If you are looking for a device that is affordable and provides you with the vanilla Android experience as well, then going for the Google Pixel 3a or 3a XL is the smartest thing that you can do. Why? Google has made these devices for people who are not looking to spend a lot of money and still get a great experience.

Granted, you are getting reduced specifications, but the overall experience remains unchanged. Another great thing here is that these devices enjoy a whole heap of developer support, which means rooting is going to be a walk in the park.

Root Google Pixel 3a XL With Magisk

If you are looking to root your Pixel 3a XL, the process is fairly simple and straightforward. You have the good old Magisk to trust, and that is about it. We are not going to waste any more time and will now start looking at how you can root your device.

Prerequisites

Download and install ADB, fastboot, and Android drivers from here.Get the latest Magisk Manager from here and install it on your device after the bootloader is unlocked.Download the latest firmware for your device; make sure that the build number matches the build number of the firmware on your phone. Download.

Step 1: Bootloader Unlocking

Unlocking the bootloader is a must if you wish to root your device. Thankfully, Google has made the process a lot simpler. However, you must know that unlocking the bootloader is going to wipe your device, but on the plus side, you will not be voiding your warranty.

The steps to unlock the bootloader are simple and can be found below.

Start by heading over to Settings > About phone and tap the build number until you get a message that Developer options are enabled.Go back to the menu, and now you will have the option ofDeveloper options.Tap on that.Once there, you enableUSB debuggingand look forOEM unlockingtoggle and turn that on as well.Connect your phone to the PC.Open the Command Prompt and typeadb reboot bootloaderand press enter.Your phone will now reboot intoFastboot mode.Once there, the next command that you will have to execute is going to befastboot flashing unlock.The phone will display a new screen, giving you information on the bootloader unlocking process. Select yes, and the process will start.The unlocking process will not take long, and once the bootloader is unlocked, you will be back onFastboot mode simply navigate using the volume keys and reboot your device.

This process will unlock the bootloader for you, the next step will include the rooting process.

Step 2: Rooting Google Pixel 3a XL

The good thing about these phones is that the rooting process for them is among the easiest. Let's dive in.

Extract the firmware you downloaded earlier.Find theboot.img and copy it to your phone's storage.Install Magisk Manager and launch it.Tap theInstallbutton and select Install again, once done, selectSelectand Patch aFile.Go to where you have placed theboot.imgon your phone and choose the file.The file will be then patched and you will getmagisk_patched.imgin the Downloads folder.Copy the patched img file to your desktop.Open Command Prompt once again on your desktop by pressing shift and then right-clicking, once done, choose CMD or Powershell from the menu that follows.Type the following commandadb reboot bootloader.Once inFastboot mode,the next command that you will have to enter isfastboot flash boot magisk_magisk.imgand press enter. This will initiate the flashing process.Once the flashing process is done, simply typefastboot reboot and the phone will reboot.

The booting is going to take a minute or so, and once the phone boots up, simply check if the Magisk Manager app is still there, if it is, go ahead and launch the app. You will see that the phone has been rooted.