The Google Play Edition version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone has a working root method available thanks to Chainfire and his one-click rooting tool, namely CF-Auto-Root. The CF-Auto-Root tool is flashed using the Odin flashing tool and it installs and enables the SuperSU application (also made by Chainfire). The SuperSU is powerful enough to block everything that wants to get through and it is intelligent enough always to let through what you want to let through. The SuperSU only provides security up until people overrule it which is why rooting the Android operating system is best left for the experienced Android users.

Once you master the online world and the world of Android, keeping the device malware free is as easy as not letting a thief in your home. Once keeping safe online becomes like second nature and you learn what to click and what not to click there are lots of things anyone can achieve with a rooted Android operating system. Root access is having access to the root user account, and it is what we all need if we are going to have full control over what is installed and uninstalled on our smartphones.

REQUIREMENTS

• You must have the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone that comes with the GT-I9505G model number to use this guide. The GT-I9505G model number belongs to the Google Play Edition version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. You can always check what the model number of your smartphone is by tapping on the Menu > Settings > About Device > Model Number.
• You need to have a computer that is running on a version of the Windows operating system. Anyone who cannot get a hold of the Microsoft Windows OS can try running Windows from a virtual machine environment with a Mac or Linux computer.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

• Note that Chainfire shows us the firmware build number information that he was running on the GPE of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone when he created the working CF-Auto-Root tool for any particular device. In this instance, that version is the JWR66V.S014.130801 firmware build number. It does not mean that people need to be running on the same firmware build number. If you have the Samsung Galaxy S4 with the GT-I9505G model number and the phone is running on the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean software updates then this guide works.
• Some people need to install the Samsung USB Drivers on the computer if they do not have them already so that the Odin flashing tool can detect the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone when it is connected to the computer. Any problems with a device not connected almost always come back to the drivers.
• Chainfire has created an official CF-Auto-Root tool thread over at the XDA-Developers website that people can visit to leave the new recovery image files found in new firmware that is not flashing, or that is causing the device not to boot after flashing. The new recovery image from the problematic firmware is what he needs to update the files, so they start working again. These issues should not happen with our guides because a new bootloader usually only comes with new versions of Android.

HOW TO ROOT SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 GT-I9505G GOOGLE PLAY EDITION RUNNING ON ANDROID 4.3

1. Download the CF-Auto-Root tool for the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505G smartphone on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
2. Open the Downloads folder and then extract the rooting file that is available.
3. Run the Odin flashing tool by clicking on the Odin executable file available from the downloads folder that is only visible after extraction in the step above.
4. Boot the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505G into the download mode and then connect it to the computer with the USB cable.
5. Look out for a color coming from the ID: COM port which is usually a yellow or blue color. (The color coming from the ID: COM port is letting you know that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition smartphone is connected thanks to the USB drivers correctly).
6. Click the AP button found on Odin and then browse through to the downloads folder and select the rooting file to upload to Odin.
7. Click the Start button found on the Odin app on the computer and then the rooting begins.

In conclusion, that is how to root Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505G smartphones when they are running on any of the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean software updates regardless of the firmware version. The GPE S4 smartphone reboots once the text on the display says it is going to reboot, and then the SuperSU application is installed and enabled and visible from the app drawer from here on out. That SuperSU needs to stay on the device or else it is not rooted any longer. Each app that you install from this point–whether it is from the Google Play Store or a more direct site source online–gets blocked automatically by the SuperSU if it is an app that requires root access. The SuperSU then sends you a prompt on the screen asking whether or not you would like to allow the app root access to the internal system. Everything that you do not trust needs to be denied, and anything you just installed and would like to grant the rooting permissions to you need to confirm.