Samsung Galaxy J1 2016 have only 1 GB of RAM. If you know about Android Go devices, they use lite weight OS and Apps; they have 1 GB RAM. But, this device without Optimization, struggle a lot with Bloatware. In real time example, you should wait 3-5 seconds, for making calls, If you have 200-300 Call logs. You should wait 1-5 Seconds for creating messages if you have 100 Message threads. There is no chance you can still use this device, without lag. But, we can rectify this by removing unnecessary apps and Hibernate non-used apps. After we Optimize personally using some Root required apps, we can use this device for normal usage. Follow the below steps to perform rooting on your device.
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Why should you Root Samsung Galaxy J1 2016?
You have only 1 GB of RAM. It is not enough for Normal usage. Samsung stopped updates for your device and also your warranty is expired, So there is no giveaway here. It has a Low-End Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 processor. If we optimize correctly with correct Custom OS after rooting, we can see some Improvements. So, after rooting, I can expect Lag free experience? Probably. Also if we hibernate and eliminate a lot of unwanted apps, and optimize some apps, your device is hardware limited. But, within these limits, we can enhance the performance by 10-30% compared with your old usage. If you use Lite weight Custom ROMs, you can expect a 40-60% improvement in performance based on what custom OS you are choosing. We have only 1 GB of RAM; We can’t expect more.
How to Root Samsung Galaxy J1 2016 ( SM-J120F/ SM-J120FN / SM-J120G / SM-J120W )
Samsung Galaxy J1 2016 comes with a flexible bootloader other than Verizon devices. Verizon devices come with locked Bootloader. This means that different smartphone variants can be easily rooted. Also, the device can accept to install TWRP recovery or any other custom recovery file/app alike.
TWRP recovery is a custom recovery file which must be installed on Samsung Galaxy devices because you can root them successfully. In this article, we explained the easiest method to follow and install TWRP recovery on Samsung Galaxy J1 2016. However, the tool required for rooting this device is the Magisk App.
With the help of TWRP Recovery, you can quickly flash the latest version of Magisk into your Samsung Galaxy J1 2016 to gain root access. Before sharing the tutorial, you may want to know that, with the TWRP recovery present on your device, you can easily install any custom ROM or firmware. Does it seem complicated? Relax, everything will be explained succinctly in bullets.
Things to check out for;
Check your device model number.
- Select TWRP Based on the mobile model number.
Make sure your device battery is charged above 50%
Backup your current files and data, just in case (save them on external storage).
Pre-Requirement Steps
Enable USB Debugging Mode and OEM Unlock in your mobile. To do this; go to settings >>> about >>> Tap on the “Build Number” 7-10 times consistently to enable “Developer Options,” then go to the “Developer Options” and enable USB Debugging Mode and OEM Unlock. There is no complicated process in the Samsung Galaxy J1 2016.
Download and install the Samsung USB driver to your computer system.
Also, download the ODIN software. Select above Oreo version in the ODIN list. Install ODIN in your PC.
- Download Magisk.Zip (Latest Version) and Copy it to Your Phone Memory.
Download and save the TWRP File. Please select correct model number TWRP file.
- SM-J120W (Up to Marshmallow 6.0.1)
Flash TWRP using ODIN
- Restart the device. Then, enter into Download mode. To do this; press and hold down the Volume Down + Home+ Power buttons at the same time for some time.
Press the Volume Up button to continue when you see the warning message.
Now, connect the Samsung Galaxy J1 2016 mobile to the computer via USB cable.
Launch the Odin app on your computer. If the device is detected by this app (Odin), it will show you a message that reads – added!!!
However, if the device is not correctly connected to the PC, you won’t see this message. So, you have to check the USB cable if it is reasonable and reconnect the device.
After connecting the Samsung device, click on the PDA/PA button to browse/search and get the TWRP from where you saved it on your PC. Also, navigate to “options” and tick the Auto Reboot.
Click on “Start”
Once the file is loaded into the device, reboot your device.
Kudos, you have just Installed the TWRP on your Samsung Galaxy J1 2016. If you installed TWRP, Don’t turn on your mobile. Immediately, move to Magisk Installation steps.
Install Magisk in your Samsung Galaxy J1 2016 using TWRP
- Boot it Into recovery mode->Volume Up+ Home +Power Button.
- Now it Will Boot into TWRP Recovery Mode.
- Select Wipe->Advance Wipe->Select Cache Data.
- Return to Home of TWRP select Install.
- Select Magisk.Zip.
- After the Installation Reboot Your Mobile.
- You can also install Magisk Manager in your Mobile Applications. You can check the Root status, using Root Checker.
What More?
Samsung Galaxy J1 2016 is a Low-End phone; We can’t expect dramatic Improvement. But, If you use Lite weight Custom Roms, you can expect a considerable performance Improvement. So, If you have little knowledge in tech, I advise you to Root and uninstall some unwanted apps. You can also flash some Custom ROMs. If you flash Custom ROM, check what is working and what is not working. It is wise to use Some Official Custom ROMs like Lineage. If you accidentally brick your device flash J1 2016 Firmware.
Selva Kumar is an Android Devices Enthusiast, Who Can Talk and Write About Anything If You Give a Hint About the respective devices. He is a Computer Science Graduate and Certified Android Developer, Making His Career towards this Technology. He is always eager to try new Android devices — not only Software level but Hardware-level Also. Beyond this, He is a Good Swimmer, Guitarist.
I have a problem with the zip file that does not appear until I can install it; how can I solve this problem? Thank you for the valuable article.
Flash the file using external storage.
did all the steps, but it booted into android recovery mode, not into TWRP recovery mode. :( what do I do?
You should boot your mobile into TWRP recovery and flash Magisk. Or Else, you will lose root access.