(see also: Nokia X Dual SIM Dual Standby Review)
The Nokia X is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), supported by Microsoft and Nokia services. Nokia uses the AOSP version of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as the baseline for its operating system. The highlight of the Nokia X is a highly customized version of Android with a Metro-style user interface and Nokia’s own app store. While there’s no access to Google’s Play Store, Nokia offers to sideload Android apps from any third-party source: 1mobile market, SlideME market, Aptoide, and Yandex Store.
However, it is possible to install Google Play Store on Nokia X by rooting. This means granting the user root privileges on the phone. By rooting your device, you can run apps that need access to certain system settings, as well as the ability to flash custom ROMs to your phone, which can actually add extra functionality. Before you begin, be aware that unlocking the bootloader or rooting process will void your device’s warranty. What’s more, the rooting process can brick your device if you make any mistakes, so be careful while following these steps.
(see also: How to install WhatsApp and other apps on Nokia X from “unofficial” sources)
method one–
Rooting Nokia X:
In order to run Google apps, you will need to root your Nokia X by following steps –
– Users will need to enable USB debugging on their Nokia X, which can be found in the Developer option in Settings. You must check the USB debugging box to perform the rooting process successfully.
First, you must enable USB debugging. To do this, first go to your phone’s Settings > Developer and tick the USB debugging box.
– Next user has to download Farmaroot.apk to Nokia X or Windows PC (transfer it to Nokia X). Install root tools on Nokia X phones using automatic setup.
First, go to the Farmaroot.apk folder in your Nokia X > click on the .APK file, it will start installing the app on your phone automatically, follow the instructions.
(If files are transferred from PC to Nokia X, users can search for the desired files on the phone through the ASTRO file manager pre-installed on the device.)
Once Farmaroot is installed on your Nokia X, select the application icon in the application drawer to install SuperSU. To install, open the SuperSU file and select Gandalf exploit, a drop-down option in the Farmaroot application.
When the installation is complete, a success message will pop up on the screen. Now you just need to restart your Nokia X to complete the rooting process successfully.
– The Farmaroot app on Nokia X also provides an option to unroot your device if you want to return your device to normal.
To install Google Play Store on Nokia X:
– Download the Google Services APK from here on your Nokia X or Windows PC, then copy the APK to your phone using a USB cable.
First, go to this link to install the Google Services APK to your phone or Windows PC. Transfer all Google APKs to Nokia X using a USB cable.
– Now you will need to extract all Google APKs. To do this, first download a root explorer application, which is a root user’s file manager, on your Nokia X.
Go to the folder where you saved the Google APK and select all files; next select the option Extract All from the menu. The extracted APK file will be automatically stored in the SpeedSoftware folder on the microSD card. At this stage, do not install the APK.
– The extracted files must then be moved to the Nokia X’s /system/apps folder. (Use the root explorer app, then go to the SpeedSoftware folder on the microSD card. Select File, then Cut from the menu. Then, go to the /system/apps/ folder, and Paste from the menu. )
– Next, you have to change the permissions of all extracted files in /system/apps folder by selecting all extracted files (Google APK) and turning on the permissions option in the menu of all applications. The Owner, Group and Other options should have Read Only checked in the popup that appears when you press Permissions. Only the owner should check the write option. After changing the permissions of all extracted Google APK files, restart your Nokia X to make the device more stable.
– You can now find Google app icons like Hangouts, Gmail, and Google Play Store in your app drawer.
Enjoy, you have successfully installed Google Play Store and other Google services on your Nokia X. Now log in to your Google account to access Google services on your Nokia X and you can explore your favorite Android apps directly from the Play Store.
This method worked for earlier versions of the Nokia X software, but once you move to version 11.1.1, new security features will not allow this technique. If you’ve updated your phone, there’s a new way to help.
Method Two–
If the above doesn’t work due to new security restrictions, you can do the following:
– In addition to installing Framaroot.apk on Nokia X (follow the steps detailed above), install Nokia Composite ADB Interface on Windows PC.
The Nokia Composite ADB Interface folder installed on your PC should have two subfolders for KingoRoot_NokiaX_Mod and Nokia X USB Driver.
– Connect your Nokia X to your Windows PC with a USB cable, open Device Manager and right click on the connected device. This will give an option to update drivers on your Windows PC to install the ADB driver.
You may be prompted to enter new drivers for your Nokia X, which can be found in the Nokia Composite ADB Interface folder – Nokia X USB Drivers. Just select Browse, go to the folder and select the driver.
– Now you need to open the KingoRoot.exe file on your Windows PC, it can be found in the Nokia Composite ADB Interface folder. Note that you will need to keep your Nokia X connected to your Windows PC during the entire process.
– Once you have launched the KingoRoot application on your PC, it will appear on your Windows PC screen giving you the option to root the connected device. When the phone is not rooted, KingoRoot on the PC will display the status of the connected device as not rooted.
– Now users need to select the Root button in the KingoRoot app on PC to root the device. This will also automatically install the SuperSU application on the connected Nokia X device. This will take a few minutes.
– Connected device (Nokia X) status in KingoRoot app shows Rooted on your PC after restarting the phone. After restarting, open the SuperSU application on the Nokia X, this will be used for the ask grant option on the application. Press Grant and move on.
– After pressing Authorize, open KingoRoot on your PC again. This time KingoRoot shows two options – root again or remove root. To get your phone back to normal, you can click Remove Root.
– Now you can repeat the method of installing Google Play Store on Nokia X (check method 1) by extracting all Google APKs using root explorer.
*notes– Our recommendation is to install the Google Play Store and other services on a Nokia X running version 10.0.3 instead of updating the phone to software version 11.1.1. That’s because the new method requires the KingoRoot app to be installed on your PC, and the steps are a bit more involved than the Framaroot app, which worked fine on our Nokia X.