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THE BIG PROBLEM - There are many guides on how to install TWRP, Magisk, and Root this phone. They are ALL HORRIBLE. None are complete, each having different problems including procedural errors, missing steps, and things that just completely do not work. By the time I successfully rooted this phone I could not remember exactly what steps I took and how I finally successfully completed the process. Therefore, the guide below is not clear and step by step. It will be improved in the future when I get the opportunity to root additional Pixel phones. THE BIG PROBLEM - There are many guides on how to install [[TWRP]], Magisk, and Root this phone. They are ALL HORRIBLE. None are complete, each having different problems including procedural errors, missing steps, and things that just completely do not work. By the time I successfully rooted this phone I could not remember exactly what steps I took and how I finally successfully completed the process. Therefore, the guide below is not clear and step by step. It will be improved in the future when I get the opportunity to root additional Pixel phones. * TWRP - this is a backup and boot utility that you will flash onto your phone. It is easy to install and works well.* [[TWRP]] - this is a backup and boot utility that you will flash onto your phone. It is easy to install and works well.There are a number of guides online many of which offer downloads for the necessary tools including TWRP and Magisk. They often offer them from unknown or their own server and they are often outdated versions. Do yourself a favor and get the latest versions from the developer sites.There are a number of guides online many of which offer downloads for the necessary tools including [[TWRP]] and Magisk. They often offer them from unknown or their own server and they are often outdated versions. Do yourself a favor and get the latest versions from the developer sites.#Install via aap on the “Install” > “Install” > “Select boot image file“. Magisk Manager will install Magisk to your boot image, and store it in [Internal Storage]/Download/magisk_patched.img#You need to take that patched boot image, put it back on your PC I guess and in the platform-tools directory with adb.# place phone in bootloader screen# From PC elevated command promopt: fastboot flash boot /path/to/magisk_patched.imgSome cool tips: You can copy files from the phone to the PC using platform-tools while the phone is in recovery. Example: adb pull /sdcard/Download/magisk_patched.imgFails: copying image to cache unpacking boot image unsupported/unknown image format Installation failed===HERE IS WHAT FINALLY WORKED===I had to reload a stock image that matched what the phone had before I began. In order to flash the stock image, the files from the stock image had to be extracted, and the script necessary to flash the phone had to be heavily modified so it would work. Remember, the sim card is removed during this entire process.Here are the steps performed along with some sample screen output...1. Modified flash-all.sh by removing the version check, and the -w switch* downloaded and extract factory image sailfish-pq3a.190605.003-factory-3128c984.zip* go into extracted directory sailfish-pq3a.190605.003* deleted .bat file (windows sux) and deleted flash-base.sh since it wont be needed* open flash-all.sh in text editor ( vi flash-all.sh ) and modified it to look like this: <nowiki>#!/bin/sh</nowiki> <nowiki></nowiki> <nowiki># Copyright 2012 The Android Open Source Project</nowiki> <nowiki></nowiki> <nowiki># Remark out this version check because it causes fail</nowiki> <nowiki>#if ! grep -q dtbo.sig $(which fastboot); then</nowiki> <nowiki># echo "fastboot too old"</nowiki> <nowiki># exit 1</nowiki> <nowiki>#fi</nowiki> <nowiki>~/bin/platform-tools/fastboot flash bootloader bootloader-sailfish-8996-012001-1904111134.img</nowiki> <nowiki>~/bin/platform-tools/fastboot reboot-bootloader</nowiki> <nowiki>sleep 5</nowiki> <nowiki>~/bin/platform-tools/fastboot flash radio radio-sailfish-8996-130281-1903110834.img</nowiki> <nowiki>~/bin/platform-tools/fastboot reboot-bootloader</nowiki> <nowiki>sleep 5</nowiki> <nowiki>~/bin/platform-tools/fastboot update image-sailfish-pq3a.190605.003.zip</nowiki>Please note that I have platform-tools (with adb) installed to the bin directory under my home directory. You will have to modify the path from ~/bin/platform-tools to wherever you have the platform-tools directory if you have it elsewhere.2. Ran flash-all from shell while android phone in bootloader mode*output from computer terminal <nowiki>./flash-all.sh </nowiki> <nowiki>Sending 'bootloader_a' (32424 KB) OKAY [ 1.102s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'bootloader_a' (bootloader) Valid bootloader version.</nowiki> <nowiki>(bootloader) Flashing active slot "_a" </nowiki> <nowiki>(bootloader) Flashing active slot "_a" </nowiki> <nowiki>OKAY [ 4.653s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Finished. Total time: 5.957s</nowiki> <nowiki>Rebooting into bootloader OKAY [ 0.053s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Finished. Total time: 0.253s</nowiki> <nowiki>Sending 'radio_a' (57156 KB) OKAY [ 1.995s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'radio_a' OKAY [ 0.466s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Finished. Total time: 2.613s</nowiki> <nowiki>Rebooting into bootloader OKAY [ 0.038s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Finished. Total time: 0.139s</nowiki> <nowiki>--------------------------------------------</nowiki> <nowiki>Bootloader Version...: 8996-012001-1904111134</nowiki> <nowiki>Baseband Version.....: 8996-130281-1903110834</nowiki> <nowiki>Serial Number........: FA71G0304665</nowiki> <nowiki>--------------------------------------------</nowiki> <nowiki>extracting android-info.txt (0 MB) to RAM...</nowiki> <nowiki>Checking 'product' OKAY [ 0.049s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Checking 'version-bootloader' OKAY [ 0.050s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Checking 'version-baseband' OKAY [ 0.050s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Setting current slot to 'a' OKAY [ 0.070s]</nowiki> <nowiki>extracting boot.img (29 MB) to disk... took 0.182s</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'boot.sig'</nowiki> <nowiki>Sending 'boot_a' (29825 KB) OKAY [ 1.051s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'boot_a' OKAY [ 0.266s]</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'dtbo.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'dt.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'recovery.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'vbmeta.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'vbmeta_system.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'super_empty.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'boot_other.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'odm.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'product.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'product_services.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>extracting system.img (1949 MB) to disk... took 10.852s</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'system.sig'</nowiki> <nowiki>Sending sparse 'system_a' 1/4 (524284 KB) OKAY [ 17.615s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'system_a' OKAY [ 3.451s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Sending sparse 'system_a' 2/4 (524284 KB) OKAY [ 17.408s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'system_a' OKAY [ 3.434s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Sending sparse 'system_a' 3/4 (524284 KB) OKAY [ 17.726s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'system_a' OKAY [ 3.401s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Sending sparse 'system_a' 4/4 (423120 KB) OKAY [ 14.304s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'system_a' OKAY [ 2.797s]</nowiki> <nowiki>extracting system_other.img (313 MB) to disk... took 1.825s</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'system.sig'</nowiki> <nowiki>Sending 'system_b' (320532 KB) OKAY [ 10.815s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'system_b' OKAY [ 2.196s]</nowiki> <nowiki>extracting vendor.img (259 MB) to disk... took 1.449s</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'vendor.sig'</nowiki> <nowiki>Sending 'vendor_a' (265800 KB) OKAY [ 9.053s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Writing 'vendor_a' OKAY [ 1.760s]</nowiki> <nowiki>archive does not contain 'vendor_other.img'</nowiki> <nowiki>Rebooting OKAY [ 0.042s]</nowiki> <nowiki>Finished. Total time: 121.825s</nowiki>3. Now TWRP is no longer in the boot recovery menu so we have to use it from the computer. reboot and go into bootloader mode on the android and run "fastboot boot ./twrp.img" again on the PCSee, you can run TWRP remote, from the PC via fastbook or you can have it installed on the phone. # fastboot boot ./twrp.img downloading 'boot.img'... OKAY [ 1.014s] booting... OKAY [ 1.055s] finished. total time: 2.069s4. installed Magisk from ,TWRP Install and did not install twrp to the phone on exit.5. reboot phone into desktop, then enabled Wifi6. Ran Magisk - success! Magisk is up to date!7. Ran Root Check - success! Pixel is rooted!With the phone off place the sim card back in the phone and turn on so you can make a test call.Some helpful guides online I took bits and pieces from to make this work:* https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/issues/529* https://www.technobuzz.net/flash-factory-images-google-pixel-pixel-xl/* https://magiskmanager.com/magisk-beta* https://xiaomi.eu/community/threads/reboot-to-recovery-after-successfully-flash-magisk-in-latest-built-9-5-9-on-mi8.50454/* https://didgeridoohan.com/magisk/HomePage=== Use Magisk Modules ===Once Magisk is installed and the phone is rooted you can add Magisk modules to accomplish things you want.== Custom ROMs ==Rooting, which is necessary for installing a custom ROM. Prereqs:*Installed TWRP Recovery on your Google Pixel,*Root your Pixel,*Back up necessary data.