Sony Xperia Z3 was Sony’s second flagship for 2014. All in all a great device for the time but it is no slouch today either even as it is reaching towards its 3rd year since launch. The device has also been showered love by Sony with two full version Android updates. The Xperia Z3 was also all set to receive its third full version Android upgrade to Nougat, however, thanks to some Google mess, not only the Z3 but also the Nexus 5 couldn’t officially get updated. If you’re a Z3 user, now is not very late to root your device and travel the dark side. Here we will show you how to root Sony Xperia Z3 running on the official Marshmallow firmware from Sony and install a custom recovery on the device.
Prerequisites
- Xperia Z3 running the official Android 6.0.x from Sony. (.575 or .291 firmware)
- Enabled USB debugging
- A PC
- Unofficial Sony flashtool by Androxyde. If you don’t have it, you can download it from here. In case you have no clue about how to set up the flashtool, follow our guide here after you have downloaded it.
- ADB installed. In case you don’t have ADB installed, take a look at our guide here.
Must read: Download and Install Sony Music 9.3.5.A.0.0 on Any Android Device
Disclaimer
As always, you must understand the rooting process for an Android device, no matter how simple or easy, involves risks. You might end up with a bricked device, and DroidViews does not take any responsibility for it.
Downloads
- Recovery_for_MM575-291v5.zip
- D6603-6653_23.5.A.0.575_kernel.zip
- D6603-6653_23.5.A.0.291_kernel.zip
- D6633_23.5.A.0.575-kernel.zip
- D6633_23.5.A.1.291-kernel.zip
- Chainfire SuperSU.zip (Download and transfer this to your phone)
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Root Sony Xperia Z3
- The process described here is valid for Xperia Z3 variants – D6603, D6653, D6633, D6646 and D6643.
- In case you are running the latest Marshmallow firmware, that is the .291 firmware, you will need to flash the kernel from .575 kernel.
- Download the correct .575 kernel for your device.
- Rename the .zip to .ftf and transfer the file to C:\Users\yourusername\.flashTool\firmwares\
- Click the flash icon and select flashmode.
- Select the kernel from the list of flashable firmwares. Once the kernel is flashed, click on the flash icon
and select flashmode. - Select the kernel file from the displayed list and click Flash. Once the kernel is flashed, close flashtool. If you get a “loader.sin” error when flashing a kernel FTF, unplug the phone and try again. It should work after that.
- Power On your phone.
- We’d suggest that at this point, you restart your PC just to make sure all instances of flashtool and the ADB interface are closed.
- When your PC starts again, connect your Xperia Z3 to it again normally.
- Extract the recovery tool (Recovery_for_MM575-291v5.zip) into a separate folder.
- Open the folder and double-click on install.bat
- If everything goes well, your phone should soon boot into the TWRP custom recovery.
- When in the recovery, flash the SuperSU zip like any other flashable zip.
- Once you’re done flashing SuperSu, don’t select Reboot System yet.
- Go back to the main TWRP menu and select Reboot>Bootloader.
- Now open flashtool again.
- This time flash the .291 kernel for your device also available for download above. Make sure you rename the .zip at the end to .ftf
- Disconnect and reboot your device now.
Your Xperia Z3 should now boot up and you should find the SuperSU app in your app drawer. When you want to reboot into recovery again, just reboot your device and press the Volume down button when the LED turns green.
Why my android now is kitkat ?? :/
Installing a custom recovery doesn’t change the Android version.
thank u. finally it worked on my xperia z3 dual d6633
Hey… This is for “bootloader unlocked allowed: yes or not?”
Hi, I don’t succeed to flash the kernel from .291 to .575. I installed fastboot, adb, the latest Androxyde Flasher. Flashing seems to work fine (as far as I understand the log), but the Kernel stays the the same.
Maybe the log can help to find the cause – anyway, I’m too dumb to understand that and need help …
07/034/2017 16:34:39 – INFO – Connected device : Sony Xperia Z3
07/034/2017 16:34:39 – INFO – Installed version of busybox : N/A
07/034/2017 16:34:39 – INFO – Android version : 6.0.1 / kernel version : 3.4.0-perf-g43ea728 / Platform : 32bits / Build number : 23.5.A.1.291
07/034/2017 16:34:40 – INFO – Root access denied
07/035/2017 16:35:06 – INFO – Selected Bundle for Sony Xperia Z3(D6603). FW release : 23.5.A.0.575. Customization : Kernel Only
07/035/2017 16:35:07 – INFO – Preparing files for flashing
07/035/2017 16:35:07 – INFO – Please connect your device into flashmode.
07/035/2017 16:35:11 – INFO – Device disconnected
07/035/2017 16:35:35 – INFO – Device connected in flash mode
07/035/2017 16:35:35 – INFO – Opening device for R/W
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Reading device information
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Phone ready for flashmode operations.
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Opening TA partition 2
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Current device : D6603 – BH90RZ9R1L – 1289-2854_R7D – 1282-2729_23.5.A.0.575 – GLOBAL-LTE_23.5.A.1.291
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Closing TA partition
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Start Flashing
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Processing loader.sin
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Checking header
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Flashing data
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Loader : S1_Root_9c84 – Version : MSM8974AB_27 / Boot version : S1_Boot_MSM8974AC_LA3.0_M_3 / Bootloader status : ROOTED
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – Max packet size set to 512K
07/035/2017 16:35:36 – INFO – USB buffer size set to 512K
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – No flash script found. Using 0.9.18 flash engine
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Opening TA partition 2
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Writing TA unit 00002774. Value : 01
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Closing TA partition
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Opening TA partition 2
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Closing TA partition
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Opening TA partition 2
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Processing kernel.sin
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Checking header
07/035/2017 16:35:37 – INFO – Flashing data
07/035/2017 16:35:39 – INFO – Closing TA partition
07/035/2017 16:35:39 – INFO – Opening TA partition 2
07/035/2017 16:35:39 – INFO – Closing TA partition
07/035/2017 16:35:39 – INFO – Opening TA partition 2
07/035/2017 16:35:39 – INFO – Closing TA partition
07/035/2017 16:35:39 – INFO – Opening TA partition 2
07/035/2017 16:35:39 – INFO – Closing TA partition
07/035/2017 16:35:39 – INFO – Opening TA partition 2
07/035/2017 16:35:40 – INFO – Writing TA unit 00002725. Value : 32 30 31 37 2D 31 32 2D 30 37 20 31 36 3A 33 35 3A 34 30 00
07/035/2017 16:35:40 – INFO – Writing TA unit 00002774. Value : 00
07/035/2017 16:35:40 – INFO – Closing TA partition
07/035/2017 16:35:40 – INFO – Ending flash session
07/035/2017 16:35:40 – INFO – Flashing finished.
07/035/2017 16:35:40 – INFO – Please unplug and start your phone
07/035/2017 16:35:40 – INFO – For flashtool, Unknown Sources and Debugging must be checked in phone settings
07/035/2017 16:35:40 – INFO – Device connected in flash mode
07/036/2017 16:36:20 – INFO – Device disconnected
hello someone has worked well in the version Z3 6653 ?, I would like to know if it is true that the fidelity of the image of the camera is lost..
whu i cant rename .zip to .tft?
Open windows file explorer and enable “View extensions” option. You should then be able to edit file extensions.
See the screenshot.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0d1f0a7d1d0cb8afdc1113fcc4ac233673b1e7ca8ef9c65e1b00111b92851b84.png
is the kernel for d6653 and d6603 same ? cause the flash tool only detect kernel for d6603
Hi,will i loose the drm keys with your method??
Hi, everything worked fine, thanks for your guide!!
Now that I recovered some deleted files I would like to unroot my device (remove recovery room, SU etc) Is reseting it back to factory settings enough or would I also need to flash a stock rom? (stock rom is the kernels you listed here?)
Thanks
Hi Jan, is working well your cellphone after you have done the rooting process?…
Hi yes everything worked well and also unrooting went fine!! Had to unroot because i had to send it back to Sony so that it could be repaired under their warranty service lol They didnt detect any root or warranty void!
Thanks for your answer..!!
Hi Jan one last question , it’s necesary this step “Remove Guest Account Feature on Android”? thanks for your help.
“The process is valid for D6646, D6643″… Where are the files?? The kernel version for those models?? I’ve searched all web for rooting and installing twrp for D6646 and none can explain how-to-guide neither has the files!!
What’s your phone’s firmware version?
The D6603-D6653 kernel works fine for D6646 and D6643 as well. The only difference between the devices is the baseband.
Hi Vivek once more I need your support. Can u pls write a detailed step wise guide to install any good Nougat ROM. I almost messed up during last flashing of ROM lineage and got my device bricked. However, got rescued by re flashing stock ROM through flashtool and hence got unrooted.
See the installation steps given here: https://www.droidviews.com/android-7-1-1-based-carbon-rom-on-google-pixel-nexus-6-6p-xperia-z3/
Thanks, but what’s the difference b.w Sony Xperia Z3 Leo and Aries.
What ROM should i download for flashing on my device D6603?
Sorry I am stuck at step 7 of rooting
.
When clicking fastboot mode of flash tool there are multiple options to Flash kernel. Which one to select above tutorial is silent about that.
Guidance would be much appreciated.
Hi Kashif, Sorry for the inconvenience. It seems there was some confusion in Steps 4 to 6. Follow these instead.
4. Rename .zip to .ftf and transfer the file to C:Usersyourusername.flashToolfirmwares
5. Click the flash icon and select flashmode.
6. Select the kernel from the list of flashable firmwares.
Thank Vivek
i did exactly the same you mentioned in step 4 – 6. kernel seems to be flashed now but when i see build number beneath kernel version in about phone it the same as previous 23.5.A.1.291.
It’s fine. The build number and other information displayed in the About phone section is actually associated with the build.prop file in the system. Flashing the kernel this way wouldn’t produce any change in the displayed information. But if flashing was successful, which is what I can see from the logs, you can proceed with the rest of the steps.
Thanks vivek, i think i am done with rooting process as #supersu icon has become visible in app drawer or tell me how can be sure about that my phone has become rooted. Further please also guide me to flash nougat rom in detail.