TWRP - what is it and how to use it?

Initially, the functionality of tablets or smartphones for users is severely limited. They often can not install some programs, change the boot animation, delete unnecessary embedded applications. There are even gadgets with built-in advertising in the shell itself. To be able to change this (remove / install the program, change the animation), you must have root-rights. They are the ones that open the administrator's functionality to the user.

Why do not users have root rights by default?

They do not need a normal person at all. Built-in user functionality is more than enough to fully use a smartphone or tablet. With root-rights you can change the system settings, which are difficult to understand.

Therefore, initially, software developers endow the user with customary rights. And this is done for security reasons. Without root-rights, no virus can do much harm to the user (steal his money, show third-party advertising, etc.). But if the user has root-rights, they will automatically receive third-party programs, including viruses.

TWRP - what is it?

When a user studies the possibility of changing his device, he has to get root-rights. Consequently, he often encounters the term "TWRP firmware". This is a powerful system recovery utility that provides the user with much more features than the standard one.

TWRP Recovery allows you to make full backups with the ability to select the necessary items to save, more flexible configure different options, use S-Pen on Galaxy Note devices, install non-standard software, firmware. And this is not the whole list of possibilities. There are more, but it is possible to list everything, including petty ones, for a long time.

How to install TWRP Recovery?

The installation process itself does not require special knowledge and effort, it takes a little time. There are even special wired programs on Android-devices for modified recovery, so installing TWRP will not be difficult even for a not very confident user. For example, in the Nexus tablets there is a Toolkit application, where recovery recovery functionality is available. But also on the Google Play service there is a program GooManager - it can be installed on any Android-gadget. It has the "Install OpenRecovery Script" function.

Running

To run (or rather get into) TWRP Recovery, you can use various methods:

1. When you turn on the gadget, you need to press a special key combination. Depending on the model of the phone or tablet, the combinations will be different. On some phones, the launch of the recovery is performed during power-on and the simultaneous pressing of the volume up button. The other device uses the power button and volume down.
2. You can also use Titanium Backup or GooManager. There simply in the menu item is selected Recovery mode.
3. Using a computer. For this, the drivers for the gadget and the ADB program must be installed on the PC. By connecting the device to the computer, you need to run the command adb rebood recovery.

Menu and functions

After starting the recovery, the following buttons (functions) will be available:

1. Install;
2. Backup;
3. Wipe;
4. Settings;
5. Advanced;
6. Reboot;
7. Restore;
8. Mount.

These are the main points in the interface. Now let's see what it all means in TWRP.

Install - is used to install patches, various modifications and new firmware. This is the most commonly used function. It is mainly used for installing official and unofficial firmware, changing the skin theme, etc.

Wipe is a menu for deleting files and cleaning the system. The functions here are practically unlimited. That is, you can clear any part of the memory, but you can completely erase everything and return to the factory settings. You can clean the folder, flash drive, internal memory.

Backup. Section for creating backup copies of the system. Of course, this is one of the most important items in the recovery. The function allows you to make a full backup, including application data.

Restore. After the backup process is completed, you can restore the previously created copy in the Restore menu. And, you can restore the copy from the internal memory of the device or flash drive (as well as save Backup to a flash drive or gadget memory). When a backup is detected, the user will be asked to mark the partitions that need to be restored. You can also delete a copy, rename it, etc.

Mount. In this menu are available the functions of mount and delete partitions. You can also perform operations with them. The functions of mounting and unmounting the system partition of the cache, internal memory, memory card, data partition are available.

Settings. Here are the settings for TWRP. What does this give? At a minimum, you can enable / disable checks for subscriptions and checksums for different files, do not take into account errors in the amount of files during backup , etc.

Advanced. Additional functions that allow you to save log files to an external memory card, change partitions on a flash drive, return normal access rights to applications with root privileges.

Reboot. There are only 3 functions here: disconnect the device, reboot with the system logout, reboot with the output to TWRP. What is Reboot is intuitively clear to everyone.

The process of installing the firmware with TWRP

Working with these menu items is easy. For example, to install any firmware or patch in .zip format it is necessary:

1. Boot into TWRP.
2. Select the Install function.
3. Select the memory where the files will be installed or copied.
4. Find the desired file (which you need to install).
5. Start the installation (for this you need to extend the slider from the left side of the screen to the right one).

It is possible to select 10 files at once in the .zip archive. All of them will be installed sequentially. After the process is completed, it is desirable to clear the cache.

Now you know what it is - TWRP, and how to use it. But without the need for this functional it is better not to indulge. It's no accident that after all the developers left the user with the usual rights and reliably hid the root. Leave this functionality to people who understand. After all, because of ignorance, you risk returning the phone to the factory settings, for example, and then you can not restore important files without backup.