How to Edit Build.prop File on Android Without Root

Sep. 7, 2017

Android is one of the most preferred operating systems out there, simply because of the customizability it offers. The user can change almost every aspect of one’s device, and even tweak it in certain ways to make sure their devices perform better. All of this is primarily dependent on your device’s config file, that is, the build.prop file. This file contains all the configuration data for your device as well as the Android system installed on it. Many power users modify this file in order to tweak their device furthermore. We recently did an article on some of thecoolest build.prop tweaks for your Android device. Sadly though, since this is a system file, the general conception is that you need a rooted device. Well, don’t worry, as there is a way around that as well. So, if you’re an Android user looking to the build.prop file on their Android device but don’t have root access, read on, as we share with youour guide on how to edit build.prop without root access:

Edit Build.prop Without Root Access

Note:The following method requires you to have a custom recovery likeTWRPorCWM. You can either install the custom recovery or even choose to simply boot through it for this process. This is because you have full access to system files in recovery mode. Also, this is only possible if the system partition is mounted, something which stock recoveries don’t allow. I tried the following method on Samsung Galaxy S8 and Moto X Play, and it worked just fine.

For example, I wish to transfer the file to C:\Beebom on my system, hence the command that I’ll be inputting will be:

As you can see below, the build.prop file will now be transferred to the specified path, in my case,  C:\Beebom.

So, since my file is located at C:\Beebom, the command that I’ll be inputting will be:

And that’s it. You can now close the ADB window. Your build.prop file has now been modified as per your preferences.

SEE ALSO:How to Install and Use ADB on Windows and Mac

Modifying your build.prop file can help you make more out of your Android device. The strongest advantage of Android over other operating systems is its level of customizability, something which is primarily dependent on the build.prop file. And while not everyone has root access, one can still modify their build files using the above method. Do note that whatever you do with your build.prop file, always and always have a backup ready just in case. Well, that’s all from my side but I would love to hear the multiple tweaks you tried to implement on your device in the comments section below.

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