There are many Linux distributions that people run from a desktop computer that makes up the Unix operating systems and most of those Linux distributions come with a root user account. That account is handed over to the first person to set up the computer much the same way you always expect to be handed over the admin account when settings up a computer that is running Windows or macOS.

The Android operating system is based on the same kind of Linux kernel that does come with the root user account also only you don’t get to set up the operating system when you first open the device out of the box and get in control of the root user account like you typically would from the desktop environments. Instead, you need to do some work—and the work you need to do for it, in this case, is flash the custom recovery image and then get the SuperSU installed and enabled from the custom recovery image just like the guide below demonstrates.

REQUIREMENTS

• You need to have installed a custom recovery on the Motorola Moto G4 Play smartphone before you can follow this guide to get in control of the root user account on the Android operating system.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

• Note that sometimes the version of the SuperSU that is required to get control of the root user account changes depending on the Android version and the version of the SuperSU that is available in this guide for the Android 6.0.1 might not always be the version that you want to be installed if you ever get the Android 7.1 Nougat update for example. Regardless of that, you can always use the same version of the custom recovery image no matter what version of Android you are running—but there is one catch. If it is custom ROMs that you are planning to install, you should always be running the latest version of the TWRP image available because sometimes newer ROMs require the newer versions of the custom recovery image. So, if there is ever more than one link available and you get the chance of what custom recovery image to install, always choose the most recent option because doing it that way you cannot go wrong.

HOW TO ROOT MOTOROLA MOTO G4 PLAY RUNNING ANDROID 6.0.1 MARSHMALLOW SOFTWARE UPDATES WITH SUPERSU

1. Download the SuperSU for the Moto G4 Play smartphone directly to the computer and then open up the Downloads folder on the computer to find it.
2. Connect the Motorola Moto G4 Play smartphone to the computer with the USB cable that is used to charge the battery.
3. Copy the SuperSU that is available in the Downloads folder to the internal storage SD card folder available on the computer for the Moto G4 Play smartphone.
4. Unplug the smartphone from the computer and then boot the Motorola Moto G4 Play smartphone into the Recovery Mode by pressing the hardware key combination for that mode.
5. Take the NANDroid backup from the Recovery menu by tapping on the Backup button if you haven’t yet backed up your data.
6. Tap on the Install button from the Recovery menu and then follow the guidelines through to the SD card and select the SuperSU package to install.
7. Swipe at the bottom of the display where it tells you that you need to swipe to install it.
8. Choose the “Reboot” and then “System” options to reboot the smartphone back into the normal mode so you can start using it again.

In conclusion, that is how to root Motorola Moto G4 Play smartphone running on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow software updates by flashing the SuperSU from a custom recovery image. You can start installing any of the root apps that you wanted to start installing from the Google Play Store and other sources online.