In this guide, we will show you the steps to give the SuperUser root access to the apps of your choice via KernelSU. Up until this time, gaining administrative privileges by rooting the device was usually carried out via Magisk [before that, the likes of the ever-so-popular SuperSU and shady One Click Root solutions used to rule this domain]. However, now there’s a new player in town who takes the kernel route to get this job done.
As you might have guessed, we are talking about the KernelSU, which grants root permission to applications directly in the kernel space. As a result of this, you no longer have to download the entire firmware, extract the boot.img, and patch it. Instead, you could directly get hold of the kernel for your device provided by KernelSU and directly flash it.
While there are a couple of important prerequisites that you need to checkmark off the list- most noticeably performing a check whether your device supports GKI Kernel or not and find out the device’s Kernel Module Interface, however, all this is just a one-time effort after which the entire process gets streamlined.
But even after successfully obtaining root via this method, users are having to deal with a rather intriguing and equally infuriating issue. Whenever they download and install a root app and then launch it, they aren’t greeted with the SuperUser request. As a result of which, the said app isn’t granted the root privileges, and hence it refuses to function on your device.
So even though the device is rooted, the non-availability of the prompt to appear makes the app believe that your device is currently non-rooted. Initially, users thought that it might be due to some missing rooted binaries, however, that isn’t the case as the device has been successfully rooted via KernelSU as it displays the same under its Status section [Working in LKM Mode]. So what exactly is this issue and more importantly how could you rectify it? Let’s find out.
Give SuperUser Root Access to Apps via KernelSU
So here’s what’s going on- there’s no issue with the app and this is how things are supposed to work. When it comes to KernelSU, then it will not bring up the SuperUser pop-up when you launch the app. This is in stark contrast to Magisk which automatically brings up the prompt as soon as you launch the rooted app. But since this isn’t the case with KernelSU, you’ll have to manually get this job done, as shown below:
- To begin with, download and install the desired rooted app on your device.
- Then launch the KernelSU app and go to the SuperUser tab.
- Now select the desired app from the list. As of now, it will be unmounted.
- Now enable the toggle next to SuperUser and then launch the concerned app.
- Depending on the app, you may or may not get a SuperUser prompt, that’s completely fine. If you get a prompt, then tap Grant.
- However, if you don’t get any prompt, then the app will have automatically picked up the rooted privileges in the backend and you may now start using it without any roadblocks.
That’s it. These were the steps to grant SuperUser root access requests to apps via KernelSU. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
Magisk vs KernelSU: The Battle of SuperUsers!
If we throw both the root solutions into the ring, then there are no brownie points in guessing that Magisk will come out the clear-cut winner out of the two, at least when it comes to dealing with the SuperUser requests. This is because, in the case of KernelSU, you’ll have to minimize the app that you have just installed, go back to KernelSU, grant that app the SU permissions, and then relaunch the app.
On the other hand, when it comes to Magisk, then you could directly launch the app after installing and you’ll be straightaway greeted with the SuperUser request, there’s no need to go back to Magisk and carry out any stuff. With that said, KernelSU is still in its infancy stage and we hope that it takes a page or two out of Magisk’s book and implements this feature at the earliest. As and when that happens, we will update this section accordingly. In the meantime, you are free to drop in your viewpoints in the comments section below.