In this article, are complete instructions on how to root Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus on latest Android 8.0 Oreo firmware. Samsung initially shipped the Galaxy S8 series of smartphones with Android Nougat and after almost a year, the device is recieving its first major OS upgrade. The new Android 8.0 Oreo firmware has started making its way to Qualcomm variants as well which indicates that the Exynos devices have all received it earlier on. However, once you upgrade the software on your Galaxy S8 / S8+, you would immediately lose root. Fortunately, however, you can read our guide ahead to gain root on the latest firmware with Magisk and TWRP custom recovery.
The basis for any system mod these days is TWRP custom recovery. Thankfully, both Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus have official TWRP recovery support, hence, can easily be rooted. Our root utility of choice remains to be Magisk thanks to its system-less root approach and reliability. Before you actually start with our root procedure, do make sure you backup all your data as these procedures sometimes wipe your system partition which can result in data loss. Please note, this tutorial applies to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8+. To check your model number and variant, read through our guide.
Disclaimer: All the custom ROMs and firmwares, official software updates, tools, mods or anything mentioned in the tutorial belong to their respective owners/developers. We (TeamAndroid.com) or the developers are not to be held responsible if you damage or brick your device. We don’t have you on gun point to try out this tutorial 😉
Root Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus with Magisk – Details:
It is important to note that we will be making use of Magisk root utility for rooting Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Magisk is a systemless root solution that gets flashed onto the device through TWRP custom recovery. This utility has been quite popular with all Android devices and we are happy to announce that it works well with the latest Samsung Galaxy flagship series.
For those who are new to this and are not sure about Magisk, please read the following two paragraphs for a quick intro to the root package:
Magisk is a root utility meant for recent Android revisions. It works by simply patching the boot image and other related files while not messing with the main system partition. This means, the root implementation through Magisk is much cleaner and is easier to uninstall afterwards.
After you finish implementing Magisk, there is no difference between systemless root or root gained by modifying the system partition. Rather, Magisk has its own Magisk Modules which give it an edge over other root solutions.
There are tons of useful articles and how-to guides on Team Android for the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus, but we think you might be interested in the following posts:
- Galaxy S8 Oreo Firmware: Update Galaxy S8 to XXU1CRAP Android 8.0 Official Firmware
- Galaxy S8+ Oreo Firmware: Update Galaxy S8+ to XXU1CRAP Android 8.0 Official Firmware
- Galaxy S9 Apps for Galaxy S8 / S8+: Download Samsung Galaxy S9 / S9+ Stock System Apps.
- Custom ROMs: For a complete collection of Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus custom ROMs, click here!
Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus USB Drivers
You will need to connect your Android phone with the computer. For that, please make sure you have installed the USB drivers for Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8+ properly. If not, you can download the latest official drivers from our Android USB Drivers section here:
Download Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus USB drivers!
All set and ready? Good. Now, let’s proceed with the tutorial below and root Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus on Android 8.0 official firmware.
HOW TO: Root Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ on Official Firmware
Here are all the steps you would need to root Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus with Android 8.0 Oreo firmware through Magisk utility and TWRP custom recovery.
Just To Remember:
- This tutorial is only for Galaxy S8 / Galaxy S8 Plus devices running Android 8.0 Oreo.
- Your phone should be running latest Android 8.0 Oreo firmware.
- Enjoy rooting your Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ and let us know about it in the comments!
Complete Step-By-Step Instructions:
NOTE: You need to have a custom recovery installed on your Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus device i.e. TWRP before proceeding below. Installation tutorials:
Step 1 – Download Magisk Root (Magisk-v16.1_1610_.zip) for Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus device to your computer.
Step 2 – Connect your Galaxy S8 / Galaxy S8 Plus device to your computer using the USB cable.
Step 3 – Now copy/paste the downloaded Magisk-v16.1(1610).zip files to your internal storage. Make sure the file is in the internal storage root (not in any folder).
Step 4 – Then turn OFF your phone and disconnect from the USB cable.
Step 5 – Now to get in the Recovery Mode (TWRP Recovery). Switch ON the phone while pressing and holding Volume Down + Power buttons together. Alternatively, read this: How to Access Recovery Mode on the Samsung Galaxy S8.
NOTE: Screenshots of the Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP Recovery) may change as new versions are released.
