Last Updated on September 18, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake

Rooting the Google Nexus 6 is a very common thing to do. So common in fact that most Nexus owners see it as their duty to carry out after purchasing the device. If anything was made to be rooted, it is a Google Nexus device. Some think that the folks from the Mountain View company believe rooting is a bad thing, but that’s hard to believe considering they make the Nexus range of smartphones and tablets, and they deliver an operating system that is perfect for customizing. Not only that but they also give you the factory images to flash for anyone who needs updating manually.

While on the subject of new updates, the Google Nexus 6 smartphone has just gotten a new Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update with the firmware build number MMB29X. You can root the Nexus 6 on that same firmware using the guide after the jump.

Google Nexus 6

Here is everything you need to root the Google Nexus 6 smartphone running the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update with firmware build number MMB29X:

Files You Need

  1. Download the ADB for Windows or the ADB for Mac and ADB for Linux to get ADB and Fastboot working on your computer.
  2. Download the updated version of SuperSU that roots your Nexus 6.
  3. Download the TWRP Recovery for the Nexus 6 (Americas / Europe)

Note that anyone using Fastboot for Mac or Linux computers will need to use unique Fastboot commands from the command line. The guide we are creating is for the Windows commands only.

Rooting the Google Nexus 6 smartphone running on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow MMB29X

  1. Set up the ADB on your computer and leave the folder open where you have the ADB inside.
  2. Extract the TWRP Recovery to the desktop of the computer and then copy the file over to the same folder as your ADB, so they both are sitting in the same directory.
  3. Connect the Google Nexus 6 smartphone to the computer with the USB cable.
  4. From within your ADB and TWRP directory, hold the Shift key and right-click the background of the folder to bring up a new menu.
  5. Choose to open a new command prompt window here from that new menu.
  6. Type the command “adb reboot bootloader” and your Google Nexus 6 will reboot to bootloader mode where it is ready to flash the recovery.
  7. Type the command “fastboot flash recovery openrecovery-twrp-2.8.5.0-shamu.img” and the custom recovery will be flashed on your smartphone.
  8. Type the command “fastboot reboot” and then hold the hardware button combination for recovery mode so your Google Nexus 6 smartphone first-time boots directly to the recovery mode.
  9. Boot it back in normal mode and then copy the SuperSU application to the internal storage SD card.
  10. Unplug your Nexus 6 smartphone from the computer and then reboot to recovery mode using the hardware button combination again.
  11. Tap on the ‘Install’ button from the main recovery menu.
  12. Follow the on-screen instructions to browse the SD card and then upload your SuperSU zip file.
  13. Confirm you wish to install it on your device by swiping on the display where it says you need to swipe to install the file.
  14. Choose to reboot the Nexus 6’s system after the SuperSU is flashed and you’re done.

In conclusion, that’s how to install TWRP Recovery and root the Google Nexus 6 smartphone running the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software update with the MMB29X firmware build number.