How to Install Official TWRP Recovery on Google Nexus 4 and Root it

LG/Google Nexus 4 (codename: mako) was launched in the year October 2012. The smartphone came out of the box with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and later upgraded to...

Mohammed Huwais

Last updated on February 6, 2026

Mohammed Huwais

Author

I started my career as a blogger in 2014 and also worked on an Android niche platform to gain extra income. I cover the topic on How to guides, software updates, Custom ROM updates and also product review. I'm 24 years old, completed MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Sikkim Manipal University.

TWRP Recovery and its Advantages

Team Win Recovery Project is an open-source software custom recovery image for Android-based devices. It provides a touchscreen-enabled interface that allows users to install third-party firmware and back up the current system which is functions often unsupported by stock recovery images. – WikiPedia

Advantages of TWRP Recovery:

You can flash Custom ROM on Nexus 4 using TWRP
You can flash modding zip files to customize your phone
Easy to flash and use Xposed Modules using TWRP
Easy to Root and Unroot using TWRP Recovery flashable zip SuperSU
You can install Magisk on Nexus 4
Easy to Create and Restore Nandroid Backup using TWRP Recovery.
Easy access to restore the Nandroid Backup.
You can flash the image file using TWRP Recovery on Nexus 4
Easy to remove all bloatware using TWRP Recovery on Nexus 4.
To underclock and overclock.
You can clean Wipe, Cache, and Data.

Pre-Requirements:

The file and guide are supported for the Nexus 4 (mako) model only. Don’t try it on other devices.
Nexus 4 bootloader should be unlocked.
A PC/Laptop and a USB cable are required for this process.
Make sure to take a Full Backup of Device Data (No Root).
Charge your device battery to full.
Download All Required Files:
- No Verity Opt Encrypt and VBMeta.img
- Download SuperSU Zip – For root using SuperSU
- Download Magisk Zip – For root using Magisk
- USB Drivers: Google USB Drivers
- Download ADB and Fastboot and install it on your PC

TWRP Recovery Details

File Name	TWRP Recovery
Version	Latest
Support	Official
Developer	TWRP Team
Download Link	Download

Disclaimer:

GetDroidTips will not be responsible for any kind of damage or error that occurs to your device while/after installing the files or following this guide. Make sure to take a complete backup before doing anything. Do this at your own risk.

Method: ADB and Fastboot Tool

After downloading all the required files, drivers, and tools, follow the installation process.

First of all, enable the Developer Options and USB Debugging mode on your device.
Head over to the device Settings > System > About Phone > then tap on the Build Number for seven times to enable Developer options mode.
Now, go to the Developer options in the Settings menu and turn on the toggle to enable USB debugging.
Next, open the ADB & Fastboot folder on your computer. Then press and hold the Shift key and right mouse click to open the command window.
Turn off your device > Press and hold the Volume Up + Power button together for a few seconds to enter into Fastboot mode.
Connect your device with the PC via a USB cable and type the following code on the command windows and hit enter:

adb reboot bootloader

Now, your device is connected successfully as a fastboot device.
Type the following command and hit enter to check the fastboot device connected or not:

fastboot devices

Now, in order to install TWRP Recovery on your phone, type the following command and press enter:

fastboot flash recovery twrpname.img

To just boot, you can use the command fastboot boot twrpname.img
That’s it. You’ve successfully installed the TWRP Recovery on the Nexus 4 device. Now, you have to flash the Root.

What is Root?

Smartphone Rooting is the unofficial way to enable an administrator or superuser access to your device system and subsystem. Therefore, the user can easily tweak, change, edit, or delete system files and apps easily.

With the help of rooting, you can uninstall bloatware, increase device performance, reduce battery draining, install Xposed modules, and more. However, smartphone rooting will void the device warranty and you may not get software OTA updates anymore. Improper way of rooting can also brick your device easily. Therefore, make sure to follow the guide properly.

The advantage of Rooting:

You can get access to all files on your Nexus 4, even the files which present in the root directory of your phone.
You can increase the performance of your Nexus 4 by overclocking.
By rooting you can increase battery life by underclocking Nexus 4.
Uninstall Bloatware on Nexus 4.
You can block Ads on any Android applications such as Youtube and other game-related applications.

Also Read: Top 5 Adblock Plus Alternatives for Android

By Rooting Nexus 4, you can View, Edit, or Delete any system file inside the root directory.
You can install the Xposed Framework and many Xposed module support.

Steps to Root Nexus 4

Guide to Root Nexus 4 via SuperSU

Guide to Root Nexus 4 via Magisk

We assume that this full-depth installation guide will be helpful to you. For any queries, feel free to ask in the comments below.