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How to Root OnePlus Two: Full Guide

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How to Root OnePlus Two: Full Guide

Rooting your OnePlus Two gives you full administrative control over the Android operating system, allowing you to remove bloatware, install root-only apps, flash custom kernels, and tweak system settings that are normally locked. This guide walks you through the entire process, from unlocking the bootloader to installing Magisk. Before you begin, understand that rooting voids your warranty and carries a small risk of bricking your device if steps are skipped. You’ll also need to back up all important data, as unlocking the bootloader wipes the phone completely.

What You’ll Need

  • A OnePlus Two with at least 70% battery charge
  • A Windows, macOS, or Linux computer
  • A USB cable (the original cable recommended)
  • ADB and Fastboot tools installed on your computer (search for “platform-tools” from Google)
  • OnePlus USB drivers installed on Windows (for macOS/Linux, drivers are usually automatic)
  • The latest TWRP recovery image for OnePlus Two (download from the official TWRP site)
  • The latest Magisk ZIP file (from the official Magisk GitHub releases)
  • OxygenOS firmware (stock ROM) in case you need to restore

Step-by-Step

  1. Enable Developer Options and OEM Unlocking
    On your phone, go to Settings > About Phone and tap “Build number” seven times until you see “You are now a developer!” Then go to Settings > Developer Options and enable both “OEM unlocking” and “USB debugging”.
  2. Back Up Your Data
    Unlocking the bootloader will erase everything on the phone. Copy all photos, videos, documents, and app data to your computer or cloud storage. Also, make sure you know your Google account credentials to re-login after the wipe.
  3. Install ADB and Fastboot
    Download the platform-tools ZIP from Google’s developer site and extract it to a folder on your computer (e.g., C:\platform-tools). On Windows, you may need to install the OnePlus USB drivers separately. Open a command prompt or terminal in that folder.
  4. Boot into Fastboot Mode
    Power off the phone. Then press and hold the Volume Up button and the Power button simultaneously for about 5 seconds until the fastboot menu appears (you’ll see a black screen with “FASTBOOT MODE” in the corner). Connect the phone to your computer via USB.
  5. Verify Fastboot Connection
    In your terminal, type fastboot devices and press Enter. You should see a device ID followed by “fastboot”. If nothing shows, reinstall drivers or try a different USB port.
  6. Unlock the Bootloader
    Type fastboot oem unlock and press Enter. A confirmation screen will appear on the phone. Use the volume keys to select “Unlock” and press Power to confirm. This wipes your data and reboots the phone. After reboot, set up the phone again, and re-enable USB debugging and OEM unlocking (the latter may be automatically disabled).
  7. Boot into Fastboot Again
    Power off, then boot into fastboot mode again as in Step 4.
  8. Flash TWRP Recovery
    Place the TWRP image file (e.g., twrp-3.x.x-x-oneplus2.img) in the platform-tools folder. In the terminal, type fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.x.x-x-oneplus2.img (use the actual filename). Wait for the “OKAY” message.
  9. Boot into TWRP
    Do not let the phone boot normally yet. Use the volume keys to navigate to “Recovery Mode” and press Power. The phone will reboot into TWRP. If it boots to the system instead, you’ll need to redo the flash and immediately boot to recovery.
  10. Copy Magisk ZIP to the Phone
    Once in TWRP, connect the phone to your computer. The phone should appear as a storage device. Copy the Magisk ZIP file to the internal storage (e.g., to the Download folder).
  11. Install Magisk
    In TWRP, tap “Install”, navigate to the Magisk ZIP, and select it. Swipe the slider to confirm the flash. Wait for the process to complete.
  12. Reboot System
    After flashing, tap “Wipe cache/dalvik” (optional but recommended), then tap “Reboot System”. The first boot may take several minutes.
  13. Verify Root
    Once booted, install the Magisk Manager app (if not already installed). Open it—you should see “Installed” and a version number. You can also use a root checker app from the Play Store to confirm.

Common Mistakes

  • Skipping OEM Unlock: If you don’t enable “OEM unlocking” in Developer Options, the fastboot oem unlock command will fail with an error.
  • Using the wrong TWRP image: The OnePlus Two has specific TWRP builds. Using a generic or wrong device image can cause a bootloop.
  • Not wiping data after unlock: Unlocking the bootloader wipes data automatically, but if you flash TWRP and then decide to lock the bootloader later, you must wipe again or the phone may not boot.
  • Flashing Magisk on a locked bootloader: Magisk requires an unlocked bootloader to function. If you locked it, root will not work.
  • Ignoring battery level: If the phone dies during flashing, you risk bricking. Always charge to at least 70%.

Tips

  • Use a USB 2.0 port on your computer for more stable fastboot connections.
  • Keep a copy of the stock OxygenOS ROM on your computer in case you need to restore the phone to factory state.
  • After rooting, install a good backup app (like Titanium Backup) to backup apps and data.
  • If you plan to install custom ROMs later, TWRP will be essential—keep it installed.
  • Always download TWRP and Magisk from official sources to avoid malware.

Troubleshooting

  • Fastboot devices shows nothing: Install the correct USB drivers, try a different cable, or run the command as administrator (Windows). On Linux, you may need to add udev rules for the device.
  • Bootloop after flashing: Boot into TWRP (hold Volume Down + Power), then wipe data and cache. If that fails, reflash the stock ROM via fastboot (download the full ROM and use fastboot flash commands).
  • Magisk Manager says “not installed”: Reflash Magisk via TWRP. Make sure you’re using the latest version compatible with your Android version (OxygenOS 3.x is Android 6.0.1).
  • Phone stuck on OnePlus logo: This is often due to a corrupted boot image. Boot into TWRP and flash the stock boot.img from the OxygenOS ROM.
  • OEM unlock option greyed out: This can happen if the device is carrier-locked or if you haven’t inserted a SIM card. Insert a SIM, connect to the internet, and try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does rooting the OnePlus Two void the warranty?

Yes, unlocking the bootloader and rooting typically voids the manufacturer warranty. However, you can often restore the stock ROM and lock the bootloader to regain warranty status, though this is not guaranteed.

Can I still receive OTA updates after rooting?

No, OTA updates will fail because the system partition has been modified. You’ll need to manually download and flash updates via TWRP, or use Magisk’s “Uninstall” feature to temporarily unroot and then reapply.

Will rooting erase my data?

Unlocking the bootloader erases all data. The rooting process itself (flashing TWRP and Magisk) does not erase data, but the initial unlock step does. Always back up before starting.

Can I unroot my OnePlus Two?

Yes. To unroot, boot into TWRP and flash the Magisk uninstaller ZIP. To fully restore stock, flash the stock OxygenOS ROM and then lock the bootloader with fastboot oem lock (this wipes data again).

Is it safe to root with Magisk?

Magisk is a widely used, open-source rooting solution that offers systemless root, meaning it modifies the system less invasively. It is generally safe if you follow the steps correctly and download from official sources.

What if I brick my phone?

If the phone is soft-bricked (bootloop), you can usually recover by flashing stock ROM via fastboot. If it’s hard-bricked (no response), you may need to use a Qualcomm EDL tool, which is advanced. Always keep a backup of the stock ROM.

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