[Asus ZenFone 3 Guides, News, & Discussion] catalinrcd:
Root guide + Updated stock ROM & Recovery

I had my Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL in service. Bad head speakers. They got fix. However the guys from service, removed everything. They gaved me a new operation system, no root,no custom recovery...nothing. I have been trying to get a up to date OS with root and TWRP working recovery for some time. It was hard for me, i guess it can be hard for others. Reason why i will give you a small guide how to make everything work. So here we go:

TWRP 3.0.2 does not support/can not install the latest ROM versions.

- You need latest working TWRP specially made for Asus Zenfone 3:

https://www.asus.com/zentalk/thread-132910-1-1.html

- You also should get the latest ROM from Asus official website (search for the one you need) : https://www.asus.com/ro/Phone/ZenFone-3-ZE552KL/HelpDesk_Download/

Problem is most of the times these custom recoveries or rom mess things up,especially a bad version of twrp. I was able to install the latest stock rom using a stock reovery.

- Asus Zenfone 3 stock recovery: https://mega.nz/#F!LIhwiCia!b_pyuHXS9E7f2VbyXcLyXA

You need to have adb drivers installed. In that folder hold Shift + rick click to open Command Shell . A cmd window will open.

- Connect your phone to the computer,make sure you have Developers options tuned on. USB Debugging (tuned on)

- Copy Latest ROM to your SD Card inside the phone. *You must have one.

Most of the time you will get red errors because you do not have permissions to writhe commands. This has an easy fix.

- To flash stock recovery(or twrp recovery):

.\adb reboot bootloader

.\fastboot flash recovery "name of recovery".img > replace name of recovery without " "

*if everything OK, it should take 1 second

.\fastboot reboot

Quick press volume button down to enter menu. Press power button on Recovery. You will now enter Stock Recovery . > Update from SD Card. Choose the latest ROM you have. W8 for rom to install

- In the same menu press on : > Wipe Data Factory Reset ; > Wipe Cache Partition

- Successfully boot into and open your OS. Setup your new Android OS. When you are done open Developer Options again.

Now for the root part.

You need to get the latest SuperSu . You may be able to find it here http://www.asus-zenfone.com/search?q=supersu be very careful ,this website is FULL of viruses. No joke...full of ads etc ...maybe when i get home i will attach to this post the zip. Or just google for it.

Very important! Most of the times SuperSu will not work, you need 1 more step to be done.

- This is the most important thing! https://www.asus.com/zentalk/ph/thread-119790-1-1.html

- Copy that zip + latest SuperSu flash zip to your SD card.

*You will try just like me to flash SuperSu from the stock recovery. It will not work. You need TWRP.

- Flash TWRP. Open command shell and start to flash.

.\adb reboot bootloader

.\fastboot flash recovery "TWRP name of recovery".img

.\fastboot reboot

*press volume down button enter Recovery. Now TWRP will load.

- Install > First the "apply_before_supersu_zf3.zip" > Second install the SuperSu.zip

- Last step is to install SuperSu App from Google play... sometimes the latest app does not work, sometimes it does.

*please google for the Pro SuperSu version or a working one.

- Finally install from Google Play a root checker app, anyone. And check to see if you have root acces. First,don't forget to open SuperSu app and make sure that one is working.

Also important: The version of SuperSu flash zip has to be the same as the SuperSu app. The zip you install with TWRP, the app when you are in the OS.