Shizuku: Android System Access Without Root

Shizuku is a service that gives apps access to Android system APIs without root. It works via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), using shell privileges.

Why you need it:

• Install apps without confirmation (Obtainium, SAI)
• Freeze/unfreeze apps (Ice Box, Hail)
• Manage permissions (AppOps, Permission Pilot)
• Change system settings (DarQ, Naptime)
• Remove system apps (Canta, AppManager)

💡 Shizuku doesn’t grant full root - only limited access to system functions. Safer than root, but more powerful than a regular app.

📦 Installation and setup

Step 1: Download Shizuku

• F-Droid (recommended)
• GitHub Releases

Step 2: Enable Developer Mode

1. Settings → About phone → Tap “MIUI version” / “Build number” 7 times
2. Go back to Settings → Additional settings → Developer options

Step 3: Enable Wireless Debugging

1. In Developer options → ✅ Wireless debugging
2. Tap “Pair device with pairing code” → note code and port
3. In Shizuku: “Start” → “Pairing” → enter code and port
4. After pairing: “Start” → service will launch

Check status:

Status: Running
Version: 13.x.x

⚠️ After phone reboot, Shizuku must be restarted manually (process doesn’t persist).

🔧 Example 1: Obtainium + Shizuku

Obtainium - app update manager directly from sources (GitHub, GitLab, F-Droid).

Why Shizuku for Obtainium

Setup

1. Install Obtainium from F-Droid
2. Open Obtainium → Settings → Installation method
3. Select Shizuku (auto-detected if service is running)
4. Add apps to track:
   • Enter repo URL: https://github.com/user/repo
   • Or browse catalog
5. On update: Obtainium downloads → installs via Shizuku → no confirmation needed

Example app entry:

Source: GitHub
URL: https://github.com/RikkaApps/Shizuku
Filter: Releases (stable)
Format: APK

🔧 Example 2: SAI + Shizuku

SAI (Split APKs Installer) - installer for split-APK, XAPK, APKS (formats not supported by default installer).

Why Shizuku for SAI

Setup

1. Install SAI from F-Droid
2. Open SAI → Settings → Installation method
3. Select Shizuku (or “Session API + Shizuku” for max compatibility)
4. Install app:
   • Tap “Install APK” → select .xapk, .apks, .apk file
   • SAI unpacks → installs via Shizuku → done

Supported formats:

• .apk - standard package
• .xapk - APK + OBB data
• .apks / .apk-m - split-APK (multiple files for different architectures)

🔄 Auto-start Shizuku (optional)

After reboot, Shizuku stops. Auto-start options:

Option 1: Tasker + ADB (no root)

# Script for Tasker: start-shizuku.sh
adb shell sh /sdcard/Android/data/moe.shizuku.privileged.api/start.sh

Setup:

1. Install Tasker
2. Create task → “Run Shell” → command above
3. Trigger: “Device Boot”

Option 2: KernelSU / Magisk (with root)

If rooted - install Shizuku as system app:

adb push shizuku.apk /data/local/tmp/
adb shell su -c "pm install /data/local/tmp/shizuku.apk"
adb shell su -c "sh /sdcard/Android/data/moe.shizuku.privileged.api/start.sh"

Benefit: Shizuku starts automatically on boot.

🔍 Diagnostics

# Check if Shizuku is running
adb shell sh /sdcard/Android/data/moe.shizuku.privileged.api/start.sh --check

# View Shizuku logs
adb logcat | grep -i shizuku

# Check app access to Shizuku
adb shell dumpsys package moe.shizuku.privileged.api | grep -A5 "Granted permissions"

⚠️ Common issues

# Shizuku won't start
→ Toggle wireless debugging: off → on
→ Reboot phone and restart Shizuku
→ Check if antivirus/optimizer is blocking it

# Obtainium/SAI don't detect Shizuku
→ Ensure service is running (status "Running" in app)
→ Restart Shizuku and target app
→ Check permissions: Settings → Apps → [App] → Permissions

# "Package parser error" on install
→ File corrupted - re-download
→ Unsupported format - check SAI version
→ Not enough space - clear cache

# Shizuku stops by itself
→ Settings → Battery → [Shizuku] → ✅ No restrictions
→ Settings → Apps → [Shizuku] → ✅ Auto-start

🛡 Security

What can an app do with Shizuku access

How to minimize risks

1. Install Shizuku only from F-Droid or GitHub
2. Grant Shizuku access only to trusted apps (Obtainium, SAI, AppManager)
3. Stop Shizuku when not in use
4. Don’t enable wireless debugging on public networks

Links

• 🔧 Shizuku on F-Droid
• 📦 Obtainium on F-Droid
• 📱 SAI on F-Droid
• 📘 Shizuku Documentation
• 🔐 Android ADB Docs