While rooting definitely opens up many possibilities, it is not for everyone and some of you might be interested in unrooting your Nexus 4. Manufacturers also reject warranty claims if the phone has been rooted or if there’s a custom firmware installed. In this guide, I’ll show you how to unroot Nexus 4 on Mac and on Windows. Through the methods mentioned below, you’ll have an unrooted Nexus 4 in just several minutes.
Why Unroot Nexus 4?
If you’re not sure on whether you should unroot Nexus 4, then consider these factors.
If you want to sell your Nexus 4, unrooting is the smart thing to do. The buyer will feel much safer when buying an unrooted phone with a genuine firmware installed. A rooted Nexus 4 might go for much less. Send your Nexus 4 for repairs under warranty. Manufacturers often refuse warranty claims for rooted Android phones which is why you’ll need to unroot your phone before you can get it repaired through your warranty. Install Over The Air updates on your Nexus 4 like you used to before rooting the device to get the latest features and bug fixes.
What To Do Before You Unroot Nexus 4
The methods mentioned below are risky and you should only attempt them if you’re willing to take full responsibility. If something goes wrong, your Nexus 4 might get bricked. If you’re willing to take the risk and have made up your mind on unrooting the Nexus 4, then there are certain tips you should follow before going through with the unrooting process.
Backup your Nexus 4 as your data will be deleted. If you’re looking for some good backup apps, feel free to check out our list of the best backup apps for Android. Charge your Nexus 4 at least 70% so that you have enough battery juice during the unrooting process. Sync your Nexus 4 with your Google account so that you can get some of your data back when you log into your account after unrooting your phone.
Method 1: Unroot Nexus 4 On Windows
If you have a Windows PC, then follow the steps below to unroot Nexus 4. If you’re using a Mac, then use Method 2 in order to unroot Nexus 4 on Mac.
Step 1 – Download The Unroot File
Download 4.2UnrootNexus4 and extract the ZIP folder on your Desktop.
Step 2 – Connect Your Phone To Your PC
Switch off your phone. Press and hold the Volume Down, Volume Up and Power buttons simultaneously and let go the power button only when your phone vibrates. Let the other buttons go once your phone boots into a new screen with an Android robot on the screen. Connect your phone to your PC using a micro USB cable.
Step 3 – Install USB Drivers
Download these USB drivers and install them on your PC.
Step 4 – Update Driver
Step 4 and Step 5 are optional but recommended so that you don’t run into any issues later. Go to Device Manager on your PC and look for Samsung Android Phone, Mobile Device or External Device in the list. Double click on it once you find it and it will show another option below such as Samsung Android ADB Interface. Double click on it, go to the Driver tab and select Update Driver.
Step 5 – Confirm Driver Update
Click on Browse my computer for driver software and select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer. Select Samsung Electronics as the Manufacturer and choose the ADB Interface option as the Model. Click Next and select Yes to confirm.
Step 6 – Open Command Prompt On Your PC
Open the 4.2UnrootNexus4 folder that you extracted on your Desktop earlier. Hold Shift and Right click on any empty area in the folder and select Open command window here. A command prompt window should now open.
Step 7 – Type Commands On Your PC
Type the following commands in command prompt. Make sure that you wait for a command to execute before you type in the next one and hit the enter key after typing each command. fastboot flash bootloader bootloader-mako-makoz10l.img fastboot reboot-bootloader fastboot flash radio radio-mako-m9615a-cefwmazm-2.0.1700.33.img fastboot reboot-bootloader fastboot -w update image-occam-jop40c.zip
Step 8 – Fix The Boot Loop Issue On Your Nexus 4
Wait for the last command to fully execute and this might take a while. Once completed, your phone will automatically reboot. If your phone gets stuck in a boot loop, then unplug the phone from your PC and hold the Power key until the phone turns off. Once the phone is off, press and hold the Volume Down, Volume Up and Power keys simultaneously and let the Power key go once the phone vibrates. You can let go the other keys once the phone boots into a new screen displaying an Android robot.
Step 9 – Boot Into Recovery
Press the Volume Up button twice to highlight Recovery mode and enter into Recovery mode by pressing the Power button.
Step 10 – Enter Your Nexus 4 Into Recovery
You’ll now see a dead Android screen. Hold the Power button and press Volume Up once to bring up the Recovery menu. If your phone still doesn’t go into recovery, keep pressing the Volume Up, Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously until it goes into the Recovery menu.
Step 11 – Wipe Data On Your Nexus 4
In Recovery, go to Wipe data/factory reset using the Volume keys and select it using the Power key. Select Yes to confirm. Once the wiping process is complete, select the Reboot system now option. That’s it! You have successfully unrooted your Nexus 4. If you want to send your phone under warranty, you’ll need to lock the bootloader as well. Follow the steps below to lock your bootloader.
Step 12 – Connect Your Nexus 4 To Your PC
Press and hold the Volume Up, Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously and let the Power key go once the phone vibrates. You can let go the other buttons once the phone boots into a new screen displaying an Android robot. Connect your Nexus 4 to your PC using a micro USB cable.
Step 13 – Type A Command In Command Prompt
In the same command prompt window, type the following command. fastboot oem lock
Step 14 – Power On Your Phone
Once the command is fully executed, hold the Power button to boot your phone normally. That’s it! You can now send your phone for repairs under warranty.
Method 2: Unroot Nexus 4 On Mac
If you own a Mac instead of a Windows PC, then follow the steps below to unroot Nexus 4 on Mac.
Step 1 – Connect Your Nexus 4 To Your Mac
Turn off your phone. Press and hold the Volume Up, Volume Down and Power keys simultaneously and let go the power key only when your phone vibrates. Let the other buttons go once your phone boots into a new screen displaying an Android robot. Connect your phone to your Mac using a micro USB cable.
Step 2 – Download The Unroot File
Download the 4.2UnrootNexus4 file on your Mac and extract the ZIP file on your Desktop. You’ll now get a 4.2UnrootNexus4 folder on your Desktop.
Step 3 – Type Commands In Terminal
Open Terminal on your Mac and type the following commands. Make sure that you wait for each command to execute fully before you enter the next one. cd Desktop cd 4.2UnrootNexus4 ./fastboot-mac flash bootloader bootloader-mako-makoz10l.img ./fastboot-mac reboot-bootloader ./fastboot-mac flash radio radio-mako-m9615a-cefwmazm-2.0.1700.33.img ./fastboot-mac reboot-bootloader ./fastboot-mac -w update image-occam-jop40c.zip
Step 4 – Fix Boot Loop On Your Nexus 4
Once the last command is fully executed, your phone should reboot and this might take a while. If your phone gets stuck in a boot loop, then unplug your phone and hold the Power key until your phone turns off. Hold the Volume Up, Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time and let go the power key when your phone vibrates. Let the other keys go once your phone boots into a new screen showing an Android robot.
Step 5 – Go To Recovery On Your Nexus 4
Press the Volume Up button twice to highlight Recovery mode and enter into Recovery by pressing the Power key. If you see a dead Android screen, keep pressing the Volume Down, Volume Up and Power keys at the same time until your phone shows the Recovery menu.
Step 6 – Wipe Data On Your Nexus 4
Go to Wipe data/factory reset using the Volume keys and select it using the Power button. Select Yes to confirm. Once the wiping process is complete, select the Reboot system now option in order to reboot your phone. That’s it! You’ll need to lock your bootloader when sending your phone under warranty and you can follow the steps below to lock the bootloader.
Step 7 – Connect Your Phone To Your Mac
Switch off your Nexus 4 and hold the Volume Up, Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time. Let go the Power key when your phone vibrates. Let the other keys go once your phone boots into a new screen showing an Android robot. Connect your phone to your Mac using a micro USB cable.
Step 8 – Type A Command In Terminal
Go to the same Terminal window and enter the following command. ./fastboot-mac oem lock
Step 9 – Turn On Your Nexus 4
Once the bootloader is locked, press the Power key to turn on your phone. That’s it!
Conclusion
The Nexus 4 is a great Android device that lets you do almost everything that you can do on the latest Android smartphones and in order to make your experience even better, you can root your phone. If you’re not comfortable with a rooted phone, then you can easily unroot Nexus 4 using any of the methods mentioned above. Make sure that you attempt these Nexus 4 unrooting methods at your own responsibility. They are not guaranteed to work on all devices and if anything goes wrong, you might end up with a bricked phone. Follow all the instructions properly and feel free to shoot any questions below.
