Last Updated on August 10, 2022 by Mathew Diekhake

We are still waiting for its release, but already we have the how to root Nexus 7 Android Jelly Bean 4.1 Unlock Bootload and Flash ClockworkMod Recovery methods thanks to the clever team at RootzWiki Developers and more specifically an individual who goes by the name of birdman.

Details of Note

  • You will need to make sure you have the Samsung Galaxy USB drivers. This is necessary for when you connect the device to the computer. You have to connect it to the computer in order to root the device.
  • You will also need to have USB debugging mode enabled in order to complete this guide. You can follow the link through that I provided and find out how to do that if you don’t know already.

How to Root Nexus 7 Android Jelly Bean 4.1 Unlock Bootloader & Flash ClockworkMod Recovery

Step 1. First we need to unlock the bootloader. To do this you will need to download and then install Android SDK.

Step 2. From within the ‘Settings’ menu select ‘Developer Options’. Then enable USB debugging.

Step 3. Using the USB cable, connect your device to your PC. Next launch the Terminal or Command Prompt, from where you stored the Android SDK find the fastboot folder (C:\ for Windows).

Step 4. You will need to type the command that follows:

fastboot oem unlock

This will flash the device, once done enter:

fastboot reboot

Step 5. You will need to download the following:

  • recovery.img HERE

put it in the fastboot folder then type the following:

fastboot flash recovery CWM-grouper-recovery.img

Step 6. You will need to reboot your device again, simply type in:

fastboot reboot

Step 7. Next we are going to make sure that when we install  ClockworkMod Recovery, it will be  permanent. To do this simply type in the following commands in the terminal:

mount system

adb shell

cd /system

mv recovery-from-boot.p recovery-from-boot.bak

Step 8. Now we can move onto gaining root access to the device. Download the following file and make sure it is saved on your device directly under /sdcard.

  •  JB-SuperSU.zip HERE

Step 9. Enter ClockworkMod Recovery. To do this simply turn off your device then hold down the ‘Volume Up’ + ‘Volume Down’ + ‘Power’ buttons simultaneously until the CWM logo flashes on the screen.

Step 10. You should now be in the main menu. From here navigate to ‘install zip from sdcard’ > ‘choose zip from sdcard’ > ‘JB-SuperSU.zip’.

Step 11. Then back in the main menu, select the ‘reboot system now’ option.

Now that your device is rooted, you can instantly download rooted apps. Furthermore, you may be interested in checking our custom ROMs.