How to Root the Sony Xperia L (Android 4.2.2)

Rooting is the process of gaining administrative rights on your Android device.  Once we root our Android device, we can then make changes to it to customize it well beyond what it normally can do.

Once you have root access on your Sony Xperia L, you’ll be able to:

• Remove apps that were preinstalled by your carrier/manufacturer from your device.
• Free up storage space (because of the above benefit).
• Increase battery life (apps that might have been running constantly can be removed).
• Increase performance (after removing apps that are always running, the device will be less bogged down and run smoother).
• Update to a new version of Android (by flashing a custom recovery/ROM, see the end of this procedure for more info on that).
• Tons of other customizations when you use your new found administrative rights to flash a custom ROM (again, see the end of this procedure for more info on that).

Interested? Here’s how to root your Sony Xperia L:

I. Before You Begin

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

2. You must have unlocked the bootloader of your device. If you haven’t, please head to Sony website and do so first.

3. This should only work on Windows based PCs.

II. Downloading Required Files

1. Download SU ZIP and save it to your Desktop.

SU ZIP (It’s attached in the first post)

2. Download Flashtool and save it to your Desktop.

Flashtool

3. Download Phantom Kernel and save it to your Desktop.

Phantom Kernel (Download link’s available in the first post)

4. Download Fastboot and save it to your Deskop.

Fastboot

5. Download Stock ROM and save it to your Desktop.

Stock ROM (Download link’s available in the first post)

III. Flashing a Custom Kernel on the Sony Xperia L running Android 4.2.2

1. Extract files from Flashtool, Fastboot, Stock ROM and Phantom archives by right-clicking on each of them and selecting Extract here.

2. Turn ON USB debugging option on your device by heading to Menu > Settings > Developer options > USB debugging.

3. Connect your device to your PC via USB cable.

4. Copy the SU ZIP from your Desktop over to the root of your SD card.

5. Double-click on Flashtool executable and it’ll launch.

6. Click on Thunder icon in the tool and it’ll bring forth a prompt.

7. Select Fastboot mode and hit OK.

8. The next screen should show the operations you can do with your device. Click on Reboot into fastboot mode (via ADB) .

9. Your device should reboot into the Fastboot mode.

10. Now click on Select kernel to flash.

11. Navigate to your Desktop and choose boot.img to be flashed on your device.

12. It should flash the kernel on your device.

13. Once it’s done, reboot your device.

14. You’re done!

IV. Rooting the Sony Xperia L running Android 4.2.2

1. Ensure that the USB debugging is enabled on your device and your device’s connected to your PC.

2. Launch a Command Prompt Window on your Desktop by holding down Shift and right-clicking on any blank area on your screen and selecting Open command window here.

3. Type in following command:

adb reboot recovery

4. Your device should reboot into the Recovery mode.

5. Once in Recovery, select install zip from sdcard followed by choose zip from sdcard.

6. Choose the SU ZIP to be flashed on your device.

7. It should start flashing the zip on your device.

8. Once the flashing’s done, head to Advanced and select Shut Down.

9. You’re done!

V. Flashing the Stock Kernel Back on the Device

1. Copy all the files you extracted from the Stock ROM archive to the firmwares folder. It should be available where Flashtool executable exists.

2. Double-click on Flashtool executable and it’ll launch.

3. Click on Thuder icon in the tool.

4. Select Flashmode and hit OK.

5. It should show all the firmwares available inside the firmwares folder. Click on the name of the firmware that you just put into the firmwares folder.

6. In the Exclude section, put a checkmark in all the boxes except for Exclude kernel.

7. Then hit OK.

8. Turn OFF your device.

9. Hold down Back button while connecting your device to your PC and it should boot into the flashing mode.

10. The Flashtool should automatically start flashing the kernel on your device.

11. Once flashing’s done, reboot your device.

12. You’re now fully rooted!

All set! Now, you can head to our How to Flash a Custom Recovery procedure for the Sony Xperia L to open up a whole new world of customizations for your Android device!

By the way, don’t be scared, you can always put your device back to stock by heading to our Rooting How To’s section, finding your device, and doing the How to Unroot listed for it there.