A while back TK made a video for XDA TV showing you how to root the Galaxy Note 7. Now if your phone is rooted and you’re wondering what to do next, you should check out some of these MODs. TK will walk you through how to install Xposed and what some of the best MODs are for the Galaxy Note 7.
If you own a Note 7 then let us know what MODs you’re using in the comments down below. If you haven’t rooted your device yet, be sure to check out the video on how to do that.
In this video, TK show us how to root the FRD-L04 and the FRD-L09 versions of the Honor 8. To root, we will flash TWRP and install SuperSU.
Before we get started with the root tutorial, you will need to unlock the bootloader on your phone. See this video to learn how to unlock the bootloader on the Honor 8.
If you followed the instructions carefully, you should be all set to go!
It’s been a few months since Android 7.0 Nougat, and subsequently Android 7.1 Nougat, were released. While we do love the new feature additions that an Android version brings to our beloved devices, it does bring a lot of changes under the hood that changes things up for developers.
Every new Android version usually means that a lot of community based efforts and modifications end up needing an update, and a lot of times, a full overhaul and thorough rethinking.
Xposed is one such modification framework that requires a lot of maintenance to and effort to get it running running on new Android versions. XDA Senior Recognized Developer rovo89 is hard at work bringing the Xposed framework up and running on the newest version(s) of Android. Here is a quick update from him on the current status of the framework on Nougat:
Current status for Nougat: Hooks are generally working now. However, they’re still unreliable for inlined methods and when JIT is used (which is often the case). I had given a few technical insights here. I’m currently thinking about the different situations that need to be handled and I create unit tests for them. Then I need to fix those which are failing or even crashing the device – ideally without recompiling the whole ROM like in previous versions. Not sure if the latter is possible though.
The good news starts off on the first sentence, although the “but”s follow it soon after. It is reassuring to know that Xposed still remains a possibility on Android 7.x Nougat and is not ruled out on account of any drastically insurmountable change.
We will still have to wait on the developer to find workarounds to issue, test, retest, polish and package all of it before average forum dwellers can install it on their devices. Let’s hope for the best!
We recently released videos about how to unlock the bootloader on the Honor 8, as well as how to root and install xposed framework. If you missed those videos, you should check them out here.
How to Root Honor 8 and Install TWRP and Xposed
How to Unlock Bootloader on Honor 8
Today’s video is going to be highlighting some of the awesome xposed modules that we have found to work on the Honor 8. Before messing around with xposed mods, make sure you have a full backup in TWRP. We have found that some of the xposed mods can cause crashes and bootloops, so proceed with caution.
Continue to follow the latest development news for the Honor 8 over at the XDA forums.
Developer MrWasdennnoch and the two main contributors paphonb and Maxr1998 have announced that they will no longer be developing the popular Xposed module Android N-ify.
MrWasdennnoch reminded users that updates have been sparse over the last few weeks with his last commit being over a month ago, and he gave several reasons as to why he was ending development including that he has lost interest in the module since developing the notification design and animations. He has also recently flashed a Nougat ROM, meaning he has no need for the module anymore, coupled with the fact that his role in development is “boring and repetitive”.
“I basically have to decompile every SystemUI, find the issue and try to fix it or work around it. Fixing such an issue can take up multiple days because you have to install the new version, reboot, test it and report back. Different time zones can slow it down even more. And with every new feature, there comes a flood of new bugs and incompatibilities which want to be resolved. People posting duplicates or insufficient information (or just completely stop responding) don’t help either. Then, as I just mentioned, there’s the “problem” with Xposed that you have to reboot the phone every time you test a change, and if I’m not sure how something works or how to fix it it takes up multiple hours in which I basically just wait for my device to boot up” – MrWasdennnoch
There is good news however: he will not be shutting down the build server meaning that if anybody else wishes to make changes to the module everybody will be able to get them. Moving on from N-ify, the module is not his only app/module and with his newfound free time, he can spend more energy developing other projects.
Go to the thread
Earlier in the week, we brought to you a news update on the current status of Xposed for Nougat. Long story short, Xposed for Nougat is still in the works, and the project will take a while due to the behind-the-scenes changes that Nougat introduced.
So while that situation unfolds at its own pace, there are some of us who are willing to forego being on the latest version of Android, just so that we can continue using the Xposed framework and its accompanying modules. It was surprising to see a fair bit of recurrence of users who would rather be on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and have Xposed functionality than update to Android 7.0/7.1 Nougat and be without it.
While one can only guess on every individual’s reasoning behind not jumping to the latest Android version, here are the reasons for which I prefer Android 6.0 Marshmallow along with Xposed over Android Nougat.
My current daily driver and primary phone is the OnePlus 3. The reason why I chose the OnePlus 3 over the alternatives was the presence of top-of-the-line specs and the relative ease of software modifications compared to the other flagship options at that time (based on my past experience with the OnePlus One, my previous daily driver). As a long time XDA Member, the latter was a key area and decisive factor for choosing a personal device to purchase.
The popularity of the subforums for the OnePlus 3/3T speak for themselves, making the duo a top choice for anyone looking for a developer-friendly device with an active dev community in 2017. This means that one can choose from a wide variety of custom ROMs, kernels and other tweaks — modifications that other devices with locked bootloaders would largely be bereft of, and that even competing flagships with an unlockable bootloader yet less development don’t always get to savor.
But my setup is rather simple and not indicative of all the choices available with this phone.
After running CyanogenMod (or one of its variants) for close to 5 years before getting the OnePlus 3, I actually found that I did not want to go back to a more AOSP ROM. My initial impressions with OxygenOS kept me from getting back into the familiar CM 13 experience. In my attempt to try out the Community Builds of OxygenOS, I ended up opting for a custom ROM (FreedomOS) based on the Community Builds of OxygenOS, mainly for the convenience of an Aroma installation and the Substratum Theme Engine.
So even right now, my OnePlus 3 sits on FreedomOS CE-1.11, which is in turn based on OxygenOS Open Beta 7. The base Android version is Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow of course, and the security patch level is at November 1st, 2016.
My Xposed setup is traditional since I don’t need a systemless installation. My modules of choice are:
The Xposed modules that I use are chosen to address particular annoyances in my current Android experience.
This Xposed module is a crucial part of my experience. The App Settings module has not been updated lately, but an unofficial version that has been shared works as well with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The module allows a wide range of per-app configurations, including setting separate DPIs and font scales, enabling/disabling fullscreen, keeping screen on and keeping the app fixed in memory.
I particularly use this module to enforce separate DPI settings outside of my global DPI modifications. This comes useful in IM apps (*cough*Hangouts*cough*) which insist on having very large lists and fonts, so a per-app setting helps finding the sweet spot on an individual app basis.
The “Show when locked” functionality works well with apps like the calculator and camera, especially if I am on a photo walk or a clicking spree. This lets me turn the screen off/lock the device with the app active to save some battery while still retaining very quick access when I turn the screen on, without needing to enter a PIN or opt for a fingerprint unlock. It works out well coupled with Double-Tap-to-Wake.
There are a lot more useful features, like keeping the screen on in games like Clash of Clans, keeping apps in memory like the launcher or an IM app, preventing apps like Tinder from appearing in the Recents Menu and overriding orientation settings for certain apps like video players.
My usage for these functions fluctuate depending on whether I do have these apps installed, but having the freedom to control how my phone behaves in certain apps is certainly one of the main reasons I stay with Xposed.
This Xposed module is a relic of 2014, back when I used a donated HTC Desire S. Boot times increased substantially as the number of apps started increasing, and this module greatly helped by cutting down the number of apps that were initiated on startup.
On the OnePlus 3, this module works better when I start hoarding apps and games — installing them for testing or just because, and never getting around to uninstalling them. The app hoarding continues till I start running out of space on my 64GB OnePlus 3 or when I switch ROMs. Untill such situations arrive, BootManager helps keep the rare boot times snappy and allows my phone to come back to a working state much quicker, plus all that crap doesn’t run until I call it.
Another Xposed module which I carry forward from when I was using a low/mid end device. Greenify, as you would know, hibernates apps and stops them from restarting themselves. It was a working alternative to cancerous Task Killer apps, when my phone had limited resources to work with.
The habit of greenifying new apps continues on with the OnePlus 3, helping me manage my app-hoarding tendencies while still letting my phone be as efficient as it can be.
Greenify by itself does not need the Xposed framework to work, but having Xposed helps by letting apps retain GCM push functionality and letting notifications exist past app hibernation.
Heads Up Notifications, introduced in Android 5.0 Lollipop, have settled well with many users. But for me, the default Heads Up implementation is nothing but pure annoyance. The sheer number of notifications received on my device during a day compounds my qualms with Heads Up notifications.
Having the top part of my display getting briefly covered once every few minutes while I try to read an e-book, or watch a video, or play a game, or do any of the other things that phones are used for, is downright annoying to me. I actually prefer the previous Ticker implementation which was far less intrusive.
The HeadsOff Xposed module fixes this “annoyance” to a large extent. One can specify apps can no longer send heads-up notifications as well as create a whitelist for notifications that match certain rules and let them go through. My setup is simple as I just block off Heads Up notifications completely, from all apps across all apps.
The rest of my Xposed modules of choice are fairly straightforward:
The OP3 Slider mod modifies the Alert Slider functionality of the OnePlus 3. The default states of Normal-Priority-DND are switched with Loud-Vibrate-Mute, which works inline with my expectations out of my phone.
The Ringer and Notification Volume Unlink module separates the volume binding on the two streams that were merged together since Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This lets me set Notification Volumes to low sounds and helps me deal with Notification Spam, while still letting Calls go through at higher volume.
This module displays a progress bar on top of the status bar. This helps track download progress without needing to pull down the notification shade.
This module allows the official YouTube app to continue working in the background.
My use case consisted of loading up YouTube playlists for songs and utilizing the official app as a Music Player. It also helps when you often switch apps while watching videos, and do not want your video to stop playing.
Google does allow an “official” way for background playback, but that’s through YouTube Red. Google took a free feature from a popular app and made it a highlight of their paid service. What’s worse, YouTube Red is not available everywhere, so there might be no “official” way to enjoy such functionality depending on where you live.
Back when Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was released, there was a very tangible level of excitement in the Android community. The OS had adopted Holo Dark as its color palette of choice across apps and system, and there were many improvements under the hood that promised great results. A similar excitement came with the switch to Android 5.0 Lollipop, where Material design was given center stage and improvements focused around making Android a mature OS.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow fixed a great deal of what was broken by Lollipop and gave Android the stability worthy of a modern day OS. But the additions made by the successive updates are simply of little interest or excitement to certain people who already enjoy such features through custom ROMs and OEM skins.
New Android Nougat additions like Notification Toggles, Night Mode and Multi-window Support already exist to an extent on OxygenOS Community Builds on Android 6.0. Other features like the Redesigned Settings Menu, Smart Storage and App Launcher Shortcuts are not worth losing sleep over.
There are features like Notification Bundling, Doze on the Go, App Switcher and ART Compiler changes which are indeed worthy additions. But one needs to decide whether the combined value of these is enough to ignore the disadvantages of an Xposed-less installation. Different users have different priorities, and for me personally, I would rather retain all of the Xposed functionality than go with the newest features.
The introduction of the Xposed framework and modules has filled in gaps that were left unfilled by ROMs. Stock Android is just about catching up and incorporating several features from Custom ROMs, so will take some time for it to give us the power to choose and modify functionality like Xposed.
What do you prefer, the latest Android update or an Xposed-supported Android version? Which Xposed modules form an inseparable part of your Android experience? Let us know in the comments below!
Tasker is one of a few apps that we use to make our Android devices better. With AppContext, you can make Tasker even better.
AppContext allows Tasker react on running applications, without the downsides of the default implementation. By utilizing the power of Xposed, the app allows Tasker to react immediately when an app starts. No periodic checks are required and this may improve the overall experience, as well as the battery life.
Here’s an example video.
Please note that Xposed and root are required to make this app working. Currently, Xposed is not available on Nougat. However, if you are not on Nougat you can get the latest version of the Xposed from the forum .
Get the AppContext from XDA Labs! Visit the forum thread
The Amazon Fire TV is a really solid streaming box if you want something that’ll stream 4K content, have access to a strong selection of apps, offer some decent games to play, and look fairly sleek on your TV stand. Dig a bit deeper into the Fire TV though, and you can do some pretty neat things with this little guy.
We’ve seen previous mods for the Fire TV that allow you to install GApps onto it, and while that’s great if that’s all you want to do, XDA Junior Member SimLynks recently created a thread over on the Forum to introduce a new mod that allows you to essentially transform your Amazon Fire TV into an Android TV.
The mod is called, “Playing With Fire”, and it requires root access, the Xposed Framework, Build.prop modifications, changes to the system partition, and (of course) very careful reading of all the instructions that SimLynks has provided. Going through all of these steps will require a bit of time, but seeing as how this mod changes pretty much every single thing about the Fire TV, that’s to be expected — make sure to be very, very careful when following these instructions.
Once you do get everything up and working, you’ll have access to the full Android TV user interface, OpenGApps with almost everything working (Live Channels, USB Tuner, Leanback Launcher, etc.), the ability to install and run apps from both the Google Play Store and Amazon’s App Store, automatic updates for Google Services and from the Play Store, button remapping, and much more.
This mod is not for the faint of heart, but if you’ve got a rooted Fire TV or TV Stick (both version 1 and 2 should work) and a bit of spare time on your hands, this is certainly one of the most interesting developments for the platform that we’ve seen yet.
You can head over to the thread on the XDA Forums via the link below, and while you should’t have any issues as long as you follow everything step-by-step, you can always reach out to the community for assistance should you run into any bugs or issues.
Ever since Android Nougat was first released last August, we’ve been patiently waiting for a version of the Xposed Framework that works with the latest version of Google’s mobile OS. Updates on this project have been fairly quiet for quite some time, but we now have an update from Senior Recognized Developer rovo89 regarding the status of Xposed for Nougat.
On a GitHub thread, user MartinX3 approached rovo89 saying that he should upload all of his current work for Xposed on Nougat even if there’s still a lot of work to be done, and that rovo89 needs to have better communication with other Xposed users/fans so they know if and when to expect future updates.
The Xposed developer replied to MartinX3 just a few hours later, saying that, “it’s my own decision whether I want to publish my current WIP or not, and you’ll have to respect that decision.”
Rovo89’s two main reasons for not uploading his current work include the fact that he considers himself a perfectionist, and that working on Xposed is a process where he doesn’t exactly know what needs to be done until he finishes something else. People have criticized rovo89 for not allowing others to work on the project with him, but according to this latest update, it seems like Xposed is one of those things that’s better off with only one person actively working on it. Additionally, he hasn’t received much collaboration or insight for Xposed from other developers through the years as there hasn’t been anyone who “digged into it deeply enough”.
Following this, rovo89 also went on to say that if someone contacted him and said they had a general understanding of the ART source code, and had implementation ideas, then he may consider hearing out what they’ve found and giving it a try . However, unless something like this happens and a major breakthrough is made, rovo89 doesn’t see any reason for releasing Xposed for Nougat in its current, unfinished form.
“I’m now at a point where I’m wrapping up some things, reviewing the big amount of changes I’ve done in the last months and clustering them into individual commits to keep the overview. I think I got some really nice technique working to ensure that the apps can still be compiled with all the optimizations enabled.”
At the end of his response, rovo89 said that, “There are still many tasks though before this can work beyond my test cases, so you’ll have to be patient and stay tuned!”
In other words, the Xposed Framework for Android Nougat is not dead and forgotten. However, don’t hold your breath for an imminent release. We’d certainly love it if the Framework could be published sooner rather than later, but from the sound of what rovo89 is saying, there’s still quite a bit of work that needs to be done before Nougat’s version of Xposed is ready for the limelight. Xposed has always been an extremely complex modification, so we believe everyone should patiently wait for rovo89’s amazing work to be as perfect as he needs it to be.
Xposed Framework is one of the most popular Android modifications available as it enables users to install modules that will add specific functionality to their current firmware. This requires a lot of work and is why it takes XDA Senior Recognized Developer rovo89 so long to develop after a new major update of Android is released.
The community has been clamoring for an update that adds compatibility to Android 7.0 Nougat and it now looks like there’s a method.
As it is right now, this is not your traditional install of Xposed Framework that needs to be flashed in a custom recovery, and that can be added to a variety of devices. Instead, there has been a unique ART submodule created for AOSP 7.1.2 that enables Xposed Framework functionality to a custom ROM right out of the box. This method has its advantages and disadvantages though, since it’s not something that can be installed on top of your current ROM and users or maintainers need to compile ROMs that support Xposed by adopting these changes.
A huge part of the work on the official Xposed framework is getting it to install correctly on all devices by modifying parts of the ROM it’s getting installed on (and if you recall, this is the only step that requires root). Simply put, this unofficial method does away with all of that by doing the required changes when the ROM is being built instead, which is done by adding the modified submodule to the build process of a custom ROM. Similarly to how Substratum can be used on custom ROMs without root, this will add Xposed functionality to the custom ROM itself. Meaning, you’ll need your current custom ROM maintainers to add support for this method by adding/placing the ART submodule in the AOSP source tree, then building the whole ROM from scratch.
Custom ROM maintainers will then need to replace original frameworks/base/cmds/app_process with the modified one, create a prebuilt module that copies XposedBridge.jar to system/framework, and then update build/target/product/base.mk to include libxposed_art and XposedBridge. So while this method won’t satisfy everyone because it cannot be installed directly onto your current ROM, it does add some benefits on top of what has been possible in the past. Early reports suggest a variety of modules could be compatible as well.
We just need to see if custom ROM maintainers will be adding this support into their current builds. For those who are looking for a more detailed explanation, be sure to go over the readme.md that is available on GitHub. Overall, this could be a nice workaround for Nougat users to experience and make use of Xposed, allowing newer phones to access a repertoire of modules.
If you are using a custom kernel on a device with MIUI 8, then the stock Reading Mode feature may be unavailable. This feature tints the screen to filter blue light from the display so you can read easier at night. If you would like to use this feature on your MIUI 8 device, then check out this Xposed Module called PM Back by XDA Senior Member S0bes. It hooks into the KCAL advanced color control kernel interface and forces the MIUI 8 Reading Mode to operate based on KCAL. This means you can use the feature again without changing the display calibration mode through a kernel tweaking application.
MIUI 8 Reading Mode with a Custom Kernel
The Xposed framework was — and still is — a major way to customize your Android device, compatible with pretty much all devices, letting you easily install modules to tweak virtually any detail.
Want to get all the features a custom ROM offers without having to flash one? GravityBox or XTouchwiz will do that. Want to tweak certain settings on a per-app basis, like changing a specific app’s DPI? App Settings has you covered. Wish an application’s developers thought of adding a specific feature, like Google letting you personalize Hangouts or Facebook allowing you to download Instagram posts you like? Well, you don’t need to because Xposed gives developers the power to modify pretty much anything they want, be it a system-wide feature that would require a custom ROM, or a tweak for a specific application.
The Xposed framework comes with a major advantage for developers, which is the ease of development (compared to having to compile AOSP for ROM tweaks, or having to edit Smali code). It also brings a huge advantage for users: convenience, as it no longer forces them to find and flash the ROM that provides every single feature they’re looking for (instead, they can mix and match independent modules) on top of their target balance of stability and performance. It also makes tweaking applications much easier as there’s no need to deal with different signatures, which as a result would require users to uninstall the original version or jump through certain hoops when the application checks its signature (something modified YouTube clients deal with, for instance).
The only problem? Due to its nature and the amount of free time Xposed’s developer (our own Senior Recognized Developer, rovo89) has, it often lags behind Android releases. It took about four months to get updated to support Lollipop, and it’s taking about a year to come to Nougat. This isn’t as bad as it may seem if you think about how many Android users are actually on Nougat (around 13.5%, though keep in mind Android enthusiasts, Xposed’s target audience, are also more likely to be on Nougat). However, it can still be quite annoying not to be able to use your favorite Xposed modules and have the latest and greatest Android version at the same time.
With the source code of the Xposed framework being available (at least for stable, released versions), developer abforce decided to get his hands dirty and see if he could port some of rovo89’s modifications to Nougat. Opting for a different and simpler approach, abforce essentially adapted the part of Xposed that actually does the magic once installed, and made it possible to include it when compiling your own ROM (after that, other workarounds surfaced). This approach is arguably very different as it ignores one of Xposed’s core advantages, which is being available to everyone with ease. However, all progress is welcome and multiple heads tackling a task can be advantageous and offer new insight. The main issue, as we see it, is the misinformation surrounding this development (spread by some other “developers” and some blogs), as well as some of the reactions by the community. Hopefully, this article will make the whole picture clearer.
First of all, in order to understand the work that went — and still goes — into the official Xposed framework as well as abforce’s version, we need to look at how the framework works. While the framework itself is only part of the project, we usually mean both the framework and installer as the framework loses many of its advantages without the universal installer, which a lot of work goes into as well.
The power of Xposed comes from a simple concept: any method can be “hooked” (methods being the small parts that make up any program) to have an Xposed module‘s code execute before, after or instead of it. Let’s take a simple example: assume Instagram uses a method called “showMenuOptions” when you click the menu button, and that method handles showing you the “Report” and “Share” buttons. By creating an Xposed module, you can modify that method to add an additional button to download the image instead of sharing it, for example. The modifications can range from simple tweaks (e.g. Play Store Changelog) to major overhauls (such as GravityBox, which aims to provide all the features a custom ROM would have)!
That makes Xposed powerful, but it’s only part of the equation. The other parts are versatility — or actually being able to use Xposed on pretty much any device out there (with a supported Android version), and ease of use. All users have to do is grab the installer, which does its magic and patches their system dynamically to integrate Xposed. To apply a module, you just need to install it, enable it and reboot. No fuss required, no need to flash a custom ROM (especially when custom ROMs aren’t always a viable choice), no need to uninstall an APK to install another signed with a different signature. All you need is root (you absolutely can have a custom ROM and that makes sense a lot of the time; but while Xposed can provide most of the functionality a custom ROM can provide, it also goes beyond that).
Behind this simplicity goes a lot of work, though:
A lot of the above work goes into minor details, where most of the framework is functioning as intended but the inconsistencies and minor issues would make it a gamble to use for users, and a support and development nightmare for module developers. The released product, however, aims to be usable by all and without surprises. There are some exceptions, of course, as some OEMs’ changes require more effort to adapt to, but those are minor and the vast majority of users (and developers) get to enjoy a stable and reliable Xposed experience. Any encountered exceptions get documented with clear disclaimers so that no one is surprised.
With the above in mind, rovo89’s vision for Xposed is to be a stable solution that provides a reliable and easy to use contract for users and developers. His philosophy, though you may disagree with it, is simple and understandable: a product should be released when it’s ready to be used as intended, as releasing it before leads to more trouble than benefits.
We’re reluctant to call abforce’s work a “port” or an “unofficial Xposed” as that’s inaccurate and misleading. As we’ve seen, Xposed has two major components:
What abforce did was port rovo89’s Marshmallow code on the first part (the Xposed framework only) to Nougat, in a way that would require the changes to be baked while compiling the custom ROM. In addition to that, many minor (but important) parts of the framework aren’t fully adapted to Nougat. As such, behavior can be inconsistent and while it mostly works (though not for everyone), it’s not reliable. For module developers and users, relying on an incomplete and inconsistent implementation would just provide a bad experience for all parties involved, with some modules not working at all or causing the device not to boot. While many users may be okay with having something rather than nothing, the developers’ point of view is still perfectly understandable (especially if you keep in mind that disclaimers don’t stop bogus support questions and whining).
(In addition to the above two major points, we’ll also be expecting further changes to the final, official Xposed framework to take advantage of changes introduced in Nougat.)
It should be noted that abforce did an excellent job when most were content with simply talking, but his work is far from the full Xposed experience and no developer or blog is claiming otherwise (and definitely not abforce; again, we have nothing but respect towards all the actual developers who are putting real work and effort into this). In fact, as we’ll touch upon in a bit, some of the community’s response (be it users or “developers”) is the only sour part in this chain of developments.
Let’s cut through the chase and get straight to the point: any community has bad elements and aspects. With as big a community as Android enthusiasts, the bad elements may seem like a huge portion when they’re but a small part (sizeable, but still minor in relative terms). Without sugar-coating it, though, a lot of the community’s response towards the development of Xposed for Nougat has been extremely childish, inconsiderate or irresponsible.
The first major issue has been the condescending attitude shown by many about the “death of Xposed” because it’s taking too long to be released for Nougat. This is despite rovo89’s updates and assurances, and despite pretty much the exact scenario happening with Lollipop when the initial version of ART was introduced. It’s fine to stop using Xposed, but it’s not to insult anyone’s capability or attack others for having a different philosophy or not ensuring your flashing needs are met immediately. This is even more true for an entirely free project, where the developer has expressed his development methodology and reasons behind it.
Another issue with the community’s response has been misunderstanding the nature of abforce’s work, with many hailing it as the new Xposed or advertising it as a port for Nougat. A major problem with this has been with “developers” rushing to offer flashable versions without understanding (or caring about) the drawbacks, since no disclaimers were offered at all in some threads, with some even going so far as to credit abforce and not rovo89 (who’s behind the vast majority of the work on Xposed) and other contributors.
As a final point, we feel we should bring up rovo89’s development philosophy again. With many vocal users claiming that having the latest changes being open-source would be beneficial. While this sounds good in theory, it’s not as easy in practice especially if we consider rovo89’s explanation:
[…] I believe that just pushing out the current state wouldn’t help the project. We would maybe see “some” release really fast by people who compile the code, see that it appears to be working fine and publish it as “their port”, despite the issues and things to do that they wouldn’t be aware of. So call me selfish, but I wouldn’t want to see such a half-finished release. [Source]
Which has actually proven to be a fairly good prediction of the current situation, with several “developers” applying abforce’s changes and offering a flashable ZIP with minimal or no warnings, incomplete credits, all while asking for donations.
We hope these explanations cleared up some of your doubts and addressed possible misconceptions you might have had. Xposed has been an amazing project that has reached a huge portion of our enthusiast and flashaholic community, and Xposed for Nougat should be another gigantic milestone full of opportunities. With modules like GravityBox already offering Nougat support, rovo89’s finished project will return to a host of options.
Are you excited for Xposed on your Nougat ROM? Let us know in the comments!
Those of you missing Xposed on Nougat (though if you’re desperate, I guess there is a kind of working port) may specifically miss the module called Amplify. I purchased the donation version about two years ago, but that wasn’t enough to entice me to stay on Marshmallow. Still, I miss it. Amplify let me restrict some annoying wakelocks on my phone. For those of you not too familiar, a wakelock is a process which wakes your phone when the screen is off. This is normally pretty good, as it allows you to receive texts, listen to music, and so on. Apps can (and do frequently) abuse it, though, so Amplify was a popular way to limit what apps could hold wakelocks – improving both performance and battery life.
However, now there’s a new app in town ready to do nearly the exact same thing as Amplify, but it doesn’t require the Xposed Framework and so it works on Android Nougat devices. WakeBlock over on our Apps & Games forum just recently arrived for any devices you can throw at it, originally brought to life in the Google Nexus 6P forums! WakeBlock is nearly exactly like Amplify, but more on that in a moment. This application patches your services.odex file, so you will need root, allowing itself to have access to your phone to restrict wakelocks. Modifying this file still passes SafetyNet. There is also planned support to block alarms in future, something else that Amplify did. Root-wise, I recommend using Magisk or SuperSU.
There are many guides out on our forums that pertained to Amplify, but can also be used for WakeBlock. Check out this thread full of various wakelocks to block! Be careful though, as messing with the wrong thing can lead to adverse effects.
WakeBlock can also be compiled with the ROM, and previously was the only way to use it on non Nexus 6P devices. The app can become paid at any time according to the developer, so also be mindful of the possibility. Still, if you have problems with your device being unable to sleep, I recommend giving it a shot and see how it works for you. Installing the core mod can take 5-30 minutes depending on your device and ROM, according to the developer.
WakeBlock (Unreleased) (Free, Google Play) →
As the Android ecosystem has matured over the years, fewer and fewer users find reasons why they should root their device. There’s a growing trend of users choosing to stay on the stock firmware, either because they find the experience satisfactory or don’t want to play a cat-and-mouse game with Google’s SafetyNet API. But if you asked a user back in early 2016 why they rooted their phones, perhaps the number one reason that was given was so they could install the Xposed Framework. It’s been over a year since Android 7.0 Nougat was first released, but the long wait is finally over: official Xposed Framework for Android Nougat is finally available.
Throughout the past year, XDA Senior Recognized Developer rovo89, the lead developer of the Xposed Framework, has provided several updates on the progress of Xposed Framework for Android Nougat. For some, the wait has been tolerable mostly due to the sheer number of additional functionality that the Xposed Framework offers in Android Marshmallow. But many others have moved on to a life without Xposed on their devices.
We saw a glimpse of renewed excitement in the project when developer abforce released an ART submodule for AOSP 7.1.2, but as our very own GermainZ points out you were better off waiting for the official Xposed Framework release as abforce’s implementation required the framework to be integrated into custom ROMs. Furthermore, this unofficial implementation was incomplete, leading to inconsistent or buggy behavior with certain Xposed Modules.
While abforce did a great job in getting his unofficial Xposed working on Android 7.1 Nougat, his implementation went against rovo89’s vision for Xposed—that it should be a stable solution providing a reliable and easy to use contract for users and developers alike. What we mean by this is that not only should modules work without issue for users, but the way that modules are set up should be consistent among users so developers will know whether or not a Xposed Module is to blame for an app crash.
We no longer have to worry about such issues as rovo89 (after some help from XDA Recognized Developer wanam) is now ready to release an official update to the Xposed Framework and Installer—bringing compatibility with Android 7.0/7.1 Nougat. That means you won’t have to install a custom ROM or have to mess with flashing unstable versions to enjoy Xposed—just root your phone and install the latest Xposed Installer application (linked below) and the Xposed Installer will do the magic of installing Xposed for you.
Xposed Installer Browsing the Module Repository
This might seem a bit late in some minds, especially since this release comes over a month after Android 8.0 Oreo was released. Keep in mind that very few devices will have access to a stable version of Android Oreo for many months to come. Android Oreo is only on 0.2% of all Android devices (compared to ~18% on Nougat) according to the latest statistics from Google, but many of our users are the kind who love installing custom ROMs to stay on the bleeding edge.
Android Version Distribution as of October 2017. Source: Google
Though even if you install an unofficial port of Android 8.0 available on a myriad of devices on our forums, many of these ports are not daily driver status. So unless you’re willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for a brand new Google Pixel 2/2 XL, Sony Xperia XZ1/XZ1 Compact, or an upcoming device such as the Huawei Mate 10, then you’ll probably be able to squeeze several months of use out of Xposed Framework on Android Nougat.
If that sounds like you, then head on over to the official forum thread for the Xposed Installer and framework zips to get it up and running on your Android Nougat device.
Download Xposed Installer v3.1.2 (Attachment)
Xposed Installer for Nougat 7.0 (SDK24) Download
Xposed Installer for Nougat 7.1 (SDK25) Download
For the many newer users who are not as acquainted with what the Xposed Framework can be used for or how it works, we will briefly explain the Xposed Framework below, why you should be excited, and why development on this took as long as it did.
Want to get custom ROM features without flashing a custom ROM? The mother of all Xposed Modules for tweaking your ROM, known as GravityBox, has you covered. Want to customize display settings on a per-app basis? Try App Settings. How about customizing certain applications like Hangouts? Or modifying Instagram so you can download whatever posts you like?
Xposed gives developers the ability to modify pretty much whatever they want—mostly aimed at individual applications but even system-wide features can be modified. The examples we listed is just the tip of the iceberg. The number of additional features you can add or apps you can modify is incredible—just search through the official Xposed Module repository to see for yourself. Keep in mind that some modules might need to be updated for this new release and for Nougat support, so be sure to check before installing them on your Nougat ROM!
The gist of it is that the Xposed Framework allows modules to “hook” into the Java methods of any application—be it user-installed or a system application. Xposed lets modules execute their own methods before, during, or in place of the original methods of the target application.
For instance, imagine a method used in the Gmail application that posts notifications for new emails. By default, the method creates a new notification with buttons to archive/delete or reply to the email. A Xposed Module could be made to hook into this method and add a new button such as “mark as read.” (Yes, there’s already a Module for just that.)
The above is an over-simplification of the end result of what the Xposed Framework allows its modules to do. The Framework itself is incredibly complex and making it work nearly universally on rooted devices—without needing a custom ROM—is why Xposed for Android Nougat has taken so long to complete.
The magic behind Xposed—what allows Modules to hook into methods of other apps—requires deep knowledge of how Zygote and the Android Runtime (ART) works. These requirements already preclude a large number of people from contributing to the project, but the problem is exacerbated by the fact the rovo89 has been the main contributor to Xposed for the past 5 years.
That’s why calls for open sourcing his modifications made to Xposed since the last public release of Xposed have been denied. It’s his brainchild, and he’s the best at understanding it and modifying it, so adding more manpower onto the project at such a late stage could simply delay the project further.
Plus, if rovo89 continuously updated his source, he was worried that someone would take the unfinished code to build a semi-functioning Xposed Framework without the universal Xposed Installer to accompany it. (This exact thing happened anyways with the abforce implementation, and the resulting mess of various installation methods justified rovo89’s hesitation.)
Thus, the best thing we could do was to give rovo89 time to work on his pet project. Xposed is not his full, or even part-time, job. It’s simply a hobby, one that he’s done for the benefit of the community for 5 years. A project as complex as Xposed requires time to work and then test—time that he didn’t often have due to his other obligations. Progress was being made over the past year, just as rovo89 documented in a few of his public updates on the issue until finally both the Xposed Framework itself and the Xposed Installer are ready for release.
New releases of Android sometimes bring changes to the way ART works, which may require parts of Xposed to be reworked. Android 7.0 Nougat introduced a Just-in-Time compiler for ART to help improve runtime performance of applications, for instance. But the unofficial Xposed Framework by abforce simply disables many ART optimizations so that method hooking can work correctly.
ART Optimizations in Android Nougat. Source: Google
In contrast, rovo89’s implementation keeps all ART optimizations in Android Nougat by recompiling a method’s caller using JIT and still having the method hooks in place. That means you can enjoy the benefits of a Xposed Module without sacrificing performance by forcefully disabling ART optimizations.
For further details of what rovo89 did to finally achieve a reliable hooking method in Xposed for Android Nougat, we recommend you read the below statement that he provided us.
The core of Xposed is obviously its ability to hook Java methods, i.e. let modules execute code before, after or instead of these methods. Pretty much every other functionality is based in this, so it’s critical that it’s always working as expected. The general concept has been the same since I invented Xposed five years ago, it requires changing the entry point of the method. This starts to fail when the entry point isn’t checked during execution – which is actually the case with some of the optimizations in ART.
One example is when the entry point is already known at compile time, then callers can directly jump to this address without looking it up. Another example is inlining. Consider this example:
ART is smart enough to notice that the twice() method is very simple and therefore embeds the logic right into the doSomething() method, like this:
You can still hook the twice() method, but it won’t be called from doSomething() anymore at runtime, and so won’t your callback. ART is even more clever: It realizes that magic is always 42 and therefore the condition can never be fulfilled. So the whole doSomething() method is actually a no-op:
In previous versions, Xposed used to disable these optimizations completely and forced recompilation of everything. That came with several downsides. First of all, the ART developers are doing a fantastic job in maximizing the performance with their optimizations, and disabling them partly necessarily leads to less performance (I never measured how much though). Then, the recompilation itself isn’t always easy and caused me a lot of headaches, especially in the beginning. Finally, the recompiled files take up space, in addition to the precompiled files on /system.
The unofficial versions for Nougat also disable these optimizations, but they don’t force the recompilation (because the port was originally made to be integrated into the ROM). Therefore, hooks might not be executed sometimes.
With the official version, you’ll get to keep the optimized code and still have reliable hooks. How does that work? Well, Xposed records all the calls that are made. This happens while APKs are being compiled, or in a separate pass for preoptimized code. This additional data doesn’t take up much space, but it allows Xposed to find out where a certain method might have been inlined. So when a method is hooked, all its callers will be deoptimized, i.e. their code won’t be used anymore. This ensures that the hook callback will definitely be called. And if the caller is heavily used, it will simply be recompiled with JIT, this time with the knowledge that the method is hooked and therefore some of the optimizations don’t apply. This means that the effects of hooking methods are reduced to the bare minimum. Yay!
Now go ahead and try it out. Make sure to use Xposed Installer 3.1.2, as the config path had to be changed to support File Based Encryption.
We hope you are as hyped as we are about the release of Xposed for Android 7.X Nougat. The wait has been long, but unavoidable given the sheer complexity of Xposed. If you’re still confused about what Xposed is or how it works, don’t worry. Very few people (us included) actually understand how it works. Developers like rovo89 do their best at packaging their work so you don’t really have to understand what’s going on underneath the hood.
Do you like the Xposed Framework? Consider donating to rovo89 for the awesome work that he does. If you think you have what it takes to contribute to the project, check out rovo89’s GitHub page below.
Looking for Xposed Modules? Check out our Xposed Framework Module subforum or download the XDA Labs application and browse our collection of Xposed Modules.
In case you’re wondering, here’s how progress is on getting Xposed for Android Oreo:
I have already started work on Android 8.0. There are a few new language features that I’ll have to look at, but the general concept should still work. That includes all the work on invalidating compiled code of any callers when a method is hooked, which took by far the most time when I worked on Nougat. So I’m really confident that I’ll be much faster this time. Android 8.1shouldn’t be much different, so I expect not much additional work for it.
Xposed v88 from XDA Senior Recognized Developer rovo89 just released the other day after a year-long wait. The new Xposed Manager already has 98k+ downloads, showing that there’s still a massive audience willing to support Xposed. As many have found out, sometimes the first release can contain some bugs. That’s why, after a lot of feedback, rovo89 has just released version v88.1 of the framework to fix some of the issues users were having.
With the new update, rovo89 claims improvements for users of Samsung devices while also potentially fixing bootloops and slowdowns on other devices. He also believes he may have fixed MIUI incompatibility, though he has not yet tested that. He states that there are other bugs which he has acknowledged and is working on fixing, so expect to see a new version be released in the near future.
Most of the issues that users may be facing are related to the modules they are installing, as many modules have not yet been updated to fully support Xposed for Android Nougat. The developer behind the popular battery-saving module known as Amplify, for instance, is soliciting users to help test a version that works with the Nougat update.
If you do face an issue with Xposed that you believe is not due to a particular module but rather the Framework itself, then rovo89 suggests you learn the proper way to submit a bug report. Rather than posting a comment in a pages-long discussion thread, Rovo89 requests that you use the GitHub page to report bugs and stresses the need for supplying full device logs when reporting an issue. Most XDA forum threads are too hectic for proper bug reporting, but rovo89 nonetheless thanks users for supporting his project.
Hopefully as the days continue, more module developers can update their modules to better support official Xposed for Android 7.0/7.1 devices.
Ever since we announced the arrival of official Xposed Framework for Nougat earlier this week, many members of the XDA community have been wondering which modules they should try out. Today, we would like to mention one such module that has just recently been updated with Xposed for Android Nougat support: “Lock Screen Widgets.”
Lock Screen Widgets, as the name indicates, is an Xposed Module that allows you to add widgets to your lock screen. XDA Member SergioSanchezR, the developer responsible for Lock Screen Widgets, bundled the application with certain standard lock screen modifications, and some”bonus” modifications as well.
Among the standard modifications are mods to change the top padding for the notifications displayed on the lock screen, hide the date and/or clock, hide the status bar, and hide the “upcoming alarms” list.
In addition, one can add any number of widgets to the lock screen. These widgets are the same widgets that can be added to your home screen launcher, though take note that your lock screen has much less room to work with. Each widget has their own horizontal space and all the widgets are tiled vertically right above the clock on the lock screen.
Once you’ve added a widget, there are a few options for each individual widget you can peruse. For instance, you can make the widget a clickable instance, edit and change the sizes, and change the gravity, and change the padding as well.
One can utilize the mods in this section to change the background color of notifications, hide the bottom bar off of the lock screen altogether, and set a custom value for the container’s gravity—moving it to either the top or the very bottom.
The app can be a bit overwhelming at first glance given how many options there are, however the community has put together some tutorials (such as a tutorial for Zooper Widgets, a tutorial to add two widgets per row, and a tutorial to activate scrolling of the widget list) over on our forums. You might not want to miss them.
We confirmed that this module works on the official Xposed for Android Nougat ourselves. Specifically, we tested it on the OnePlus 5 running OxygenOS.
How has your experience with Xposed’s modules’ enhancements been in the past? Let us know how you feel about “Lock Screen Widgets” as well!
Just a few days back, XDA Senior Recognized Developer rovo89 released an official update to his Xposed Framework—bringing compatibility to Android 7.0/7.1 Nougat. Since then, many developers have shown renewed interest in updating their Xposed Modules. While we were covering the open-source, fully themeable Frost for Facebook application the other day we realized that Facebook’s other half—the Messenger application—had very little third-party support. Hence, we decided to turn to Xposed for some Facebook Messenger add-ons and we found that X Messenger Privacy has recently been updated. It’s a Module for the privacy-conscious among us, and it offers a plethora of options to safeguard your use of the app.
X Messenger Privacy lets one activate certain essential privacy features in Facebook Messenger. Due to the fact that there’s a Premium version of the application available, our overview of the app will be split into two parts—Basic and Premium features.
X Messenger Privacy can block the ‘typing’ three-dot indicator and the “Invite to Messenger” button as well as the banner when inside conversation windows. In addition, the module removes the small “Like” button from both the chat interface and the notifications. That’s not all, the module removes the “Wave” banner from the “Activate” tab to prevent accidental presses as well.
Moving on to the more “premium” features which can be activated once purchasing the premium add-on ($2.99 on the Play Store) for the app, the module has the ability to block the “seen” flag from under the messages for others. In order to then flag a message as “seen,” one can double tap on a specific message bubble.
And that’s not where the list of features ends. One can inspect the list of “Active” members and find all friends of theirs online—including those who have manually set their appearance to “offline.” One can hide audio and video can buttons and hide their call status altogether (by disabling VoIP) as well.
Coupled with Frost for Facebook, we believe your Facebook experience on Android can be further enhanced with X Messenger Privacy. Whether or not you want to shell out cash for the premium version is up to you, but the free version itself adds some basic privacy features that the Facebook Messenger application should have had from the beginning.
From hiding one’s activity and status on Messenger to revealing other users’ activity regardless of their set status, X Messenger Privacy is a great example of the kind of hackery one can do with a Xposed Module.
GravityBox is the pinnacle of what defines Xposed on Android. With tweaks for everything imaginable, it’s hard not to be drawn to it. If you’ve ever used a Resurrection Remix ROM, it’s similar in its potential, but in a modular form which can be installed or uninstalled at will. The options available to the user are near endless with likely over 100 options in total, and now it’s been released for Xposed v88, or Xposed for Android Nougat. To get an idea of some of its features, look below, or browse through the photo gallery!
This is exactly what the name suggests, just lots and lots of changes you can make to your lock screen. These include lock screen rotation, custom shortcuts, quick unlock and more.
One of the largest sections of the module, you can customise QuickSettings, status bar colors, battery settings, notifications, clock, progress bars and more here. If you wish to enable a data traffic monitor, you can also do that here.
With the options available to tweak your navbar, you won’t feel let down. Being able to swap keys, customise existing ones and even adding a custom fade away, there’s something here for everyone.
Everyone’s favourite Paranoid Android feature is back, available to use in other Android Nougat based ROMs! Swiping in from any side you define, you can access some device information and the back, home and multitasking buttons. No need to enable on screen buttons at all!
In the other primary section there are a lot of features to play around with. With charging sounds, LED controls, screen recording, smart radio, button backlight volume key controls and a whole lot more, you’ll never be stuck for choice.
You can find the module on our forums, or simply click the button below. As mentioned you’ll need Xposed, but many would deem the hassle of installing Xposed worth it just to get access to GravityBox.
We recently covered the much anticipated Xposed V88 release for Android Nougat, followed by the quick release of V88.1 for bug fixes and optimisation, including a mention for possible MIUI optimisation. Now thanks to XDA Senior Member Psy_Man, the MIUI problems have been fixed and Xposed functions properly on MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat now in an unofficial Xposed release!
Xposed has a history of not working on MIUI and requiring separate, community-made flashable zip files to function. It works on MIUI 7.9.21+ deodexed ROMs!
This just highlights the work that has to go into making Xposed functional on Android devices. Even when Xposed works, there are still so many variants of Android that the developer needs to account for. The developer behind the port has tested it on the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 running MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat. To install it, simply flash the zip like any other version of Android to use it.
Depending on if you are on Android 7.0 or Android 7.1, you will need to download a different zip file. This is likely because of the changes between Android versions and the changes that had to be made to let Xposed work with MIUI in the first place. The Xposed installer apk is also linked, as it is used also for managing installed modules.
Of course, MIUI will have a limited range of UI mods which actually work, due to the heavily changed interface. A lot of the features of GravityBox may not work for example, and Xposed even specifically mentions not to use it on anything but AOSP. There are also still some incompatibilities with devices and the port it seems, but still, you should try it and see if it works! There’s a huge amount of modules out there, and if you get the unofficial Xposed working that’s a lot of potential fun to be had.
Here at XDA, we’ve shown you how to unlock hidden functionality within applications on numerous occasions, such as with Facebook Messenger internals or Google Allo secret features. Today we’re here to share how to access more hidden features— including Twitter’s upcoming “Tweetstorm” feature! A tweetstorm is a series of tweets posted in rapid succession by the same user. Rather than planning how to separate your thoughts into different tweets, you can just post a very long tweet and the Twitter application will split the message and link them together in one thread for you. What’s more, you can also send 280 character Tweets! 280 character tweets are exactly as they sound, simply giving you the ability to send a twice as long message at one time, and no, the tweet doesn’t split into two messages!
For tweetstorms, this makes things easier for the end user and allows you to write as long of a message as you want, having them all linked together and easily read. Last month, Twitter began quietly testing this feature internally. But by using an Xposed Module, you too can enable tweetstorm functionality and 280 character tweets on your Android device!
Notice the new button in the bottom right-hand corner when posting a tweet. Tapping this allows one to add additional tweets to the tweetstorm. Once you’re done, just tap “tweet all” and Twitter will take care of the rest for you.
Before we get to installing this module, you’ll need a brief explanation of what Xposed is. The Xposed Framework is a modification to your Android device that allows applications called “modules” to inject their own code before, during, or in place of code in existing applications. In this case, the Xposed Module we will be installing—aptly called Tweeks—injects the code necessary to enable tweetstorms into the Twitter app itself.
Thanks to the recent release of Xposed Framework for Android Nougat, you can use Tweeks on any device that is running a version of Android before Android 8.0 Oreo.
This is a very simple addition but one that many users of Twitter may like. To use it, you’ll have to first install the Xposed Framework onto your device. We have a video tutorial up on that for you to follow.
Then, download the Tweeks Xposed Framework from below. In the Xposed Installer app, enable the module and then reboot your device. The only requirement is that you must be running one of the following versions of the Twitter app:
Select any of the above you want to download!
We doubt anything will happen to your account if you unlock this feature, but keep in mind that you are using unreleased features on a public social media platform. If you are willing to risk that, check it out down below!
