APatch
by bmax121 · GPL-3.0-only · open source
The manager for APatch, which roots Android by patching the kernel image and supports both Magisk-style and kernel modules.
Needs:ARM64 · kernel 3.18–6.1 · unlocked bootloader
2113 Apps is independent, not affiliated with or endorsed by bmax121. Official sources: source code on GitHub.
- Version
- 0355948
- Size
- 5.4 MB
- Requires
- Android 8.0+
- Updated
- 2026-08-01
Introduction
APatch is a root solution that works by patching the Android kernel image. It is built on KernelPatch, and its manager app, this APK, is derived from KernelSU’s. You use it to patch your boot image, grant root to apps and manage modules.
What APatch offers
- APM modules: modules that work much like Magisk modules.
- KPM modules: modules that inject code directly into the kernel. These need a kernel with inline hooking and syscall-table hooking enabled.
- A SuperKey. You set a key when you patch, and it carries more privilege than root itself. The developers warn that a weak or leaked SuperKey hands control of your device to whoever has it. Pick a long, random one and keep it private.
Will it work on your phone?
- ARM64 only. Our scan confirms the build contains native code for arm64-v8a and nothing else.
- Kernel versions 3.18 to 6.1. Newer kernels are outside the stated range.
- The kernel has to be built with
CONFIG_KALLSYMS=y. Support is best whenCONFIG_KALLSYMS_ALL=yis also set; with only the first, support is described as initial. - Samsung devices with Samsung’s extra kernel protections are listed as planned, not supported.
- The manager app needs Android 8.0 or newer.
If your kernel is newer than 6.1, look at KernelSU instead. It supports GKI kernels from 5.10 up. The root solutions comparison sets out the differences.
What stands out in the APK
- No trackers, and only five permissions.
- Shared storage access, the only permissions that need your approval, most likely for opening the boot image you patch and saving the result.
The version name is a build identifier (0355948) rather than a semantic version. APatch releases are usually referred to by that number.
Getting started
- Extract the boot image for your exact firmware. Payload Dumper can pull it out of an OTA zip on the phone.
- Install APatch, choose to patch a boot image, set your SuperKey and let it produce the patched file.
- Flash the patched image with fastboot, reboot, and open APatch to confirm it is working.
- Keep the stock boot image. If the phone won’t boot, flashing it back undoes the patch.
Who should skip it
- Your phone isn’t ARM64, or its kernel is outside 3.18–6.1.
- You don’t want to manage a key that is more powerful than root. KernelSU and Magisk have no equivalent.
What’s inside the APK
Trackers
No code matching the Exodus Privacy tracker signatures.
Native code
Needs a 64-bit ARM phone; 32-bit-only devices are not supported.
Android versions
Built for Android 16 (target API 36).
Permissions
2 of them need your approval first.
CPU types in this build: arm64-v8a (64-bit ARM, almost every phone since 2017).
Asks you first (2)
Android shows a prompt before the app can use these.
- Read shared storage (Android 12 and older) · READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
- Write shared storage (Android 10 and older) · WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
Granted at install (2)
Low-risk permissions Android grants automatically, plus any we have not classified.
- INTERNET
- QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES
Defined by other apps (1)
Permissions that belong to another app or to this app itself.
- me.bmax.apatch.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
More Information
- Package name
- me.bmax.apatch
- Version
- 0355948 (build 11219)
- File size
- 5.4 MB (5,364,295 bytes)
- Requires
- Android 8.0 or later
- Category
- Root & Mods
- License
- GPL-3.0-only
- Developer
- bmax121
- Source code
- github.com/bmax121/APatch
- Released
- Aug 1, 2026
- Signer SHA-256
- d71dadc0ca07bdf594383bfb2a445134a07339f12a27044a1b326981acf5f319
- File SHA-256
- cadc957b2c76ac28bcb351cd09d12c48cb32d2848eac4596b04e8fb0fe72f501
- Checked
- , against the IzzyOnDroid index · how we check · verify it yourself
Common questions
Is this APK the official APatch release?
Yes. It is the developer’s own release of APatch 0355948, byte for byte as IzzyOnDroid distributes it. Its SHA-256 matches IzzyOnDroid’s signed index, and it is signed with the certificate IzzyOnDroid records for the app (SHA-256 d71dadc0ca07bdf594383bfb2a445134a07339f12a27044a1b326981acf5f319).
What Android version does APatch need?
Android 8.0 or later (API level 26). Version 0355948 is built for Android 16 (target API 36). Needs a 64-bit ARM phone; 32-bit-only devices are not supported.
Can APatch access the internet?
Yes. The APK requests Android’s internet permission. In total it declares 5 permissions, and 2 of them need your approval first.
Does APatch contain trackers?
No known trackers: our scan of version 0355948 found no code matching the Exodus Privacy tracker signatures. The scan covers known tracker libraries; it doesn’t show what data the app itself sends.
Is APatch open source?
Yes. APatch is released under the GPL-3.0-only licence, and its source code is published at https://github.com/bmax121/APatch.
Recent releases
| Version | Released | Size | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| v0355948 · this download | Aug 1, 2026 | 5.4 MB | Android 8.0+ |
| v166daa0 | Nov 12, 2025 | 5.9 MB | Android 8.0+ |
| v11107 | Jul 7, 2025 | 5.6 MB | Android 8.0+ |
Versions currently kept in the IzzyOnDroid repository. We host and check only the newest one. Full changelog.
Alternatives and related apps
-
KernelSU For GKI kernels 5.10 and newer, with no SuperKey to manage.Download -
Payload Dumper Extracts the stock boot image you patch.Download
