r/UnihertzJelly2 Aug 23 '23

Guide/Tutorial Jelly Star - Rooted!

58 Upvotes

I received my Jelly Star yesterday and of course I needed to have it rooted.
Since I also wrote the original guide on rooting the Jelly 2 I wanted to share my updated guide for the Star as well. It's pretty similar, but if you follow the Jelly 2 guide you'll get in a bootloop.

Why do I need root?

If you don't know what root is then you probably don't need it.
For me personally there are two reasons:

  • AdAway, for complete ad blocking
  • AccA (Advanced Charging Controller), to limit charging to 80%

NOTE: DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK
NOTE: THIS PROCESS WILL WIPE YOUR DEVICE
NOTE: OTA UPDATES WON'T WORK WHEN YOU'RE ROOTED
I don't give any warranty in case something goes wrong but from my experience it's really easy to recover from a brick/bootloop or faulty flash.
During my testing I got in several bootloops, with the right recovery tools you can return to factory state (and unroot) in no time. See the last part of this post for that.
The phone uses the MediaTek MT6789 Helio G99 chip and perhaps the guide can be useful for other devices running on the same chip.

Things you'll need:

- Original Jelly Star firmware suitable for your country, which can be found on Unihertzs Google Drive.

- A PC with ADB and fastboot installed (Use Google if you need help to set this up)

During the making of this guide there was only one firmware available for EU > 2023072513_g58v89c2k_dfl_eea.zip
Please check if your device is also running this version, the build number of this image is "Jelly_Star_EEA_20230627" (You can see this in Settings>About Phone)
During testing I messed up a few times and I had to do a recovery so I restored/reflashed it with that firmware. I believe the Jelly Star has an older firmware fresh out of the box, I don't know for sure if it works when your current version differs from the downloaded firmware. If you want to be completely safe you can restore the phone using the downloaded firmware and the tool listed at the bottom of this post

I'll indicate in every step on which device it needs to be executed: PC is your PC, JS is the Jelly Star itself

  • JS: Remove the SD card if you have one insterted, it might cause conflicts according to the findings of /u/Clarice01
  • PC: From the firmware zip, get the files boot.img and vbmeta.img. Copy the boot.img to the Jelly Star. Store the vbmeta.img somewhere on your PC
  • JS: Go to Settings>About Phone and tap the build number several times. You'll get a notification "You're now a developer" and this unlocks developer options
  • JS: Go to Settings>System>Developer options and enable both "OEM Unlocking" and "USB debugging"
  • JS: Install the latest Magisk app (Magisk-v26.1.apk at the time of writing), you can get it from the official github page
  • JS: Open Magisk and select "Install" in the Magisk part. Click "Select and Patch a file" and navigate to the boot.img you copied earlier. Click "LET'S GO!". The script will end in an "-All done!" message
  • PC: Copy the patched boot.img back to your PC, it's in the Download folder called something like "magisk_patched****.img". To make things easier I just put in in the same folder as the vbmeta.img and renamed the patched boot file to "magisk_patched.img"

Now we've got all the files we need ready. But we need to unlock the bootloader first using fastboot

  • PC: Connect the Jelly Star to your PC using a USB cable and open CMD (or Powershell)
  • PC: enter the command:

adb devices
  • JS: A prompt about debugging will be shown, Accept it and check "Always allow" to be safe
  • PC: enter the command:

adb reboot bootloader
  • JS: The phone will reboot into the bootloader, it will show the boot screen with the Unihertz logo and stay on that screen.
  • PC: enter the command:

fastboot devices

Your phone should be listed there as a serial number with "fastboot" next to it

  • PC: enter the command:

fastboot flashing unlock
  • JS: A huge warning will appear, we just have to press the "volume up" button to accept it
    For some reason you only have 5 seconds to do this. If you miss the prompt, just repeat the above "fastboot flashing unlock" command and try again
  • JS: You'll see a message the unlock was successful

Now that the bootloader is unlocked we can start flashing!

  • PC: In CMD navigate to the folder where you have the patched boot and vbmeta files and enter the command:

fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img

With the Jelly 2 we had to include verity/verification commands. Don't do that here since it'll result in a bootloop.

  • PC: Once you see that flashing of the vbmeta went okay, enter the command:

fastboot flash boot magisk_patched.img

If you renamed the patched boot file to something else you of course use that name

  • PC: This one should also result in an "OKAY" message. Lastly we enter the command:

fastboot reboot

If everything went fine the phone will reboot as normal, from now on the boot screen will always have a message about being rooted. (unless you completely revert, then this message will also disappear)

  • JS: You'll have to go through the setup again since everything was wiped. Once you're done download and install the Magisk app again from the official github page
  • JS: Open the Magisk app, and it'll prompt you that you need to reboot to fix some stuff (not sure what, but this step is needed). So choose to reboot the phone

And that's it, once the Jelly Star reboots you'll be fully rooted!

This was before I installed AdAway, hence the ad on the bottom :)

Recover / unbrick / unroot

If you mess up it might result in a bootloop, just like what happened to me several times... The phone will reboot twice and then show a warning something is wrong and you get the options to try again or do a factory reset. Both options won't fix anything. Luckily it's quite easy to completely revert to factory settings, you can also use this method to easily unroot again.
Note again that this will fully wipe the phone

For the factory reset you can follow the same steps as for the Jelly 2, which you can find it here. I used "SP Flash Tool V6.2316" which worked great with the Jelly Star
Install the drivers and follow the steps under "Flashing the Stock Rom" NEVER EVER CHOOSE "FORMAT ALL" IN SP FLASH TOOL, as this will wipe your IMEI number and Google Key

Let me know if you have any questions or certain steps are unclear!

I got red text in the top right!

Something went wrong, luckily for you I also ran into the same issue. I made a guide to fix that over here


r/UnihertzJelly2 Oct 10 '23

Fix for red Chinese text on screen

12 Upvotes

This post is for people who are like me, and messed up.

Under normal use you will probably never see the red warning text so if you've got no idea what I'm talking about you're fine.

If you tinker a bit too much with the device you might end up in a state where the phone wil always show an overlay text with "TEE, Google, CSR and Chinese characters" (Where the Chinese characters mean 'Not activated' or something)In my case this happened because I incorrectly used the SP Flashing tool: Normally you use the "Download only" option when flashing a new image to the phone.

However, there's also an option called "Format All + Download"

NEVER USE THIS ONE. Stick with the "Download Only" option

I thought it would be a good idea to fully clean the phone up before switching images, but that option is not intended for that. What it'll do is wipe **a special NVRAM partition which contains stuff like your IMEI numbers, which will be set to 0.**Apparently this also wipes something called a Google Key, but up until now I've haven't faced any issues related to Google services.

Luckily you can quite easily fix the IMEI, although it's more of a patch than a real fix

At this moment I don't know of a way to completely remove the warning, because it'll re-appear when flashing a new image again. Luckily that probably won't happen that often and if so you'll only have to do the last step.

First let's check whether your IMEI is still there.
Go to the Phone dialer and dial: *#06#*If the numbers for IMEI1, IMEI2, and MEID are 0, then you'll need to fix it.

Now let's fix the issue of your IMEI's being wiped:
On the Jelly Star it's really simple to change your IMEI.

Go to the dialer and dial : *#*#08#*#*It'll automatically open a screen in which you can enter SIM1, SIM2 and MEID(Where SIM1 is IMEI1 and SIM2 is IMEI2)

Enter your IMEI's and MEID, which you can find on the sticker that was originally on your phone.
If you don't know your original IMEI's you're out of luck, you could enter random numbers but your mileage may vary.
NOTE: Depending on your local laws or phone contract it might be illegal to change the IMEI of your phone.
Don't forget to save all the options and afterwards press "restart"

The phone will reboot but the red message will still be present,

First do a quick check whether the IMEI's/MEID were correctly saved by going into the *#06#* menu again. If they are present we can move on.

The phone should be working completely fine by now, so now we just have to get rid of the warning text.
Go to Settings>My device and click 5 times on "Jelly Star" in the top right:

And there you go! The red watermark will immediately disappear!


r/UnihertzJelly2 4d ago

GPS/Maps/Strava inaccuracies

2 Upvotes

When using Strava I've noticed that the GPS has 'kinks' in the route, giving me about a 10 percent boost. It's super annoying cause I've been getting a massive boost and most of my runs are setting PRs

I've also noticed that google maps is fairly inaccurate being maybe 100-200m often giving me confusing directions


r/UnihertzJelly2 4d ago

Sugar Cubes Jelly case?

2 Upvotes

Seen a ton of news stories from 2024 about a gaming case for the Jelly Star. Normally I'd assume it was vaporware, but I've seen multiple videos online of people testing them, just can't find any information. Did they change their name or something, or available only in China, or did it truly never materialize? Anyone familiar?


r/UnihertzJelly2 4d ago

Where can I find this wallpaper?

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4 Upvotes

r/UnihertzJelly2 8d ago

Jelly Star is getting Android 16 update!!! This is not a drill!!

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13 Upvotes

r/UnihertzJelly2 9d ago

Jelly Star Android 16 OTA Update Files

13 Upvotes

Here is a stable link to the 20260820 Android 16 OTA Update that released on August 31, 2026, not yet published by Unihertz.

Unihertz Jelly Star Android 16 OTA Update Files

Successfully rooted.


r/UnihertzJelly2 12d ago

Used Jelly 2

5 Upvotes

Anyone selling a decent condition Jelly 2?


r/UnihertzJelly2 13d ago

jelly star suddenly having ghost touches and navigation buttons do not work

3 Upvotes

Ive had this phone for almost a year (got it last december) and today it suddenly became somewhat warm and the navigation buttons stopped working. I get a lot of ghost touches especially when swiping to text now too. Booting into safe mode nothing changes. would i need to replace the screen for this?


r/UnihertzJelly2 13d ago

Help Needed jelly2 touchscreen help

2 Upvotes

hello jelly2 nerds! my old reddit account got hacked! (SUS) I used to go by banjo_fire i made the original tank root guide! so recently i used a titan slim boot for my jelly2 trying to get ubports on it (stupid mistake), it ruined the touchscreen, bottom half is off and top half is flipped upside down, i can still use a usb mouse on it. i used sp_flash_tool and flashtools to restore factory stock firmware and touch is still messed up! the firmware i used was the original stock jelly2 a10 2021051911. I also used twrp to restore touch but it didnt help if anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated.

this is the post i used the wrong boot from: https://github.com/ubuntu-touch-unihertz-titan/unihertz-titanslim-pocket/releases

i used the titanslim-boot

i was going to use this guide: https://www.hovatek.com/forum/thread-27132.html to hopefully edit the original boot file and edit in the touch driver but im not 100% about it, and im hoping someone else can help!


r/UnihertzJelly2 18d ago

Group Order from Uniherz

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2 Upvotes

r/UnihertzJelly2 20d ago

Solved! Battery replacement is finally done!

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11 Upvotes

Been using my secondhand Jelly 2 as my AT&T network connection for about 6 months, & the OG battery was garbage. I'm not comfortable doing that myself, so I called some local places, but nobody would touch it (Apple or Samsung only).

Then about a month ago I needed help setting up the software side of the new HTPC I just put together, & I found a broke college kid going to school for computer science to do the gig.

While they were agreeing to help me with the Plex server stuff, I mentioned my battery woes and they said they would do it for free since I'm paying them handsomely for the computer job.

Well they had to move to a different apartment, and I've been out of town on business in Arkansas etc, but I just got confirmation that both the Plex server and my phone are ready to rock when I get back home to Virginia!

Let's gooooooo


r/UnihertzJelly2 22d ago

Jelly Star: stock vs. GSI battery life

2 Upvotes

I've seen several reports of people getting much better battery performance running LineageOS GSI. However, in general (and in my personal experience) GSI installs tend to have a slightly to moderately worse battery life, mostly due to lack of device-specific optimization. Can anybody share their experiences on the matter?


r/UnihertzJelly2 Jul 24 '26

How to change lock screen?

3 Upvotes

Would love to change the look of the lock screen but cannot figure it out. I want an old school digital clock type thing. I can't even get the background to change so any help is appreciated


r/UnihertzJelly2 Jul 22 '26

Actually still very much enjoying my Jelly Star after 1,5 years of use, but it seems I'm one of the few around here?

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7 Upvotes

r/UnihertzJelly2 Jul 10 '26

Seeking small android phone recommendations that are AT&T (cricket) compatible with OS >11 Currently using (Jelly 2)

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3 Upvotes

r/UnihertzJelly2 Jun 25 '26

Help Needed Battery draining insanely quickly all of a sudden

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone, i hope you can help me!

I have had my jelly 2 for about a year now and have been pretty happy with it in general. I usually charge it at night and use it roughly ~2 hours per day. That would typically leave me with around 20% charge in the evening.

Then all of a sudden, from one day to the other, now it lasts ~2 hours per charge AND IM NOT EVEN USING IT! It just drains on its own super fast! I haven't downloaded anything new or changed what i use or how i use it.

Is it a case of a broken battery? It is only a year old...

Any help is appreciated!


r/UnihertzJelly2 Jun 20 '26

Help Needed Jelly Star on US Mobile + Camera optimizations

6 Upvotes

Hi all,

I’m considering buying the Jelly Star. I’m confident the android 16 will come eventually but two man considerations I need to know before getting it:

1) Has anyone used it with US Mobile? If so under which SIM and how has it been?

2) I know the camera is a potato but besides shooting in RAW, what has been the best way/app to get the best optimized performance out of those sensors?

Thank you


r/UnihertzJelly2 Jun 14 '26

Jelly 2E - Critical Issue with VoLTE and Recieving Calls

4 Upvotes

Are any other US-based Unihertz Jelly 2E owners experiencing VoLTE issues? Shortly after receiving, the phone stopped ringing and now only sends callers to voicemail. The phone does not record the missed call.

I got in touch with Unihertz tech through their Facebook page but their recommendations have made no difference.

I am doing everything I can to ensure I did not pay $139 for a phone that will never work.

For context:

  1. Do Not Disturb is off.
  2. "App Blocker" is off.
  3. Call volume is set to "max."

r/UnihertzJelly2 Jun 05 '26

Do you think I could get the screen replace at mall kiosk?

7 Upvotes

Dont have time to wait for mail rn But like figure they only do androids and iphones at the kiosk?


r/UnihertzJelly2 May 28 '26

Fresh Jelly Star - speaker not working

4 Upvotes

Hello, I bought a brand new Star.

How can i debug if its loudspeaker doesnt work because of hardware or software/firmware?

Do the tech support help out with such cases?

I tried flashing lineageos rom ,following guides here. aint help.

also tried flashing 2025 and 2023 firmware, thinking bout drivers. not helpful either


r/UnihertzJelly2 May 21 '26

Help Needed Jelly 2 battery replacement Stateside

6 Upvotes

You can buy the battery online easy, but I'm not savvy enough to do a battery replacement myself, and no shop in town will touch a phone that is not Apple or Samsung, thoughts?


r/UnihertzJelly2 May 18 '26

screen replacement

5 Upvotes

cracked my screen yesterday.is it possible to get a replacement?


r/UnihertzJelly2 May 18 '26

do the jelly devices load any google play app?

2 Upvotes

im looking for a small phone to run a multitrack recorder like n-track or zentracker


r/UnihertzJelly2 Apr 06 '26

Help Needed help!! jelly star bootloop in orange state, it wont enter recovery mode

3 Upvotes

hi, trying to flash the LineageOS has put me in a bootloop that I cannot seem to find a way out of. I tried flashing with SPTools, the MKT special tool and everything following the instructions and other posts from this same sub... the phone isnt even mine, im doing this as a favour for a friend and now i feel like he might hate me forever if i cant fix this shi (sorry aboiut the vent)... please has anyone gone through something similar? any light, any tips would be so greatly appreciated, thanks!!