If you want to take the most out of your Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone, you will surely want to root it as you can get cool things like free wifi tethering, overclocking your phone’s CPU, make complete backup of your ROMs and more.

For Mac OSX, you can use Heimdall instead of ODIN, please see How to Use Heimdall for OSX Video.

This is for Gingerbread ONLY, for ICS root method, see How to Root Galaxy S2 on ICS!

For Jelly Bean root method, see How to Root Galaxy S2 on Jelly Bean!

Update: There’s a new Root Method for ALL Galaxy S2!

Looking for Sprint Epic 4G Touch Root?  Check out Epic 4G Touch Root.

Looking for AT&T Galaxy S2 Root? Check out AT&T Galaxy S2 Root.

Looking for T-Mobile Galaxy S2 Root? Check out T-Mobile Galaxy S2 Root.

This method currently only works on Windows-based systems.

Here’s how to root Galaxy S2 Android smartphone:

Step 1. First, go to Settings->About Phone to find out the model number of your Galaxy S2, you should get something like GT-I9100_XWKF1.

Step 2. Put your phone into downloading mode by powering your Galaxy S2 off. Then hold down Volume Down, Home button, and the Power button together until you get an option to enter downloading mode. Hit Volume Up to enter downloading mode and connect your Galaxy S2 to your computer via USB cable.

Step 3. Go to this download page and download appropriate insecure and original kernel files. Unzip these zip files.

Step 4. Download galaxys2root.zip here and also unzip to your desktop.

Sponsored Links

Sponsored Links

Step 6. Run Odin3 v1.83.exe, you should get a YELLOW box displaying COM port. If you don’t, make sure to double check that you have connected your Galaxy S2 to your computer via USB cable and installed Samsung Kies software.

Step 7. Hit the PDA button and find the insecure file you downloaded earlier such as “T-I9100_XWKF1_insecure.tar“.

Step 8. Hit the Start button and it should start flashing the insecure kernel. This is required so you can get temporary root access to install permanent SuperUser files on your Galaxy G2.

Step 9. When it reboots, make sure USB Debugging is checked on under Settings->Applications->Development then run S2 Root.exe in the galaxys2root folder.

Step 10. Hit the “Root Device” button.
*Note – to Unroot later, run this program again and hit unroot on rooted stock ROM. Make sure to backup your rooted stock ROM!

Step 11. Your phone should reboot. Check to see if you have SuperUser app. If you don’t, try running the root program again (Do Step 10 again). (I had to.)

Step 12. If you do have SuperUser app, congratulations! You have ROOTED your Galaxy S2 phone!

Step 13. You can now reflash the original kernel back. Power off your phone and go back into downloading mode by holding down Volume down, Home button, and Power button then hit the Volume Up button.

Step 14. Open up ODIN program again, hit PDA button, and choose the original kernel file you downloaded earlier such as “GT-I9100_XWKF1_original.tar“.

Step 15. Hit Start.

Step 16. Your phone will reboot.

Step 17. If you want to backup your current rooted ROM (I highly advise you to do this) and also install new ROMs, you will want to flash Clockwork Recovery. You can do this by powering off your phone again and go back into downloading mode by holding down Volume down, Home button, and Power button then hit the Volume Up button.

Step 18. Open up ODIN and hit PDA button, then select GT-I9100_ClockworkMod-Recovery_4.0.1.4.tar file in the galaxys2root folder.

Step 19. Hit Start.

Step 20. Your phone should reboot.

Step 21. Any time you want to access your ClockworkMod Recovery, power off your phone then hold down Volume Up, Home button, and the Power button.

Credits

Huge thanks to user lyriquidperfection and Odia at XDA, don’t forget to donate to these guys by clicking on the username. Rooting would not have been possible without these two people.

Download this video for viewing in HD on your smartphone or computer.
Click Here to Download High-Quality HD video to your Smartphone or Computer.

This video was brought to you by AndroidRoot.org. Click Here to See at AndroidRoot.org

For those of you who want to root your Galaxy S2, I’ve found out another method that is safer (than previous method) and can root ALL Galaxy S2 variants including i9100, Sprint Epic 4G Touch, AT&T Galaxy S2, and the T-Mobile Galaxy S2.

The usual method of rooting Galaxy S2 phones require flashing a new kernel using ODIN or Heimdall, which comes with ClockworkMod Recovery.  Well, this method doesn’t install a new kernel with recovery but does root your Galaxy S2 in the safest way possible.  There’s absolutely ZERO chance of you bricking your phone with this new method.  At the worst, you might end up with having no root because you didn’t install the drivers.

So, let’s go do it.

Step 1. Set USB debugging checked under Settings->Applications->Development and connect to your computer via a microUSB cable.

Step 2. Download GalaxyS2RootNew.zip, unzip it and you should get a folder called files and runme.bat.

Sponsored Links

Sponsored Links

Step 3. Make sure you have correct drivers installed.  You can verify this by going to Control Panel and finding something like “Samsung Android ADB Interface” like shown below.  If you don’t, download Samsung Kies software, install it, then re-plug your phone back in to your computer.

Step 4. Next, simply hit Runme.bat and wait about 10 minutes while your Galaxy S2 gets rooted with busybox installed.

Step 5. When it’s done rooting, your Galaxy S2 will reboot.

Step 6. Verify you have Superuser app and that root access is working correctly by updating the Superuser app.  That’s it!  Congratulations, you’ve rooted your Galaxy S2.

Now, if you want to install new custom ROMs, you will have to flash ClockworkMod Recovery.

For those of you who want to root your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 on ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0+), here’s how to do it by flashing a new kernel.

Step 1. First, put your Galaxy S2 into download mode by holding down Volume Down, Center, and Power button together for about 10 seconds.

Step 2. When you see the warning screen, hit Volume Up button to enter download mode.

Step 3. Connect a micro-USB cable from your Galaxy S2 to your computer.

Step 4. Download ODIN program and CF Kernel.  Then unzip both files. (Don’t have unzipping program? Download and install 7Zip.)

Sponsored Links

Sponsored Links

Step 5. Run the ODIN program.  You should see a yellow highlighted rectangle box with a number.  If you don’t, you need to install Samsung Kies.  Download Samsung Kies and install.  After installing, un-plug your phone then plug it back in, you should now see it.

Step 6. Hit “PDA” and choose the “CF-Root-SGS2_XX_XEO_LPQ-v5.3-CWM5.tar” file you unzipped earlier.

Step 7. Hit “Start” and the kernel will start flashing to your phone.

Step 8. Your phone will reboot when it’s done.

Step 9. Once you reboot, check that you have the SuperSU app.  If you do, you are rooted.  Congrats!

Download this video for viewing in HD on your smartphone or computer.
Click Here to Download High-Quality HD video to your Smartphone or Computer.

This video was brought to you by AndroidRoot.org. Click Here to See at AndroidRoot.org

For those of you who want to root your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 on Jelly Bean Android 4.1.1 or Android 4.1.2, here’s how to do it easily using a custom kernel.

This rooting process is pretty safe to do, does not erase anything on your phone, it just installs a custom kernel (which comes with a custom recovery) and we root the phone using SU binary and Superuser app.  That’s it!

Step 1. Turn your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 off.  Then hold down Volume Down, Center Home, and Power buttons together for about 3 seconds until you see the warning screen.

Step 2. Hit Volume Up (you will be in ODIN Download mode) then connect a micro-USB cable from your Galaxy S2 to your computer.

Step 3. Download Jeboo Kernel and ODIN package.  Leave the kernel file in .tar format but unzip (Don’t have unzipping program? Download and install 7Zip.) the ODIN zip files.
Download kernel:

Sponsored Links

Download ODIN:

Sponsored Links

Step 4. Run ODIN3v1.85.exe by double-clicking on it.  If you don’t see a yellow highlighted box with a random COM number, download and install Samsung USB Drivers.

Next, DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE but hit the “PDA” button.

Step 5. Choose the Jeboo kernel .tar file you downloaded earlier.

Step 6. Hit the “Start” button and this will start flashing the kernel.  Once it says “PASS!” your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 should reboot.

Step 7. Once rebooted, download Superuser zip file straight to your phone or you can also copy it over from your computer.

Step 8. Turn your phone again then hold down Volume Up, Center Home, and Power buttons together for about 20 seconds until your phone reboots into CWM Recovery.

 

Step 9. Choose “Install Zip”.

Step 10. Choose “Choose zip from Internal sdcard” or “Choose zip from sdcard”. (Depending on where the Superuser zip file is)

Step 11. Find the Superuser zip file, it’s most likely in your download folder.

CWM-SuperSU-v0.99.zip if your super user zip file.

Step 12. Installing this file installs su binary and Superuser app to your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100, giving you full root access.

Reboot and you should find yourself with a SuperSU super user app.

You can download rooted apps like Titanium Backup app and get a super user pop up window when you try to run it for the first time.  Congratulations!  You’ve rooted your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100!!!

If you want to take the most out of your Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone, you will surely want to root it as you can get cool things like free wifi tethering, overclocking your phone’s CPU, make complete backup of your ROMs and more.

For Mac OSX, you can use Heimdall instead of ODIN, please see How to Use Heimdall for OSX Video.

This is for Gingerbread ONLY, for ICS root method, see How to Root Galaxy S2 on ICS!

For Jelly Bean root method, see How to Root Galaxy S2 on Jelly Bean!

Update: There’s a new Root Method for ALL Galaxy S2!

Looking for Sprint Epic 4G Touch Root?  Check out Epic 4G Touch Root.

Looking for AT&T Galaxy S2 Root? Check out AT&T Galaxy S2 Root.

Looking for T-Mobile Galaxy S2 Root? Check out T-Mobile Galaxy S2 Root.

This method currently only works on Windows-based systems.
[nextpage title=”Steps 1 through 5″]
Here’s how to root Galaxy S2 Android smartphone:

Step 1. First, go to Settings->About Phone to find out the model number of your Galaxy S2, you should get something like GT-I9100_XWKF1.

Step 2. Put your phone into downloading mode by powering your Galaxy S2 off. Then hold down Volume Down, Home button, and the Power button together until you get an option to enter downloading mode. Hit Volume Up to enter downloading mode and connect your Galaxy S2 to your computer via USB cable.

Step 3. Go to this download page and download appropriate insecure and original kernel files. Unzip these zip files.

Step 4. Download galaxys2root.zip here and also unzip to your desktop.

Download galaxys2root.zip

Step 5. Download Samsung Kies and install it.

[nextpage title=”Steps 6 through 10″]
Step 6. Run Odin3 v1.83.exe, you should get a YELLOW box displaying COM port. If you don’t, make sure to double check that you have connected your Galaxy S2 to your computer via USB cable and installed Samsung Kies software.

 
[nextpage title=”Steps 7 through 9″]
Step 7. Hit the PDA button and find the insecure file you downloaded earlier such as “T-I9100_XWKF1_insecure.tar“.

Step 8. Hit the Start button and it should start flashing the insecure kernel. This is required so you can get temporary root access to install permanent SuperUser files on your Galaxy G2.

Step 9. When it reboots, make sure USB Debugging is checked on under Settings->Applications->Development then run S2 Root.exe in the galaxys2root folder.

Step 10. Hit the “Root Device” button.
*Note – to Unroot later, run this program again and hit unroot on rooted stock ROM. Make sure to backup your rooted stock ROM!

[nextpage title=”Steps 11 through 15″]
Step 11. Your phone should reboot. Check to see if you have SuperUser app. If you don’t, try running the root program again (Do Step 10 again). (I had to.)

Step 12. If you do have SuperUser app, congratulations! You have ROOTED your Galaxy S2 phone!

[nextpage title=”Steps 13 through 15″]
Step 13. You can now reflash the original kernel back. Power off your phone and go back into downloading mode by holding down Volume down, Home button, and Power button then hit the Volume Up button.

Step 14. Open up ODIN program again, hit PDA button, and choose the original kernel file you downloaded earlier such as “GT-I9100_XWKF1_original.tar“.

Step 15. Hit Start.
[nextpage title=”Steps 16 through 21″]
Step 16. Your phone will reboot.

Step 17. If you want to backup your current rooted ROM (I highly advise you to do this) and also install new ROMs, you will want to flash Clockwork Recovery. You can do this by powering off your phone again and go back into downloading mode by holding down Volume down, Home button, and Power button then hit the Volume Up button.

Step 18. Open up ODIN and hit PDA button, then select GT-I9100_ClockworkMod-Recovery_4.0.1.4.tar file in the galaxys2root folder.

[nextpage title=”Steps 1 through 3″]
Step 19. Hit Start.

Step 20. Your phone should reboot.

Step 21. Any time you want to access your ClockworkMod Recovery, power off your phone then hold down Volume Up, Home button, and the Power button.

Credits

Huge thanks to user lyriquidperfection and Odia at XDA, don’t forget to donate to these guys by clicking on the username. Rooting would not have been possible without these two people.

For those of you who want to root your Galaxy S2, I’ve found out another method that is safer (than previous method) and can root ALL Galaxy S2 variants including i9100, Sprint Epic 4G Touch, AT&T Galaxy S2, and the T-Mobile Galaxy S2.

The usual method of rooting Galaxy S2 phones require flashing a new kernel using ODIN or Heimdall, which comes with ClockworkMod Recovery.  Well, this method doesn’t install a new kernel with recovery but does root your Galaxy S2 in the safest way possible.  There’s absolutely ZERO chance of you bricking your phone with this new method.  At the worst, you might end up with having no root because you didn’t install the drivers.

So, let’s go do it.

Step 1. Set USB debugging checked under Settings->Applications->Development and connect to your computer via a microUSB cable.

Step 2. Download GalaxyS2RootNew.zip, unzip it and you should get a folder called files and runme.bat.

Download:

Download GalaxyS2RootNew.zip

Step 3. Make sure you have correct drivers installed.  You can verify this by going to Control Panel and finding something like “Samsung Android ADB Interface” like shown below.  If you don’t, download Samsung Kies software, install it, then re-plug your phone back in to your computer.

Step 4. Next, simply hit Runme.bat and wait about 10 minutes while your Galaxy S2 gets rooted with busybox installed.

Step 5. When it’s done rooting, your Galaxy S2 will reboot.

Step 6. Verify you have Superuser app and that root access is working correctly by updating the Superuser app.  That’s it!  Congratulations, you’ve rooted your Galaxy S2.

Now, if you want to install new custom ROMs, you will have to flash ClockworkMod Recovery.

For those of you who want to root your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 on ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0+), here’s how to do it by flashing a new kernel.

[nextpage title=”Steps 1 through 3″]
Step 1. First, put your Galaxy S2 into download mode by holding down Volume Down, Center, and Power button together for about 10 seconds.

Step 2. When you see the warning screen, hit Volume Up button to enter download mode.

Step 3. Connect a micro-USB cable from your Galaxy S2 to your computer.

[nextpage title=”Steps 4 through 6″]
Step 4. Download ODIN program and CF Kernel.  Then unzip both files. (Don’t have unzipping program? Download and install 7Zip.)

Download ODIN

Download CF Kernel

Step 5. Run the ODIN program.  You should see a yellow highlighted rectangle box with a number.  If you don’t, you need to install Samsung Kies.  Download Samsung Kies and install.  After installing, un-plug your phone then plug it back in, you should now see it.

Step 6. Hit “PDA” and choose the “CF-Root-SGS2_XX_XEO_LPQ-v5.3-CWM5.tar” file you unzipped earlier.

[nextpage title=”Steps 7 through 9″]
Step 7. Hit “Start” and the kernel will start flashing to your phone.

Step 8. Your phone will reboot when it’s done.

Step 9. Once you reboot, check that you have the SuperSU app.  If you do, you are rooted.  Congrats!

For those of you who want to root your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 on Jelly Bean Android 4.1.1 or Android 4.1.2, here’s how to do it easily using a custom kernel.

This rooting process is pretty safe to do, does not erase anything on your phone, it just installs a custom kernel (which comes with a custom recovery) and we root the phone using SU binary and Superuser app.  That’s it!
[nextpage title=”Steps 1 through 3″]
Step 1. Turn your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 off.  Then hold down Volume Down, Center Home, and Power buttons together for about 3 seconds until you see the warning screen.

Step 2. Hit Volume Up (you will be in ODIN Download mode) then connect a micro-USB cable from your Galaxy S2 to your computer.

Step 3. Download Jeboo Kernel and ODIN package.  Leave the kernel file in .tar format but unzip (Don’t have unzipping program? Download and install 7Zip.) the ODIN zip files.
Download kernel:

Download Jeboo Kernel for GT-i9100 (thanks to Jeboo!)

Download ODIN:
Download ODIN

[nextpage title=”Steps 4 through 6″]
Step 4. Run ODIN3v1.85.exe by double-clicking on it.  If you don’t see a yellow highlighted box with a random COM number, download and install Samsung USB Drivers.

Next, DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE but hit the “PDA” button.

Step 5. Choose the Jeboo kernel .tar file you downloaded earlier.

Step 6. Hit the “Start” button and this will start flashing the kernel.  Once it says “PASS!” your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 should reboot.

[nextpage title=”Steps 7 through 9″]
Step 7. Once rebooted, download Superuser zip file straight to your phone or you can also copy it over from your computer.

Step 8. Turn your phone again then hold down Volume Up, Center Home, and Power buttons together for about 20 seconds until your phone reboots into CWM Recovery.

 

Step 9. Choose “Install Zip”.

[nextpage title=”Steps 10 through 12″]
Step 10. Choose “Choose zip from Internal sdcard” or “Choose zip from sdcard”. (Depending on where the Superuser zip file is)

Step 11. Find the Superuser zip file, it’s most likely in your download folder.

CWM-SuperSU-v0.99.zip if your super user zip file.

Step 12. Installing this file installs su binary and Superuser app to your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100, giving you full root access.

Reboot and you should find yourself with a SuperSU super user app.

You can download rooted apps like Titanium Backup app and get a super user pop up window when you try to run it for the first time.  Congratulations!  You’ve rooted your Galaxy S2 GT-i9100!!!

Like the tutorial?  PLEASE subscribe to my Zedomax YouTube channel, that would help me greatly and thank you!