Posted on Jul 1 2014 - 4:18pm by Anurag Kumar

It has come to our notice that whenever we post any apps or mods for rooted devices, many users ask us how to mow apps to system folder and set correct permissions as rw- r– r–. Well today we have prepared a detailed tutorial on this topic. You need root on your device before you can transfer apps to system folder and set correct permissions.

Download Root Explorer app from Google Play and install it. Open the app and grant SU permissions to it ( for this Super User app must be installed on your device, do it if not installed from here ). Below described tutorial should work on all devices including Xperia handsets and other manufacture devices.

How to move apps to system folder ?

Kindly make sure if you do this wrong you will end up getting bootloop and then you may need to install firmware again, so keep a back up of your firmware and data saved. Follow the below guide for noob’s.

Let’s say you have some .apk file like a Xperia Theme which you want to install on your device. So we need to move it system/app folder of our device.

  • Save the app or .apk file which is to be move to system folder on your device either inside “internal storage” or “SD Card“.
  • Open the app, you will be asked to grant SU permissions to it. Grant permissions to it.

SU rights to Root Explorer app

  • Now go to “sdcard or sdcard1 or storage folder” wherever you saved your .apk file. Suppose it is in storage folder.

App saving options

  • Now go to emulated > 0 > and tap the folder where your file is saved : Suppose it is in download folder.

How to move apps to system/app folder

Store apps in Rooted phones

  • Copy the .apk file ( hold on to app and copy it ).

Copy the app from Storage folder

  • IMPORTANT STEP: Now go back to home screen of explorer and open system folder. Tap on button “Mount R/W” and it will change to “Mount R/O” and then paste the app here.

Move app to system/app folder

  • Now hold on to .apk file and tap on permissions option.

Change permissions of app before moving to system/app folder

  • You need to tap on options as shown below. We have pasted two pics ( before and after permissions ).

Set correct permissions for moving app to system/app folder

  • Now after changing permissions to rw- r– r–, copy the app and move it to “app” folder under system/app.
  • Reboot your device and it is done.

As we moved a Xperia Theme .apk file to system/app folder, you can find the same theme in Settings > Personalization > Themes > Pre installed themes.

Do above steps correctly and you can move anything to system/app, system/lib folder as asked in requirement for your app.

Let us know if it helped you. Drop your comments below if you are facing any trouble in moving app to system folders.



About the Author

Blogging as a hobby. Sales & Marketing Professional. MBA (IB) from IIFT Delhi (2015-17). Founder & Editor-in-Chief of GizmoBolt.com ( formerly XperiaGuide.com ) , TipsySafarnama.com & TipsyChai.com. Follow at Facebook I Twitter I Google Plus | LinkedIn | Instagram. Contact at [email protected] for feedback and sending tips. Donate Us.

11 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. frank July 1, 2014 at 4:43 pm - Reply

    Thanks, that was just what i needed.

  2. osky July 1, 2014 at 5:15 pm - Reply

    Link2sd plus is better choice with partitioned sd card… my job is too easy with Link2sd plus… no need to move and all.. just copy all the apks and select create link.. thats it.. the apk’s datas will be moved too..

  3. Hamza July 8, 2014 at 2:10 am - Reply

    Can we do these procedure on non rooted to move apk’s into system/folder?

  4. Andri July 11, 2014 at 9:00 am - Reply

    Can i get app root for kitkat 4.4.4 (my device xperia z1)

  5. jahd August 5, 2014 at 9:24 am - Reply

    I am on kitkat 4.4.4 – Xperia z1 – rooted.
    With root browser, setting of RW rights is not possible.
    Can you advise on any possible workaround?
    Thanks

  6. Md. Aaqil September 7, 2014 at 2:00 pm - Reply

    Thanx alot

  7. kevin December 30, 2014 at 9:45 am - Reply

    I did the right steps but i dont see the theme i installed correctly because it says on the apk file “there is a problem parsing the package” and my unit is sony xperia c

  8. hay March 25, 2015 at 8:39 pm - Reply

    ta worked perfect

  9. Jaskaran Bajwa March 12, 2016 at 6:44 pm - Reply

    I have done all steps on my Xperia Z1 but it didn’t worked

  10. Nibbu March 28, 2016 at 8:24 pm - Reply

    I Have Moved Z2 Camera App On (xperia E) System/App and I Set Permission.After I Look App Drawer The Camera App Is Missing. I Again Replaced With Orginal Camera App But it still missing..
    How Can I Appear it on App Drawer.

    Thanks

  11. yudi October 24, 2018 at 10:04 pm - Reply

    nice..i’ll try that

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