Best Android phones for rooting and modding 2023

Rooting isn't as popular as it used to be, but there's still a vibrant community of modders involved in launching new ROMs. If you're just getting started, or are looking to delve back into the world of modding, the OnePlus 9 is our favorite pick. We've included other top-notch options as well, so you have the best phones for rooting and modding to choose from.

These are the best Android phones for rooting

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Root and mod away

The best Android phones already offer an exhaustive array of features out of the box. Still, with the likes of One UI, MIUI, ColorOS, and even OxygenOS offering a skinned interface, you don't get a vanilla Android look anymore. Rooting your phone gives you the ability to do just that, and you get to install frameworks like Xposed, which allows you way more customization options than on a normal phone. 

The OnePlus 9 is the best overall option if you want to try custom ROMs, with OnePlus making it as easy as possible to mod its devices.

There is a wide selection of ROMs available for the device, and should you break anything, you won't lose out on the warranty. The hardware on offer from OnePlus gives you a lot of overhead for installing customized modules, and the active community means you'll quickly find information should you run into any issues.

Google's Pixel phones are always a great option because Google provides all the files needed to return the phone to "normal," along with a documented and official method to build a custom ROM. Security concerns mean that newer models are a bit more locked down than they used to be, so it's a wise choice to wait for developers to have time to work through things or to buy last year's model. That's why we recommend the Pixel 6a while it's still available from online retailers.