Frustration-Free Android

How to Install the New Systemless Xposed Framework for Frustration-Free Android Customization

Xposed is one of the most powerful tools a rooted Android user has in their arsenal. It brings things to the table that were previously only available on custom ROMs—like custom reboot menus, theme modifications, and so much more. Of course, all that customization comes at a cost: since it modifies the system partition, using Xposed essentially breaks Android’s update system, and renders secure services like Android Pay useless. But not anymore.


Just like with systemless root methods that no longer modify the system partition, there’s a new, unofficial (and experimental) systemless version of Xposed. While still in the early stages, it works exceptionally well, and since it uses the Material Design Xposed installer, it also looks great. The biggest benefit here, however, is the ability to enable and disable Xposed on the fly. There’s a simple toggle in the Installer app that allows users to toggle the app instantly—one reboot later and the action takes place. That means if you know you’re going to be using Android Pay, or want to flash an over-the-air (OTA) update, you can disable Xposed and reboot—boom, it’s like it was never there in the first place. And when you want your Xposed modules back, just re-enable it and reboot. It’s amazing.

Convinced? Here’s how to give it a go on your device.

Before we get started, here’s a list of what you’ll need:

• A systemless-rooted Marshmallow handset with SuperSU 2.76 or higher. This requires you root your phone using the systemless root method, so read up on that if you haven’t done it already. It requires Marshmallow or higher (5.1 on Samsung phones) and the latest version of SuperSU.
• You must have the stock boot image (boot.img). Most people will already have this, unless you’ve specifically flashed something different.
• Completely remove old versions of Xposed. If you’re already using Xposed, you’ll need to completely uninstall it with the Xposed Uninstaller. You may also want to flash the stock system image just for completeness, but that’s not absolutely necessary.

And that’s pretty much that. Once all those things have been met, you’re ready to flash.

Step One: Install the Xposed Installer

First and foremost, we’re going to operate under the assumption that you already have a custom recovery and you’ve already flashed the appropriate version of SuperSU.

The first thing you’ll want to do is jump over to this XDA thread and grab the latest version of the Material Design Xposed Installer. Systemless Xposed requires this—the previous installers will not work.

Once you’ve downloaded it, go ahead and install it on your handset. You’ll have to first make sure “Unknown Sources” is enabled in your phone’s Settings > Security menu, otherwise the installation will be blocked.



You can either download the APK directly to your phone, transfer it from your PC using something like Dropbox, or even move it onto your phone with a USB cable. Once that’s done, run the APK file to install the Xposed Installer app.



Once you’ve installed the Xposed Installer app, move on to step two.

Step Two: Flash the Systemless Xposed Package

After the installation is complete, go ahead and download the latest version of Systemless Xposed from this thread. (Yes, it’s separate from the Xposed Installer, which you installed in the last step.) There are three different files to choose from: Xposed, Xposed Alt, and Xposed Uninstaller. The “regular” version should work on nearly all devices—the “Alt” download is only required for some specific Samsung devices. If you have issues with the regular download, try the Alt.

With the file downloaded, you can go ahead and transfer it to your device using your preferred method—connecting the phone via USB and just copy/pasting the file into the root storage folder should work just fine.

Next, reboot your phone into recovery mode. Doing this is a bit different on every phone–for example, you may have to hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously, then use the volume keys to boot “Recovery Mode”. Google instructions for your specific model to see how it’s done.

To flash Xposed in TWRP, just tap the “Install” button, then scroll down to the Xposed installer you transferred to your device in the last step.




After selecting the file, just swipe the slider to start the flashing process.



When it’s finished installing, which should literally take a few seconds, just hit the “Reboot system” button. You’re done.

Step Three: Install Your Modules

From there, you can open up the Xposed Installer app on your phone and start installing modules, just like the old version of Xposed. Pretty much all of the modules should work just as they always have, and now you have the ability to completely disable it with the tap of a button. Sounds like a win-win to me.

By How to Geek