One of the developers Chainfire, the man who has helped deliver root access to an ungodly amount of devices over the past few years. Chainfire has done it again on the Nexus 9; root has been achieved for anyone and everyone willing and able to apply it.
The auto-root method has yet to be updated with the necessary framework to handle this, and until it is youll have to get your elbows a bit more difficult than usual. Something else worth noting is that this root method comes with a special version of SuperSU (v2.18) that is only meant for the Nexus 9. This is due to the 64-bit nature of the device’s chipset.
Trying to install the version of SuperSU included with this download on any device other than the Nexus 9 is not recommend. As a matter of fact, Chainfire practically forbids it. So if youre here trying to find the latest version of SuperSU for your non-Nexus 9 hardware, you’ll need to go find the package being dished out with the root method of your specific phone or tablet.
Prime Inspiration reminds its readers that it will not be held liable for any damage to the device.
How to root the HTCs Google Nexus 9
Chainfire’s Nexus 9 root is free to download but consider donating if it works for you. Heres how to root the Google Nexus 9 running Android 5.0 Lollipop with Chainfires Nexus 9 root:
- Backup your files. Any files you want to save on your Nexus 9 should be backed up now as the process will cause you to do a factory reset on your phone. Use whichever method you like, just make sure you get everything you need in a safe place.
- Download the image files needed to complete the process. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Grab the file, place it somewhere on your PC, unzip, and head on to the next step.
- Ensure that youre working with a Nexus 9 tablet. The SuperSu v2.18 is a custom build for the Nexus 9 and should not be flashed on any other device. Make sure your Nexus 9 has at least 50 percent battery and backup all the data you want to keep before proceeding.
- Enable OEM unlocking and USB debugging from Developer options in your Nexus 9’s settings. If you dont see Developer options, go to Settings > About tablet and tap Build Number repeatedly until you see a message that says youre now a developer. Connect your tablet to your computer via USB cable.
- Download and unzip CF-Root for Nexus 9 and save the files to your computer. Make sure that you have Android’s ADB and Fastboot tools installed on your computer and unlock the bootloader on your device. Open Command Prompt on your computer.
Unlocking Bootloader Nexus 9
- Reboot your Nexus 9 into bootloader by typing the “adb reboot bootloader”command in the Command Prompt box. Once in fastboot mode, type the “fastboot oem unlock” command, which will erase all your data then return you to the bootloader menu.
- Boot the inject.img file that you downloaded in Step Three by typing the “fastboot boot inject.img” command in the Command Prompt box. Your Nexus 9 should turn off and on automatically. Next install the patched kernel, which is the other .img file you download by typing the “fastboot flash boot patched.img” command.
- Finally reboot your Nexus 9 device one last time by either typing “fastboot reboot” in the Command Prompt box on your computer or holding the power button on your Nexus 9 until youre prompted to select the reboot option from the bootloader menu. When your Nexus 9 reboot, you should be able to find the SuperSU app in your app drawer indicating that you now have root access on your Android device. Verify that your root was successful with the Root Checker app.
