Last Updated on July 17, 2022 by Mathew Diekhake

When we choose to root the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 smartphone we agree to grant ourselves root permissions over the operating system a.k.a become the root user/take control of the root user account. The Android operating system is one of the most secure operating systems around.

Still Google and Android collectively work together to bring continually people improved security and they never want to compromise it. One of the ways they increase the security is by taking away the root user account. There are some downsides to doing that for some people. For example, developers cannot do anything without being the root user because they do not have sufficient permissions over the operating system to take any changes. We are about to show you everything you need to win it back.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Here is everything that you need to become the root user on the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SM-N9208 smartphones when it is running on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software updates. The tutorial makes use of the CF-Auto-Root app made by Chainfire, and it installed and enabled the SuperSU app. The SuperSU blocks everything—from the malware you hate to the apps you want to run—and it is up to you what you choose to allow to run on the system.

Details We Should Know

  • Android software updates can sometimes bring new bootloaders with them, and a new bootloader sometimes presents a problem for the CF-AUto-Root tool. If a new bootloader is creating problems, then Chainfire needs to update the file before it starts working again. You can tell if there is a problem when the device does not boot up after flashing the CF-Auto-Root tool. It is a temporary issue for the device and also for the rooting file. However, for Chainfire to know about the problem he relies on people sending in the new recovery image files found in the problematic firmware to the CF-Auto-Root tool thread made on the XDA-Developers website.
  • Chainfire was running on the MMB29K.N9208XXU2BPD4 firmware build number when he rooted the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SM-N9208 on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and created the version of the CF-Auto-Root tool that you find in this guide. It does not mean that you need to be running on the same firmware builds number that Chainfire was running. There could be many firmware build numbers, and you can run on any of them as long as it is running on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and you have the SM-N9208 model number of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 smartphone it will be okay.
  • There are two versions of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 with the SM-N9208 model number. The rooting file in this guide is made for the version that has the nobleltextc device name. The other version (nobleltezt) will get bricked if you flash the file found in this guide. The quickest way to understand which version you have is you do not know any better is to check out the software version. The version of the device in this guide is running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow at the time of writing this guide. Moreover, the other version of the device is running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop at the time of writing this guide.

Files We Need

  • Download the CF-Auto-Root tool for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SM-N9208 when it is running on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software updates.
  • Download the Samsung USB Drivers for the Windows computer.

Rooting the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SM-N9208 smartphone running on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software updates

  1. Make sure you start by logging into the Windows computer with the administrator’s account so that the flashing tool can run correctly.
  2. Unlock the Developer Options menu on the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SM-N9208 smartphone so you can use the set of op[tions that are available within that menu.
  3. Enable the USB Debugging Mode from inside the Developer Options menu so you can make changes to the Android software.
  4. Run the Samsung USB Drivers on the Windows computer so the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 smartphone can get connected to the computer with the USB cable and the flashing app can detect the smartphone.
  5. Extract the rooting file to the desktop of the computer so you can see the flashing app and the CF-Auto-Root files on the desktop now.
  6. Boot the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SM-N9208 Smartphone into the download mode and then connect to the computer and the USB cable.
  7. Open the Odin flashing app on the computer by double-clicking on that executable file that is on the desktop.
  8. Check the flashing tool user interface shows a yellow or blue color coming from the ID: COM port.
  9. Check that Odin also shows an added message. (Both of those things are there to let you know that the smartphone is ready for the flashing. If there is no light or added message then likely the Samsung USB Drivers are not yet installed. It might also be because you are not running Odin as an administrator.
  10. Click the AP button from the Odin user interface and then browse the desktop location for the rooting file called Md 5 file.
  11. Click the Start button from the Odin app on the computer and the rooting for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 smartphone officially begins.
  12. Read the text that Chainfir3e has programmed to be on the display of the smartphone for the systemless root version of the CF-Auto-Root tool which includes some details about what to expect that he calls important notices. They let you know that it might boot loop a few times and not to worry. It also takes longer than the older version to complete.
  13. Wait until you get a message stating that the smartphone is going to reboot in ten seconds.
  14. Check that you get a green box appearing from the Odin flashing app user interface with a pass message inside.

In conclusion, that is how to root the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SM-N9208 smartphones when you have them running on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software updates by using the systemless root version of the SuperSU app. The systemless root version of the SuperSU means that it can fully unroot each time you take a factory reset. That means you no longer have to flash a task ROM from Sam Mobile to unroot. However, you can still find the device fully unrooted after you do flash a stock ROM too if you prefer doing it that way or just if you were planning on updating.

As soon as the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 smartphone reboots it will display the SuperSU app from the app drawer. That SuperSU is already setup and ready to go. All you need to do now is open the Google Play Store and start installing the root apps that need it to run. You can get some ideas about what root apps people are installing these days by checking out our list of the best root apps for the Android operating system.