Install TWRP Recovery and Root Xperia XA Ultra

Here’s a guide to install TWRP custom recovery and root the Xperia XA Ultra. The guide works for both the single SIM and dual SIM variants of the Xperia XA Ultra.

Note: Installing TWRP Recovery on your Xperia XA Ultra requires unlocking its bootloader. Unlocking the bootloader has a number of drawbacks. Unlocking the bootloader wipes the TA partition of Xperia smartphones which results in loosing the DRM keys. The loss of DRM keys makes the features like Bravia Engine, Xreality useless. These features will not work on your phone if you unlock its bootloader. If you do not really care about these features, you may go ahead and flash the TWRP recovery on your Xperia XA Ultra.

Preparations

• This guide is only for the Xperia XA Ultra single SIM and dual SIM. Do not try this on any other variant or phone. Check your phone’s model number under Settings > About device section.
• The following tutorial is applicable only on Xperia XA Ultra running on Android Nougat.
• Backup your Contacts, Call Logs, SMS Messages and Media Content. This is very important as we have to unlock the bootloader and it will wipe your phone.
• Charge your phone good enough to ensure that it lasts during the recovery installation process.
• Enable USB Debugging mode on your Xperia XA Ultra.
• Enable OEM Unlocking on your Xperia XA Ultra.
• Unlock the bootloader of your Sony Xperia XA Ultra.

Required downloads & installations

1. Download and install Sony USB drivers.
2. Download and install Minimal ADB & Fastboot drivers.
3. Download and install latest Flashtool with Xperifirm integrated inside.
4. Download the recovery and boot file according to your phone.
   1. XA Ultra TWRP: recovery-XAU-3.1.1-0.img
5. Rename the downloaded file to recovery.img only.
6. Download Xperia XA Ultra boot.img file: boot-XAU-36.1.x.0.182.img

Install TWRP Recovery and Root Xperia XA Ultra

1. You need to have Marshmallow firmware. You can download one using the integrated Xperifirm.
2. Turn off your phone, connect to your computer in the Flash Mode.
3. Using the Flashtool, flash the BOOT_DELIVERY file from the Marshmallow firmware. Uncheck all other partitions. Check the boot partition only. You will find the boot_delivery.xml file in the Content column of the Flashtool.
4. Boot your phone into the Fastboot mode now. To do so, power it down first. Now press and hold Volume Up and connect the phone to your computer. This will connect your phone in the Flash Mode once again.
5. As a result of installing the Flashtool, you have got this directory: C:\Flashtool\x10flasher_lib. Open this folder and copy the recovery.img and boot.img files here.
6. Flash the recovery.img and boot.img files using the following commands in the command window:
   1. fastboot flash boot boot.img
   2. fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
7. After flashing the recovery and boot files, disconnect your phone from your PC. Now turn on your phone by pressing and holding Volume Down + Power key. As soon as your phone vibrates, release the keys.
8. This will take you to the TWRP recovery now. If it asks for a password, press the “Cancel” option.
9. On the screen coming up next, tap the “Swipe to allow modifications” bar.
10. Now to deal with the encryption, we need to format the phone. In TWRP recovery, tap Wipe > Advanced Wipe > Format userdata partition to remove the ecnryption. Also, tap Wipe > Format Data.
11. Now get back to the main menu in TWRP recovery and tap Reboot > System.
12. Now download Magisk Manager APK and install it on your phone.
13. Open Magisk Manager after installation completes. Tap the Download button located at the bottom in the Magisk Manager application.
14. Once the download in Magisk Manager comes to an end, reboot your phone into the TWRP recovery.
15. In recovery, tap Install > navigate to /sdcard/magisk manager > select Magisk-xxxxx.zip > Swipe to install.
16. Reboot your phone into the system now.
17. Your phone is now rooted and all set to be modified. That’s all.

Source