Nowadays, all the new upcoming Android smartphones (Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, etc) have a locked bootloader feature. It is massive trouble for people who usually like to install new custom TWRPs, and custom ROMs, and tweak their Android performance. In this tutorial, we’ll learn everything about the Android bootloader and how to unlock the bootloader in Android smartphones in detail. Without further ado, let’s get started.
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What is Bootloader?
Bootloader is a set of instructions/codes which activate automatically while booting the system. It checks and verifies all essential files & directories then loads them into the system. It’s not specifically designed for Android, it could be for any tech devices such as computers, tablets, etc.
Why bootloader are locked on Android?
The bootloader enhance the security layer of an Android phone by simply do not let you install custom ROMs, Rooting your Android phone, and other critical operation that could brick your Android OS. Even in some smartphones, you cannot flash official stock ROM if the bootloader is locked. If you perform these operations on locked bootloader Android phones, Android OS will refuse it.
While with an unlocked device, you can easily install custom ROM & Custom TWRP Recovery, Root your device, uninstall system apps & files, etc.
You can install apps such as Greenify, SD Maid, Battery Doctor, Xposed framework, etc to improve Android performance and customize the Android OS.
Risks Of Unlocking Bootloader
Besides looking at benefits, you must look at another side as well. As a matter of fact, unlocking the bootloader may harm your device badly. If anything wrong happens during this process, your Android may not able to boot OS back to its normal state. Here are a few more reasons why you should not unlock your smartphone’s bootloader
- As I explained, locked bootloader phones do not let you install custom ROMs or perform any critical operations, you simply allow these permissions after unlocking the bootloader.
- Android will perform a factory reset operation in this process. So if you don’t back up your data before the process begins you will lose your data forever.
- Anyone can bypass passcode or pattern lock very easily.
How to unlock the bootloader?
There is not a single method that you could follow for all Android smartphones, each brand approaches a different method for their smartphones to unlock the device. In this method, we’ll look for only stock Android smartphones such as Mi A2, Nokia 7.1, Pixel, Nexus, Moto G7, and other stock Android based smartphones.
Note: I’m not going to take responsibility if you harm your device.
Requirements:
- A Laptop/PC/Desktop
- Android Smartphone based on Stock Android OS
- USB Cable
- Internet Connection
- Download the latest fastboot tool from here
- Little more sense
Follow these instructions to unlock bootloader of your device:
1. Backup your smartphone’s data
The first thing you need is to backup your smartphone data into another storage device, for example, into a PC, Pen drive, etc. It’s because this process will erase your all smartphone data and perform a complete factory reset.
2. Enable USB debugging & OEM Unlocking
Go to Android settings > About > Build Number > Tap 5-10 times to get the developer option. Now open developer options from settings and enable this option then scroll down to USB debugging & OEM unblocking and then turn it on.
3. Reboot into Fastboot Mode
Press & hold the phone’s Power + Volume up button (+) for 10-15 seconds to reboot your smartphone into fastboot mode.
4. Setup Fastboot Tools & Enter Commands
After downloading the latest fastboot tool, simply extract & install it on your computer. Then open this tool directly or open the fastboot folder and right-click from the mouse while holding down the Shift key. Then open Windows Powershell and enter the given commands one by one:
fastboot Devices
fastboot oem unlock
fastboot oem device-info
If you see “true” on the command console that means you have successfully unlocked your device bootloader. Anything other than “true” means you need to enter other commands.
fastboot flashing unlock
This above command will reboot your device. Now again, go to the fastboot mode and enter the following command
fastboot flashing unlock_critical
Then, enter the following command to check whether your device is unlocked
fastboot oem device-info
If it’s done. You have successfully unlocked your device. Now enter the given command to reboot your device to normal
fastboot reboot
Conclusion
This method will work in almost every stock Android OS based smartphone. If you face any issues during this process, to unlock the bootloader, you can comment down and ask me for help. We’ll be there. Have a nice tech 🙂
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