Last Updated on April 4, 2017 by Mathew Diekhake
The Sony Xperia Z is getting a new Android Lollipop update arriving over the air for devices. If you have already accepted the notification to update and are now running the 10.6.A.0.454 firmware build, you might want to gain root access on it again since flashing it would’ve taken away the old unlock of the system internals. As with most of the latest Lollipop updates for Sony Xperia devices, there’s no One-Click rooting method made available yet. There is hope for that in the Sony future.
For now, though, Xperia users must try their luck with the pre-rooted flashable zip files. In order to do that you must downgrade the current Lollipop back to Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Once done, you can root that KitKat version using the old guide, followed by installing ClockworkMod recovery for that. The experts recommend CWM because TWRP is causing some boot loop errors from inside recovery mode.
Once you are done with the KitKat, you want to flash the pre-rooted Lollipop zip file for C6602 or C6602. Since the guide is the same as the one’s we’ve already covered for other pre-rooted Sony Xperoa ROMs, you can read one of those guides and follow it instead if you need any help. Read how to root the Xperia Z1 on 14.5.A.0.242 Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. The guide is for the same model numbers, just a different firmware build number.
As usual, you ought to back up the Xperia handset before starting the rooting guide. Breaking away the system internal hardware away from the factory restrictions is an unofficial process that Google and the Sony brands do not cover under warranty. Once you have unchained the internal system, you can take a NANDroid backup from within the ClockworkMod Recovery or any other custom recovery. That’s the best way to back up. Since you can’t do that until after, you’ll need to use the built-in backup feature or a third-party application from Google Play instead. We recommend Helium for Android as it’s extremely popular during 2015.
You will need a Windows PC to complete the guide, USB Debugging enabled, Developer Options unlocked by tapping the build number seven times and enough battery power to last until the end. Once you are finished, you can read what things to do with a rooted Android and learn more about the beauty of hacking.
Rooting the Sony Xperia Z handsets now should only be done by experienced suers who don’t mind going to a great deal of trouble. It can take over 30 minutes to successfully downgrade, learn how to use the flash tool, load the pre-rooted zip and then gain the root access on the Lollipop software update. Eventually an easier method will likely become available for all users that will be as simple as most One-Click programs.