Last Updated on July 22, 2022 by Mathew Diekhake

The original Moto X set the smartphone market on fire after offering a highly customizable phone shell with heaps of color options. That’s not the only changing this device can do either.

By installing the following file on your device, you are opening up the internal system which then allows us to install a custom ROM and break away from the stock version of Android that once reigned supreme on your display. Learn everything you need to know about the Chainfire CF-Rooting tool to get the job done after the jump.

REQUIREMENTS

  • You must have your device running the latest Android 5.0 software update. It doesn’t matter how you decided to upgrade the operating system. You can do that installing the official over the air file automatically or by downloading the same and flashing it manually.
  • You must have the XT1052 variant of the smartphone. Always check your model numbers by turning on the smartphone and navigating to Settings > About Device and then take a look.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

  • Make sure you have enabled the USB Debugging Mode. You will find that mode from the Developer Options menu.
  • What if the Developer Options menu isn’t available from the Settings menu? That likely means yours needs unlocking. You do that by tapping on the build number seven times. The build number is shown from the About Device menu.
  • You must have a Windows PC to complete the guide.
  • You will void any remaining warranty on the device by following the guide. That’s OK though because you can gain the warranty back again by unrooting later. There are a few different ways to get that done, including installing third-party applications from the Google Play store. Moreover, some official software updates also will revoke the root access and return your device to the stock Android (plus the bloatware).
  • Install the Motorola USB Drivers by using our link here.

HOW TO ROOT THE MOTOROLA MOTO X XT1052 9 (ORIGINAL) RUNNING ANDROID 5.0 LOLLIPOP

1. Download the CF-Root file from here.

2. Extract the package to the desktop of the computer.

3. Boot the Motorola Moto X in bootloader mode. Press the Volume Up and Power keys at the same time and then let go.

4. Connect the Moto to the computer using the USB cable out of the box.

5. Click the mouse over the root-windows.bat executable file from within the extracted folder contents.

6. You are now looking at a set of on-screen instructions to follow. All you have to do is do what the display asks.

You are now rocking a rooted original Moto X with the latest Android Lollipop software update. You can install BusyBox from the Play Store and then check out some custom ROMs and rooted applications while you are there. You now have root access on the Motorola Moto X smartphone that runs on the Android 5.0 Lollipop software update. It means that when you turn on your device every day you are then using the Android operating system with full administrative rights—believe it or not, you weren’t actually using Android with those before because the way it gets shipped to you is with some restrictions.

The restrictions are there, specifically designed to put a stop to applications from being able to move out of each other’s sandboxes. If an app can’t move, then there is no real danger in you installing malware because it can’t do anything. But when you have full admin rights, all of a sudden those applications can move around your system should they have the skills and desire to do so, and that’s why you want to be real careful that you aren’t installing malware on your device now.