Last Updated on May 13, 2023 by Mathew Diekhake

You can now root the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphones running on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software updates by using Chainfire’s one-click rooting tool. Rooting the Samsung Galaxy S5 means getting full control over the Android operating system by being in charge of the root user account. The root user is the same as the administrator; the only difference is that Linux decided to create their own unique term for this and not just call it an administrator.

Just like with your admin account on a Windows operating system that runs on your computer, the root user can install anything that they choose. Equally as fantastic is the chance to uninstall things that are already on the device.

Android give you a device that comes with the operating system locked, so you are not the root user. The smartphone carrier networks take advantage of that fact by hiding their apps on the system partition which is a place you cannot get access to without root access. That means those system apps are always going to be on your device and there is nothing you can do about it unless you become the root user and take them away. Taking away stock apps is going to free up more memory space which also results in better performance if there was a strain on the hardware and even better battery life on top of the fact you can now make use of that space for apps you plan on using. Removing the stock apps is what many people refer to as removing the bloatware and Samsung devices usually come with a lot of it. Moreover, you can sometimes find people installing custom ROMs for the sole reason of removing the bloatware, so to be able to do that yourself with root access it a real advantage.

Notes:

  • Chainfire had the MMB29M.G906LKLU1CPF2 firmware build number running on the Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G906L smartphone that he owned when the CF-AUto-Root tool file found in this guide was developed. That does not suggest you need to run that same firmware build number on your Galaxy S5 smartphone before following this guide. It just means you can use that information as an indicator if it ever becomes relevant at all.
  • You need to let Chainfire know if the rooting file stops working by leaving a message on the CF-Auto-Root tool thread made on the XDA-Developers website. Your message needs to contain the recovery image file from the firmware that is running on your device because when it stops working it is because of the newer firmware creating the problems and he uses that recovery image file to fix whatever problem that happens to be.
  • You need to have the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone that does come with the SM-G906L model number to follow this guide. The versions of the CF-Auto-Root tool that become available are only ever made for just one the model number and flashing the wrong one often results in that device getting bricked until you flash the right stock ROM file again.
  • You need to have a computer that s runs on the Window operating system or else the Odin flashing tool available in this guide is not able to run. If the Odin flashing tool is not running, then there is no flashing of the rooting file since CF-Auto-Root tool is only an Odin-flashable file.

Download Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G906L CF-Auto-Root and Drivers

How to Root Samsung Galaxy s5 SM-g906l on Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow) Using CF-Auto-Root

  1. Unlock the Developer Options menu on the Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G906L smartphone so you can open it up and then make changes to the options available for developers.
  2. Turn on the USB Debugging Mode from that Developer Options menu so you can make changes to the Android software.
  3. Extract the rooting file to the Downloads folder on the computer and then run the Odin flashing application that is available from the Download folder.
  4. Install the Samsung USB Drivers on the computer so that when you do connect the Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G906L smartphone pot the computer, the flashing tool can detect your phone.
  5. Boot the Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G906L smartphone into the Download Mode and then connect it to the computer with the USB cable.
  6. Check that Odin is showing a color coming from the ID: COM port and the added message is available from the Log.
  7. Do not make changes to the default settings that are available from the Odin flashing tool user interface.
  8. Click on the AP button and then browse through to the Downloads folder where you extracted the rooting file in the beginning and then click on the rooting file to upload it to the Odin app.
  9. Once you can see the rooting file extension visible from the Odin user interface click on the Start button and the rooting of the Smartphone begins.
  10. Pick up the Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G906L smartphone and read the writing that is rolling down the display, so you understand what to expect over the next few minutes.
  11. Wait until the screen of the phone says that it is going to reboots in ten seconds and then turn on your attention to the computer.
  12. Wait for the Odin flashing application to show a pass message inside a green box before unplugging from the computer.

In conclusion, that is how to root the Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G906L smartphone running on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software updates by flashing the updated version of the CF_Auto-Root tool developed by Chainfire. The rooting tool has just installed the SUperSu on the smartphone, and it is enabled so you can instantly begin installing any of the root applications that needed you to have root access before they could run. You do not have to make any changes inside the settings of the SuperSU app, but you can open it up and check them out of you like. You can also see how to unroot the smartphone when you are inside the SuperSU app if you keep scrolling down until you get to the full unroot option. That is not the only way you can unroot the smartphone when you root using the CF-Auto-Root tool of the Android 6.0.1 updates either. You can also unroot by taking a factory reset or flashing the stock ROM.

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