We already showed you how to root the Motorola Moto Maxx and now we’ll show you how you can install an unofficial custom recovery image on your device. The recovery we are using is Team Win’s TWRP recovery. ClockworkMod recovery is the most popular custom recovery in the world, and the TWRP is a touch version of the same. Many folks prefer TWRP because it’s easier to use and the wording via the menu is always short and sweet. For example, you’ll see the word “install’ instead of “install zip from SD card.” That’s what you’d see if you were using CWM, followed by another command just to upload the same file.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

• You must have a computer running any operating system from Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
• Don’t try to use the same steps on a different device other than the Moto Maxx. be careful with that because there are numerous smartphones out there with the name “Max.” Likewise, they all fall under the Motorola brand.
• Enable USB Debugging mode from Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging
• Have the Motorola USB drivers working on the computer for your phone.
• Disable any security programs on the computer such as anti-virus
• Charge the battery so it’s not going to run out of juice before the flashing finishes.
• This is an unofficial task which will void any warranty you have with the device. You get the warranty back again after you return the smartphone back to its original state without the custom recovery image or root access.
• Those wanting to return the device back how it was with stock Android can flash an official firmware build manually. That’s the same as flashing an official OTA update but having the file available for you to install manually.
• Do not accept any future OTA updates with a custom recovery or root access installed unless it specifically says you can.
• Make sure you install Android SDK with ADB and fastboot on Windows here.

HOW TO INSTALL TWRP RECOVERY ON THE MOTOROLA MOTO MAXX

1. Download the official TWRP recovery for the Maxx here.
2. Download the file to the same location as the ADB folder.
3. Open the ADB folder and right-click the mouse on the blank white space and hold down the Shift key until the menu presents itself.
4. Click to open the Command Prompt.
5. Type “adb reboot bootloader” as the first command.
6. Watch as the phone will reboot in the bootloader mode.
7. Type the next command: “fastboot flash recovery recovery.img”.
8. Do not touch any buttons on the computer or the phone until the custom recovery finishes installing.
9. Now type “fastboot reboot” and wait for the device to boot in normal mode.

You can use the handset like you normally would now and it has the TWRP recovery installed. Next you can look at gaining root access if you don’t have it already, plus installing custom ROMs.