How to Root Nexus 4 [using Windows]

Hello there! I'm guessing you've got yourself a shiny new Nexus 4 and you've heard about this thing called "Rooting" and how it supposedly can let you do all sorts of things that your phone currently cannot do, or something like that.

Making modifications to the software on your phone is not like getting your car painted or putting on some new rims. It's much more like replacing the fuel injectors or changing the valve timing. If you don't know what you're doing, there's a very real chance you can render your phone permanently unusable.

But relax! You are in safe hands now. Just follow the instructions below and you've got it under control.


This method works for all android versions including 4.2.1 , 4.2.2 and 4.3.

Before we begin, please BACK UP EVERYTHING on your phone to your computer.
To backup your SMS, Contacts, Call logs, Calendar entries and App data  install Super Backup app from here Super Backup


After installing app and backing up all those data, connect your phone to computer and copy the backup files to the computer.

To this point i assume you have backed up everything on your phone because we will be wiping all the data on your phone later.


Download: https://copy.com/zGzDEROXzfKG

This zip file contains everything you need including the drivers and rooting files for windows. Please download and unzip it to Downloads folder under My Documents.


STEP 1 : 
On your phone, Go to Settings > About Phone.

STEP 2 :
Tap the "Build number" couple of times until your phone says, "You are now a developer". Now tap the back key.

STEP 3 : 
You will now see extra menu called "Developer options". Tap it.

STEP 4 :
Make sure Developer options is ON and USB debugging is also checked.

STEP 5 :
Connect your Nexus 4 to your computer using a micro-USB cable.

STEP 6 :
Now you will need to install drivers for your phone.

STEP 7 :
Go to Control Panel on your computer. Open Device Manager. Right click the Nexus 4 icon with exclamation mark and click on Update driver. Then click on "Browse my computer for driver software" and select driver provided in the zip file you previously downloaded.

 If you see something like "Android ADB Interface" you are ready for the next step.

STEP 8 :
Now disconnect your Nexus 4 from the computer and power off your Nexus 4. Then hold down  the Volume Down and Power buttons together for about 5 seconds.

STEP 9 :
Now you are in bootloader menu. Connect a micro-USB cable from your Nexus 4 to your computer.

STEP 10 :
Open up Device Manager again. If you don't see "Android ADB Interface" ,you will have to Repeat STEP 7 once again to install drives.

STEP 11 :
Open command prompt on your computer. Now type:

cd Downloads                              (and press enter)

cd Nexus4Root                            (and press enter)

fastboot oem unlock                            (and press enter)

STEP 12 :
Go to your Nexus 4. hit the Volume Up button to select "Yes" and hit the Power button. Then hit the power button again to re-boot your phone.

STEP 13 :
Once re-booted, your Nexus 4 will be like the day you got it. Everything wiped and starting from scratch. Go ahead and sign in.

STEP 14 :
Connect your Nexus 4 to your computer and copy the file "SuperSU-v1.65.zip" to anywhere in your Nexus4.

STEP 15 :
Re-boot into the bootloader like you did in STEP 8 and connect a micro-USB cable from your Nexus 4 to your computer.

STEP 16 :
Go back to command prompt and type:
       
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img                  (and press enter)

STEP 17 :
Go back to your Nexus 4. Choose "Recovery mode" using volume buttons and hit the power button

STEP 18 :
Once in ClockworkMod(CWM) Recovery, choose "install zip from sdcard".

STEP 19 :
Next, click "choose zip from sdcard".

STEP 20 :
Click "0/"

STEP 21 :
Choose "SuperSU-v1.65" and tap "Yes". This is the actual rooting file which includes Super User (SU) binaries and SuperSU app which roots our Nexus 4.

STEP 22 :
Choose "Reboot" from the main menu. If you see the following screen, make sure to choose "Yes - Disable recovery flash". This is so you will have permanent CWM recovery because stock Android  operating system overwrites it on re-boot if you don't click yes here.

STEP 23 : 
Once rebooted, you should find an extra app in the app drawer called "SuperSU". Congratulations! You've successfully rooted your Nexus 4! .

STEP 24 :
Now. let's restore your contacts, sms and app data. Copy the backup files copied to your computer earlier to your Nexus 4. Now using Super Backup app whose link was provided at the beginning of this tutorial you can restore all the backed up contents.

Once that's done, you should find your Nexus 4 fully restored with all your contents plus rooted phone. Congratulations!  Enjoy the power of Android.