How to Root the Asus Zenfone 2
The Asus Zenfone 2 is one of the devices with Android 5.0 Lollipop running on it out of the box –unlike most other devices that come loaded with KitKat and then require you to either manually install an update to get to Lollipop, the Zenfone 2 eliminates that hassle for you by letting you use the latest and the greatest version of Android right away (something other manufacturers could learn from).
While Android Lollipop has everything you need to get your tasks done, there are those of us out there that demand a bit more than what they get with a stock ROM. If you’re one of those users, you might want to root your device.
Rooting your device, aka gaining administrative rights, opens up opportunities for you to customize your device to a much greater extent than that of an unrooted device. Not only can you use root required apps to change some of the functionality (ability to remove bloatware is up there with one of the big apps that require root), you can even flash a custom recovery to install a custom ROM on your device and change the entire OS, UI, and more.
Before you can do any of these things though, you must be rooted. So here’s how you can go about rooting your Asus Zenfone 2:
I. Before You Begin
1. As with all of these types of tutorials, this may void the warranty of your device. Do it at your own risk.
2. Download and install the Asus USB Drivers on your PC, if you haven’t done so yet.
3. This should only work on a Windows based PC.
II. Downloading Required Files
1. Download Fastboot and save it to your desktop.
2. Download Pre-Rooted System Image and save it to your desktop.
Pre-Rooted Image (Download the one that is for your specific model of the device)
III. Rooting the Asus Zenfone 2
1. Extract files from both Fastboot and Pre-Rooted System Image to your desktop. To do that, right-click on both the archives one by one and select Extract here to extract their files.
2. Head to Menu > Settings > About phone on your device and tap on Build number for about 7-8 times until it says you’re a developer.
3. Head back to Settings and tap on Developer options.
4. Turn ON the USB debugging option.
5. Plug in your device to your PC using a USB cable.
6. Hold down Shift and right-click anywhere on your screen and select Open command window here. It will launch a Command Prompt Window for you to issue commands to your device.
7. When it launches, type in the following command and press Enter:
adb reboot-bootloader
8. Your device should reboot into bootloader mode.
9. Now, rename the system image that you have downloaded to system.img. You can do that by right-clicking on the system image and selecting Rename.
10. Type in the following command into the Command Prompt Window and press Enter:
fastboot flash system system.img
11. Wait for it to flash the system image on your device.
12. When it’s done flashing the image, reboot your device by issuing the following command:
fastboot reboot
13. Your device should reboot.
14. You are all done!
And there you go.
Your Asus Zenfone 2 should now be rooted and you can confirm the root status using Root Checker on your device.
That was all you needed to do to get rooted, easy, right? Enjoy your new found freedom and feel free to reach out with any questions!
error:device not found
Hi Kevin,
Did you install the required drivers before doing the procedure? Drivers are required for your PC to recognize your device, or you’ll keep getting the “device not found” message.
Thanks!
Devices are now version 2.15.40.13. Any chance for newer pre-root system image?
can you give Video or Picture?
Hi Vian,
We’re sorry but we can’t create video tutorials for each and every device out there.
Let us know what step you’re having an issue with and we’ll do our best to help you out.
Thanks!
I highly doubt that you were able to root this device, because with the kind of files provided in your article I keep on getting an error ‘Device not found’, whenever I try to reboot the bootloader with the command mentioned in your article.
Hi Abhinav,
We’re sorry for the inconvenience.
Please install Asus as well as ADB drivers on your PC and then do the procedure and let us know if it worked for you. It should work for sure!
Thanks!
This is just crap. Just follow xda-developers
I dnt have any of the version which u have given on your site in my phone is there a way i can root my zenfone 2 it is somewhere in v2.17
Hello Sir, can i use this step for root my asus zenfone 5 lite (T00k) ?
This should only work for the device mentioned in the post. Thanks!
Do you have any up to date pre root images? My build is Z00A-2.18.40
Zenfone 2 500cl Z00D is not listed .u pls add it
Works.
Bro how to solve this it is saying device not found
Hi Sourabh,
You need to install the required drivers for your PC to recognize your device. Once installed, you won’t get the “device not found” message anymore.
Thanks!
We’re glad it worked for you!
Hello, I accidentally rooted with the wrong version of the system, any ideas how to recover it back ? At the moment the screens stays black but the keys vibrate when pressed, I think the main problem is the resolution, since I have a 551 ML and rooted with a 550 system file…
Thanks!
Please tell me how to unbrick asus zenfone 2. Its stuck on a usb logo ….
You’re fucked. Lol.
Yer dumb and ugly.
Hi Piyush,
If think your device’s bricked, you can flash back the stock ROM on it to make it functional again.
Thanks!
I can access the interface in my case. but everytime I do restore factory default or do adb reload or even system update, I only go to usb logo. Note I can normally access my zenfone if I dont go into recovery mode, any help Mahesh
Hi John,
If your device isn’t booting-up normally, you might want to flash back the stock ROM on it.
The above procedure doesn’t brick the device if the correct file is used for the device.
Thanks!
What about the fastboot? I bricked mine last saturday. I installed minimal and fastboot software to a computer and connect my zf2 to the computer. Flashed the zf2 recovery.img, if I remember correctly. And voila!!
Did you use the above procedure?
error:device not found – use updated adb, i used the ones from studio64 in C:UsersAppDataLocalAndroidsdkplatform-tools
Hi Mike,
Try using the ADB files given in Fastboot to see if they work.
Thanks!
which file do I have to download if my specif model is Z00A-2.15.40.13?? The lats one 2.13.40.13 wil work?
Root a phone is easy, But unlock boot loader is difficult, Because every company they have their own locking system. My phone is ASUS ZENFONE 2_ZAOOAD WW_2.20.40.97, Come on….Tell me how to UNLOCK BOOT LOADER? to this phone.
(Note,
Iam not going to pay single cent/Rupee INR.)
When we give a command to reboot won’t we loose the existing data’s?
How about Z00A-2.20.40.139 ?
It says: “error: Cannot load “system.img”
halp