In this guide, we will show you the steps to root your Nothing/CMF Phone via Magisk. There were initially a few concerns about whether a newcomer would be an active player in the custom development. However, Nothing with its first offering had put all such doubts to rest. And there is every chance that its second iteration will follow in the same footsteps as its predecessor. In this regard, there is a plethora of tweaks that you could carry out on your device.
From flashing custom ROMs to installing a custom recovery and everything in between, the possibilities stand endless. However, it goes without saying that the ability to gain administrative access has forever been the go-to choice for the masses. If you also echo the same thought, then let’s get started with the steps to root your Nothing/CMF Phone via Magisk.
Table of Contents
Benefits and Risks of Rooting
Unlocking the bootloader is the gateway to extracting the maximum benefits of Android’s open-source ecosystem. For example, you will be able to install a custom ROM or flash a custom recovery like TWRP. Likewise, you will also be able to get access to the system partition as well as administrative privileges by rooting your device via Magisk. This will then allow you to flash Magisk Modules, LSPosed Framework, Substratum Themes, Viper4Android.
However, carrying out these tweaks brings in a few uninvited risks. To begin with, it will wipe off all the data and could nullify the device’s warranty as well. Along the same lines, it will degrade the Widevine L1 certification to L3, thereby preventing you from streaming content in HD [FIXED]. The SafetyNet will be triggered as well [FIXED], thereby preventing you from using banking apps [FIXED]. So if that’s well and good then let’s get started with the steps.
How to Root Nothing/CMF Phone via Magisk
The below instructions are listed under separate sections for ease of understanding. Make sure to follow the same sequence as mentioned. Droidwin and its members wouldn’t be held responsible in case of a thermonuclear war, your alarm doesn’t wake you up, or if anything happens to your device and data by performing the below steps.
STEP 1: Install Android SDK
First and foremost, you will have to install the Android SDK Platform Tools on your PC. This is the official ADB and Fastboot binary provided by Google and is the only recommended one. So download it and then extract it to any convenient location on your PC. Doing so will give you the platform-tools folder, which will be used throughout this guide.
STEP 2: Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking
Next up, you will also have to enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking on your device. The former will make your device recognizable by the PC in ADB mode. This will then allow you to boot your device to Fastboot Mode. On the other hand, OEM Unlocking is required to carry out the bootloader unlocking process.
So head over to Settings > About Phone > Tap on Build Number 7 times > Go back to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking.
STEP 3: Unlock Bootloader on Nothing/CMF Phone
Next up, you will also have to unlock the device’s bootloader. Do keep in mind that doing so will wipe off all the data from your device and could nullify its warranty as well. So if that’s all well and good, then please refer to our detailed guide on How to Unlock Bootloader on any Nothing/CMF Phone.
STEP 4: Extract Boot.img/Init_boot from Payload.bin
The general rule of thumb states that every device that launches with Android 13+ out of the box should use the init_boot.img file for rooting whereas those launched with Android 12 or older version should use the boot.img. However, there are some rare exceptions to this rule. For instance, Phone 2 launched with Android 13 but still uses the boot.img file [because the kernel+initrd is present in /boot]. So to avoid such confusion, we have listed the devices and the file required for rooting below. Make sure you go through them once.
Nothing Phone 1: Boot.img Nothing Phone 2: Boot.img Nothing Phone 2a: Init_boot.img CMF Phone 1: Init_boot.img
- To begin with, download the stock firmware for your device.
- Make sure to download the same version that is currently installed on your device.
- Once downloaded, extract it to any convenient location on your PC.
- Doing so shall give you a couple of files, including the payload.bin.
- You will now have to extract this payload file using the Fastboot Enhance Tool.
- Once done, transfer the boot/init_boot file to the platform-tools folder on your PC.
STEP 5: Patch Boot/Init_boot via Magisk
NOTE: The steps to patch the boot.img or init_boot via Magisk are the same.
- Download and install the latest Magisk APK onto your device.
- Then launch it and tap on the Install button next to Magisk.
- After that, choose ‘Select and Patch a File’, navigate to the stock boot.img/init_boot.img file, and select it.
- Then tap on the Let’s Go button situated at the top right.
- The boot.img/init_boot.img file will now be patched and placed under the Downloads folder on your device.
- You should transfer this patched boot/init_boot file to the platform-tools folder on your PC. Also, rename it magisk_patched. We will now be using this file to root your Android 15 device.
STEP 6: Boot to Fastboot Mode
- Now connect your device to the PC via USB cable. Make sure USB Debugging is enabled.
- Then head over to the platform-tools folder, type in CMD in the address bar, and hit Enter. This will launch the Command Prompt.
- Type in the following command in the CMD window to boot your device to Fastboot Mode
adb reboot bootloader
- To verify the Fastboot connection, type in the below command and you should get back the device ID.
fastboot devices
STEP 7A: Root Nothing/CMF Phone using Magisk Patched Boot.img
This step is applicable for those devices that come with Android 12 or older versions. It is always recommended to first boot your device via the patched boot.img, rather than directly flashing it. This way you will be able to check if everything is working well or not. If everything is on the good side, then you may proceed to the permanent root. So use the below command to boot your device via magisk patched boot.img and hence attain temporary root.
fastboot boot magisk_patched.img
Now that your device is booted without any issues with a temporary root, let’s now make this root permanent. So refer to the below instruction steps to try it out.
- Launch the Magisk app and tap on Install.
- Then tap on Direct Install (Recommended) > Let’s Go situated at the top-right.
- Wait for the process to complete and then hit Reboot. Once it boots up, launch Magisk.
- You might get a Require Additional Setup prompt, tap on OK.
- Your device will then auto-reboot to the OS.
- Once done, hit the Reboot button situated at the bottom right.
- That’s it. Your device will now boot to the rooted OS.
STEP 7B: Root Nothing/CMF Phone using Magisk Patched Init_Boot.img
This step is applicable for those devices that came with Android 13 or higher version out of the box.
- First off, make sure that the init_boot file is present in the platform-tools folder and is renamed as magisk_patched.img
- Then type in the below command in the CMD window to flash the patched init_boot.img file:
fastboot flash init_boot magisk_patched.img
- If the above command didn’t work, then you should manually flash the init_boot to both slots using the below command:
fastboot flash init_boot_a magisk_patched.img fastboot flash init_boot_b magisk_patched.img
- Your device should now boot to the rooted OS. If it doesn’t happen, then you may manually do so via the below command:
fastboot reboot
That’s it. These were the steps to root your Nothing/CMF Phone device via Magisk patched boot.img/init_boot.img. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments section below. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
