[Xperia Z5 Compact General] plusminus_:
Hi,

You could definitely use Google's Find My Device with a custom ROM, but I think you would lose access to Sony's 'my Xperia' service.

Unlocking the bootloader

The process of unlocking your bootloader and rooting has *many* steps, but I used this guide - and it was smooth, but took a little while: https://xdaforums.com/z5-compact/general/guide-how-to-root-z5c-painful-using-t3549388

Things have changed since then, so if you plan to root I think some of the final steps will be different.

Modified steps:

- I later used the TA PoC tool - this would replace steps 6 and 7. For this tool you would disable dm verity, Sony RIC and force encrypt, but not install recovery. TA PoC has instructions in the script, it's nice.

- *edit* Instead of using the TA PoC tool, a modified version of rootkernel, as in the original guide, can be used to replace steps 6 and 7. Rename the backed up file from step 1 to TA.img and copy it into the rootkernel folder, then run the script with these options:

Disable dm-verity? Y

Disable force-encrypt? Y

Disable Sony RIC? Y

Install TWRP recovery? N

Install superuser? N

Install DRM fix? N

Install munjeni's TA PoC? Y

Install busybox? N

- Skip step 9. (You can install Xposed through Magisk later)

- Flash a recovery separately. I use this one

Rooting

Once the bootloader is unlocked and you have a custom recovery, you can install Magisk which seems to be the main way to root devices these days (I love it). As well as root management, it allows you to make changes to the system partition without actually touching the partition ("systemlessly") by installing modules in the Magisk Manager. It can also run scripts on boot.

Installation instructions are here but basically flash the Magisk zip in recovery.

Debloating

There is one module called Terminal Debloater which hides system apps of your choosing from the phone, as if they were uninstalled. You choose from a text-based list in a terminal emulator. I don't think I can explain it well, but there is a video!

[Magisk] How to Uninstall System Apps using Magisk

With root (and an app such as Titanium Backup) you could just disable them all instead but using this module felt cleaner to me :P

I think the list of apps that you don't need (and thus can be debloated or disabled) will be specific to you, but there are Google apps like Hangouts, Chrome, Photos, the Google app, Google Print Recommendation Service that I hid, as well as many Sony apps (perhaps ironic since my whole point was about keeping Sony features ha) like Support, What's New, Movie Creator, Xperia Lounge. And lots of weird little things like GoogleAnalyticsProxy, AnonymousData, CrashMonitor, phone-usage, pip - my phone has been fine without them.

I've attached my list from Terminal Debloater (it can be imported but it might be helpful just to look at)

This is another nice module if you ever find your phone's temperature to be a problem: https://xdaforums.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/z3-z4-z5-fsc-improve-performance-t3673785

I use a governor script which I attached here with an app called Kernel Adiutor - it lets you change lots of settings but I mainly use it just to make sure that script runs at the right time. Part of the script sets the minimum number of big cores online to 1 (0, as in the post above mine, didn't work for me!)

(My other main script disables a few Google Play Services... services that I don't want running, every reboot. I don't want to make you break anything so I won't go into more detail at this point!)

The bad news

2 days on a single charge sounds pretty good :p I don't know what improvements all of this could provide, maybe you'd get to 3 days? Maybe it's not even worth it haha. I like having root though.

P.S.

I genuinely don't know what phone I'll move to if (when?) this one dies. You're right about the edges, they definitely affect the ergonomics of the phone. I still remember the way my HTC One S fit in my hand so beautifully compared to this phone!

I use this Ringke case. It's a little thick but it's worked very well. I drop this thing all the time and it's still fine. :o

So many links, sorry. I hope some of this is useful.

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