[Reference:] All Things XPERIA; Debranding; Rooting & More...

The things covered in this thread and in the general order of modifying a new XPERIA are...
...that will help you achieve your desired end result.

• SIM Unlocking:

NOTE: The ONLY WAY to Sim Unlock your Phone is to buy it SIM-Free or PAY for it, so do some Googling and read which services have been recommended in the past. O2 Contract Users however can use this FORM to request an unlock code.

• The Flashtool, Updating, Unbricking & De-Branding:

The Flashtool is simply what it says on the tin, it's a flashtool that flashes Firmware to your device in a similar manner as SEUS or PC Companion does and this is generally the preferred method for updating or repairing a device.

You can also use the Flashtool to flash a Generic .ftf which will remove any Operator Branding from any device, this video by BlueChipJ explains the process of using it...
You can find firmware files in your devices section or you can use XperiFirm by @IgorEisberg which is built in to and works along side the flashtool to download and flash firmware to your device..
There is also an Official Sony Flash Tool for certain devices with unlocked bootloaders.
- Official Sony Flash Tool..

Further reading:

• How to install Flashtool on Ubuntu
• Newflasher (xperia command line flasher for 2017 devices)
• [GUIDE] Recover 2012 and newer XPERIAs from SOFT-brick

• DRM/TA.img Backup:

NOTE: To root newer versions of Android you HAVE to unlock the bootloader, no ifs, buts or maybes unfortunately. Before doing so we need to back up our DRM keys that we can restore them later if we don't want to lose a few features, because they will be lost in the process of unlocking the bootloader and there is no getting them back if you don't back them up. Unfortunately the tool required to backup our DRM keys doesn't work on Nougat so downgrading to Marshmallow is required, but you can simply use the flashtool for that.

Once you've downgraded then you need Universal (Dirtycow-based) TA Backup v2 by @rayman to backup your DRM keys. Backing up isn't essential if you don't want but you are strongly advised to, you have been warned!

Further reading:

• [TOOL] Backup TA for Mac OS X [v1.4][2015-05-13]
• [REMAKE][UNMAINTAINED][TOOL][LB][ROOT] Backup TA v9.11 for Linux
• [UNMAINTAINED][TOOL][LB][ROOT] Backup TA v9.11 for Windows [20140615]

• Fastboot, Bootloader Unlocking/Relocking:

You can find a great Guide HERE that will show you how to use Fastboot which is the method used for working with the bootloader. There is one way to Unlock yours, using the Official method (For SimFree/Un-Branded Phones) which is explained HERE, but PLEASE NOTE! - If your Phone came from a Carrier then chances are (99%) you won't be able to unlock. There is a simple method of checking if you can or not which you'll find HERE.

- Know Your Android Bootloader - What it is and Why it Matters

• [Tutorial] Relock bootloader!
• [GUIDE] Lock/Unlock/Relock Bootloader Using TWRP With DRM keys

Further reading:

• [HOW-TO]Set up Android SDK/ADB/Fastboot on Ubuntu Linux
• [GUIDE] Set up ADB and Fastboot on a Mac easily (With Screenshots!)
  
  
• [miniTUT][WIN10]Installing ADB Drivers for Sony Devices on Windows
• Fastboot & Flashboot ADB Driver installation on Windows 8 Guide for Sony Xperia Users

• TWRP Recovery:

See your devices section for TWRP recovery support.

- How To Install TWRP Recovery

• DRM/TA.img Restore:

If you backed up your DRM Keys/TA.img then you have a couple of options to restore them.

We can use PoC...

First of all this tool fully replaces DRM fix! So do not use our tool with DRM fix!!! I'm going to explain what is this, how it working. Everybody know what drm fix doing and everybody know whats happening when bootloader is unlocked. Ok. This PoC is designed for unlocked devices and makes things identical to having bootloader never unlocked! Which mean this is for peoples who have backup of the trim area BEFORE unlocking bootloader! This PoC mounts your trim area backup (TA.img) to the kernel loop5 device which makes your trim area like real trim area partition (in our case it mounts your backup TA.img and uses it instead of unlocked trim area partition) so everything after android boot up is like having locked bootloader which mean all drm keys, widevine keys and etc is fully functional! And most better thing, we can use PoC with AOSP, CM or whatever for having trim area fully functional!!!
Do in mind this is for stock roms only! Only nougat and marshmallow by now, some of before marshmallow too.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

- [PoC][Work in progress] Trim Area Proof Of Concept by @munjeni

Or we can use the Root kernel tool...

This tool repacks an existing kernel package (usually the stock kernel) in order to make it rootable and adds TWRP recovery as well. Version 4 has been succesfully tested with LP and MM.
In particular it adresses the following issues:

• DM-Verity: Android is now using dm-verity to verfy the integrity of the system partition. Until you switch it off your phone won't boot after modifying /system
• SONY RIC: RIC is blocking the write access to the system partition
• DRM Keys: After unlocking the bootloader your device key is wiped, which deactivates some functionaliy. E.g. x-reality, denoise in camera aso.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

- [ROOT][Kernel][TWRP] repack of the stock kernel with dm-verity and SONY RIC off by @tobias.waldvogel.

Further reading:

• CONFIRMATION OF TA RESTORE!
• [Z~Z5 Series][EXRxTHS]SONY DRM FUNCTION RESTORATION FOR UB DEVICE | Z3 lines support!
  
  
• Extracting A 'boot.img' From An FTF
• [TOOL] UnSIN ~ SIN v3/v4 Unpacker
• [TOOL][Windows,Linux,Android] Unpack any format of the Sony image

• Rooting:

- What is rooting and why should I do it? The pros & cons of Android rooting

Further reading:

• SuperSU v2.82 SR2 Release
• [MOD] Boot Bridge for Sony ELF
• phh's SuperUser/ OpenSource SELinux-capable SuperUser
• [2017.7.20] Magisk v13.3 - Root & Universal Systemless Interface [Android 5.0+]
  
  
• PRFCreator - easily create pre-rooted firmwares
• [ROOT] [STOCK] [TWRP] Root Stock Firmware of Any Modern Sony Device
• [GUIDE]How to make a rooted flashable rom from ftf file[FOR ALL XPERIA PHONES]

• Modifying & Theming:

There are a few ways to theme an XPERIA device, use the Apktool method or we now have Sonys Official Theme Creator to create themes. Check out Substratum too.

Further reading:

• [Info:] XPERIA Theming Resource Thread
• [Guide:] The Definitive APK Modding & Theming Thread
  
  
• ?All System Apps And Details [15/12/2012]?
• [MM/N] [UB] [COMBINED] System/OEM Debloat Script
• [Guide] Ultimate RAM and Battery management for All Rooted Xperia Devices
  
  
• [MOD][GUIDE]Remove Signature Verification for all devices
• [Guide][SuperUserMOD] disable signature verification nougat/MM
  
  
• Create a personalized ROM yourself!
• How to build a Linux kernel and flash it to the phone
• How to get & read a logcat/ Troubleshoot your own issues!
• How to Flash boot.img / kernel.elf / kernel.sin using flashtool
• [MOD] XperiaMultiROM - MultiROM for Sony Xperia devices
• [DEV]Chroot-Linux on Xperia Devices Locked/Unlocked Bootloaders(Debian,Ubuntu,BT5up)

Hi all.

Just a short write up as a follow on from THIS thread as this is relatively quite simple.

So you want to change your notification background from the plain dark color to something a bit more your style...


...well all you need to do is decompile your SystemUI.apk and navigate to the values folder and open up your drawables.xml and you should see something like this...


Simply change these two lines...


to...


...then add two .9 png images of the same name, status_bar_item_background_normal and status_bar_item_background_pressed to your drawable-hdpi folder, recompile, zipalign, push to your Phone, done.

Quick Tip: If you can't create a .9 from scratch just edit the first two in drawable_hdpi which in my folder is alert_bar_background_normal.9 and alert_bar_background_pressed.9, just remember not edit over the .9 borders.

Please feel free to add suggestions, links to Xperia specific information as I'll build on this.

PREDATOR95 said:

Should be stickied...
Nice job with the thread

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

It is already, and thanks.