samsung or any other smartphones. Jelly Bean comes preloaded on the device and there’s a planned upgrade to Android 4.2, a bit of more than JB. Root access has been achieved on this device by modifying the Chainfire’s custom kernel and we’ve put down the entire procedure to root the Sony Xperia Z just below. Follow it and get your device rooted.

I. Before You Begin:

1. This will void the warranty of your device. However, you can reinstate the warranty by unrooting the device if there’s any unrooting procedure available.

2. You must have unlocked bootloader of your device. You can do so from here.

3. This is intended to work on firmware version: 10.1.A.1.350.

II. Downloading Required Files:

1. Modified Kernel (Download link’s available in the first post)

2. Insecure Kernel (Download link’s given in the first post)

3. Fastboot

III. Rooting the Sony Xperia Z:

1. Place all the files you downloaded to your Desktop.

2. Extract files from the Fastboot archive to your Desktop. You’ll get fastboot.exe along with some other files.

3. Plug-in USB cable to your PC but not to your device.

4. Turn OFF your device.

5. Reboot the device into Fastboot mode. To do that, simply hold down the Volume UP button and connect the other-end of the USB cable to your device.

6. Launch a Command Prompt Window on your Desktop. To do so, hold down the Shift button on your keyboard and right-click on any empty area on the screen, then select Open command window here.

7. Type in following command into the Command Prompt Window:

fastboot flash boot Z_DooMLoRD_CF-Auto-Root-ported_FW-350.img

8. Next, issue the following command:

fastboot reboot

9. Your device should boot up and you’ll get a notification on your screen saying that the device will reboot in 10 seconds.

10. Once the device reboots, unplug it from your PC.

11. Now hard power off your device. To do that, hold down the Power button and the Volume UP button for about 15 seconds.

12. Get your device into Fastboot mode by holding down the Volume UP key and plugging-in the USB cable.

13. Open a Command Prompt Window on your Desktop. It’s simple, just hold down the Shift button on your keyboard and right-click on any empty area on the screen, then choose Open command window here.

14. Issue the following command using Command Prompt Window:

fastboot flash boot Z_DooMLoRD_insecure_FW-350.img

15. Once it’s done, issue the following command:

fastboot reboot

16. Once your device boots up, head over to Google Play and download the BusyBox app.

17. You’re rooted now!

Excellent! You now have root access on your Sony Xperia Z smartphone and you can proceed to Google Play to get some root-only apps for your device!

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.

8 thoughts on “How to Root the Sony Xperia Z”

    1. You may have not installed proper drivers on your PC. Get the drives for your device from your manufacturer’s website and then re-try the procedure.

      Thanks!

  1. I have the exact same problema as Michael. If I try to get the version number, it works great and get 0.5 (so I assume the drivers are correctly installed and that fastboot is working).

    But when I try step 7 it gets stuck on “waiting for device”.

    Any ideia on how to solve this?

  2. Guys whoever facing ‘waiting for the device’ problem I HAVE A FIX FOR IT…the reason of this problem is drivers not r properly installed so to install them first make sure your phone is not connected to the pc. Go to settings of xperia z select XPERIA then select usb connectivity and change the connectivity option to MASS STORAGE MODE (MTS) hit ok then connect your phone to the pc and BOOM it will start the driver installing process again and all drivers will be installed properly! HOPE THIS HELPS!

  3. when i type

    fastboot flash boot Z_DooMLoRD_CF-Auto-Root-ported_FW-350.img

    it wrote waiting for device
    and still like that

    what i have to do

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