What is an Xposed Framework/Module and how does it help you?

The Android platform is known for its innumerable amount of functions and the users’ ability to further customize it according to his/her liking. The first thing that comes to mind when we think of customizing our Android device is custom ROMs. The likes of CyanogenMod, Paranoid Android etc are some of the prominent ROM development teams out there that offer all the features that stock Android doesn’t.

But what if you don’t want to go through the hoops of installing a custom ROM and could get some of the features from it simply by rooting your device? Well, that’s where Xposed Framework comes into play. Rooting is a simple procedure and smartphones can be rooted these days with a single click. Doing this doesn’t change the appearance of your device, but merely makes system level tweaks which allows the installation of certain apps which are otherwise blocked.

So what exactly can you get with an Xposed Framework? Once you have the framework installed on your device, you can then search for Xposed Modules, which are basically features that you can bring to your device. These modules can access core Android features, which allows for better functionality and deeper customization options. Usually, enabling such features requires users to flash full ROMs, but that’s no longer the case with Xposed.

A vast majority of developers already work on Xposed Modules day in and day out to bring you the latest in the Xposed arena. Think of the framework as a foundation for the modules to run on your device.

We’ll walk you through the entire process of installing the Xposed Framework and the Module below:

First things first, make sure you have a rooted smartphone. You can find a large number of easy root options for your smartphone. If you use a Nexus handset like myself, it’s as easy as installing the Nexus Root Toolkit on your desktop and letting the app do the rest on its own.

• Assuming you have a rooted device already, download the Xposed framework installer app from here. This is an apk file which you will need to side load onto your rooted device and install it there. Make sure you allow app installation from third party sources before going forward.
• Once Xposed Installer has finished installing, head over to the app and tap Framework. From here, you will have to tap the Install/Update button.
• In a while (mostly close to 5 seconds), you will see a Superuser request asking your permission to grant access to the app. Make sure you grant permission.
• Once finished, you will have to reboot the device. It’s ideal to do this using the toggle shown in the Framework settings. After your device is rebooted, you will successfully have Xposed Framework installed on your smartphone.

Installing the Xposed Modules:

• This is as easy as sideloading an apk file of your choice either online or through the XDA forums. The downloads section of the Xposed app will also offer suggestions for some of the popular modules for your device, which is worth considering as well.
• Once you pick a module of your choice, it’s as simple as downloading by scrolling down the list.
• Downloading the module alone won’t give you access to these modules though, as you will need to manually install them. This can be done by tapping the notification that shortly pops up on your device or by heading over to the Modules section within the Xposed app.
• From the modules section, you can also customize and tweak your modules according to your liking.

That’s pretty much it and everything you need to know about the Xposed Framework and Modules. This should finally let you install custom features on your device which would otherwise require the installation of a fresh ROM.

Screens courtesy of Addictive Tips.

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