Last Updated on May 13, 2023 by Mathew Diekhake

There are three main ways to start using the root user account on the Android operating system. One of the ways requires you to unlock the bootloader and then flash a custom recovery image on the tablet. We usually recommend people install Team Win’s TWRP Recovery at the time of writing this guide because it is the best custom recovery available for anyone to install. Once they have the custom recovery installed, boot it into the recovery mode and then flash the SuperSU from that recovery. The hardest part here is finding out what versions of the SuperSU to flash, but most will usually work fine, and it is all about finding the stable versions of the SuperSU. The SuperSU by Chainfire also comes in versions that work different ways. The versions of SuperSU from Android 5.1 Lollipop and Android 6.0 Marshmallow are the systemless root versions, so if you are rooting by unlocking the bootloader, installing a custom recovery and your device is running Android 5.1 or above, you want to search for one of the systemless versions of the SuperSU application.

The next way to root the the Android operating system is by installing a one-click rooting tool. A one-click rooting tool is a program that will make it very easy for you to gain those rooting rights you want, even if the program itself is quite complex. A few of examples of exceptional one-click rooting methods include PurpleDrake, Towelroot, and KingRoot. Although, there are plenty of things you still need to know before using a rooting tool like KingRoot, the way the rooting method is done is much easier. Most people enjoy installing one-click rooting tools when they are available for that reason, but most experts who cover and rooting writing will advise you to unlock the bootloader and install TWRP Recovery because you don’t learn anything about your system by just clicking one button and then ending up with a rooted device.

The ultimate way that people root the Android operating system is by flashing a custom ROM that comes to you pre-rooted. As you know, there are heaps of custom ROMs available and most devices have at least a few available. The custom ROMs that do not come pre-rooted rely on you having a rooted device before installing them because being the root user on the operating system is required before you can change the software. However, the other custom ROMs that come pre-rooted do not require you to be rooted beforehand, and once you install them, they give your device the root access so you can start installing the root requiring applications like any of the other ways you root the device.

Another one-click rooting method that we did not put on the list is the CF-Auto-Root tool by Chainfire. The developer Chainfire is the same developer who creates each version of the SuperSU that people install from a custom recovery. However, according to our knowledge, Chainfire is moving away from using a custom recovery and that could contribute to the reason why he loves CF-Auto-Root to much. While the SuperSU by itself usually needs to be installed and enabled from a custom recovery image; the CF-Auto-Root tool manages to do the same thing just by flashing the file as you would a standard firmware file from the Odin flashing application. The Odin flashing tool is a huge advantage that Samsung devices owners have since it is easy to use, and the CF-Auto-Root tool is also easy to use. It is true that many people are not usually fans of one-click rooting methods, Chainfire’s CF-AUto-Root tool is a bit different and is popular for everyone to use.

The firmware that Chainfire was running on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 SM-T705Y tablet that he used when he was creating this rooting guides comes with the LRX22G.T705YDOU1BOK1 firmware build number. You do not need to be running that same firmware build number on your tablet; he just gives us the information on the build number that he did use so we can use it as an indicator.

Notes:

  • You must have the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 tablet that comes with the SM-T705Y model number to flash the rooting file found in this guide or else you have a high risk of bricking the device if you get it wrong. You can see the build number of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 tablet by pointing to the Menu > Settings > About Device > Model Number.
  • You need to have a computer that is running a version of the Windows operating system to use this guide. There are versions of the CF-Auto-Root tool that are made by the same developer (Chainfire) that work from a Mac or Linux computer, but those are not for the Samsung smartphones and tablets.
  • You can expect to find some more Android 5.0.2 Lollipop software updates rolling out over the air to your tablets notification panels which allow you to upgrade the firmware that is running on your device. There is nothing wrong with updating your device, but just remember that each firmware the rolls by are in danger having a new bootloader with it. A new bootloader on the firmware usually means that Chainfire needs to update the files again, so they start working with those new bootloaders. He does not keep track of these updates by himself. Instead, people post the new recovery images files found in the firmware that is creating the problems of the official CF-Auto-Root tool thread made at the XDA-Developers website. When you leave a message along with the recovery image files, he gets it and then use the file you left to fix the problem. The files are updated in our guides as soon as he updates them on his end also because we link to the official CF-Auto-Root tool repository.

Files You Need

How to Root Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 SM-T705Y on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop Using CF-Auto-Root

  1. Log into the Windows computer that you are using for the rooting using the administrators account because the Odin flashing tool requires people to be the administrators for it to work.
  2. Unlock the Developer Options menu on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S SM-T705Y tablet so you can use the options inside.
  3. Enable the USB Debugging Mode from inside the Developer Options menu so your device allows for some developments to be made to the software that is running on the tablet.
  4. Install the Samsung USB Drivers on the computer before you go any further so that when you do connect the tablet to the computer it can be detected by the flashing tool.
  5. Extract the CF-Auto-Root tool by Chainfire to the desktop of the computer so that you can see the rooting file and the Odin flashing application’s executable file.
  6. Double-click on the Odin flashing application that is on the desktop of the computer so the flashing tool opens up and you can see the user interface with all of its buttons.
  7. Boot the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 SM-T705Y into the download mode and the connected it to the computer with the USB cable that you would usually use to charge the battery on the device.
  8. Check that you get a yellow or blue color coming from the ID: COM port and that the Odin app gives you the added message.
  9. Do not make any changes from the default settings that you get from the Odin flashing application when you first open it up and see all of the buttons.
  10. Click the AP button from the Odin user interface and then upload the CF-Auto-Root-XXX-XXX-XXX.tar.md5 rooting file to this location.
  11. Click t6he Start button from the Odin app user interface, and the rooting begins.
  12. Check that display of the tablet and have a read of all the text that it gives you so you can understand what is happening to your device.
  13. Wait until you can see the last message from the CF-Auto-Root tool on the display of your tablet which is letting you know that your device is about to reboot in ten seconds.
  14. Check out the computer screen and look for a green box that should appear any second and give you the pass message inside the box.

In conclusion, that is how to root the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 SM-T705Y when it is running on any version of the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop updates by using the CF-Auto-Root tool that works through the system partition. The tablet reboots now, and you get the SuperSU application from the app drawer.

You need to keep the SuperSU applications on the device or else the device will no longer be rooted. As soon as you download a root application from the Google Play Store, the SuperSU application prompts you with a message asking you whether or not you would like to give the app root access. Always say yes to the apps that you want to grant the rooting permissions or else they will not be able to run. Conversely, make sure you deny any apps that look suspicious or that you do not know because they could be malware and you need to be extra careful about malware issues now that you are the root user. Try to get in the habit of consciously looking at what is asking for the root accessing instead of just clicking the button and assuming that everything will be okay. The new world of Android rooting is full of problems just like the reality that you life in and it takes some getting used to with adjusting to what is a threat and what isn’t.

Download the basic root checker app from the Google Play Store when you are ready to check the root status on the tablet. The root status lets you know that everything worked. Once satisfied, feel free to check out all the things people do with the Android operating system rooted like installing custom recoveries, making the battery last longer or getting the hardware clocked to a better frequency.

Furthermore, you can always head over to the Sam Mobile website if you need to try the rooting guide using another firmware. The Sam Mobile site has firmware available for most Samsung tablets and smartphones, and as long as you install the firmware that is made for the same mobile number, you will have no trouble flashing it with the Odin flashing application. Note that people with a SIM unlocked device can install firmware from other phone carrier networks when the option is available, but they still need to install firmware that is made for the same model number.

Moreover, you can install another version of the Odin flashing application and try to root the device again using one of the other versions if the current version if not working. There are many versions of the Odin flashing app, and only one of them comes bundled in with the rooting files.

Additionally, you can check to see that your device is getting into the recovery mode if all else fails. The recovery mode is a requirement for the SuperSU to be installed and enabled properly, and it usually happens by itself when the CF-Auto-Root tool flashes the rooting file. However, on rare occasions that don’t always happen, and if you are finding your device still not getting rooted, that could be why. You can hold down the hardware button combination for the recovery mode after you get the message on the display of the tablet letting you know that your device is going to reboot in ten seconds. That is what you need it to get into the recovery mode and not reboot to the normal mode. You need to wait until the device does reboot before pressing the hardware button combination for the recovery mode though or else it will not work.

CF-Auto-Root on XDA-Developers

Chainfire, the developer of the CF-Auto-Root tool available in this guide, has created a CF-Auto-Root tool thread on the XDA-Develoeprs website. You can use the CF-Auto-Root thread on the XDA-Developers site for requesting new root methods for devices that are not currently available.

Encryption

Note that flashing a CF-Auto-Root file (regardless of the device) wipes the data if the device storage is encrypted. For everyone else, there should be no data loss when rooting with the CF-Auto-Root tool.

Samsung’s Knox security

Some smartphones and tablets in the Samsung range come with Samsung’s Knox security. The CF-Auto-Root tool trips Knox which prevents you from unrooting and using the warranty again.

Flash counters

Any device with a target flash counter is triggered when using the CF-Auto-Root tool. Chainfire’s Triangle Away supports many devices for this problem.