Emir BardakçıXiaomi has officially discontinued bootloader unlocking for older devices, effective as of August 5, 2025, following the decommissioning of its legacy unlocking servers. This policy change impacts a significant portion of Xiaomi’s legacy portfolio—including the original Mi Mix, all Snapdragon 600 series models, fourth-generation and earlier tablets, the Max series, and pre-Redmi Note smartphones. Redmi 6 series and earlier models are also affected. In short, if your device never received HyperOS support, bootloader unlocking is no longer an option.
Impacted Device Categories
This server shutdown encompasses a wide range of legacy Xiaomi devices. Unlocking support has now ended for first-generation Mi Mix models, all handsets featuring Snapdragon 600 series or older chipsets, tablets from the fourth generation and earlier, and the full Max lineup. Users with pre-Redmi Note series devices are also affected by these restrictions.
Technical Considerations and Manufacturer Guidance
Xiaomi has issued explicit warnings related to keymaster firmware flashing on affected devices. Any attempt to flash or modify critical security partitions is likely to result in permanent device bricking, with no available recovery method. The company’s revised bootloader policy, effective January 1, 2025, aims to balance security with misuse prevention, and Xiaomi has demonstrated the ability to expand restrictions to newer hardware categories as needed.
Current Status for HyperOS Devices
Devices running HyperOS (UI12, UI13, UI14, OS1) currently retain bootloader unlocking functionality. However, future support is not guaranteed, and Xiaomi’s most recent policies introduce stricter limitations for owners seeking to unlock bootloaders. The Fastboot downgrade method is now obsolete in most regions, with some markets transitioning to AVB-verified 9008 downgrading methods—functional primarily on devices with Dynamic Partition groups (such as Snapdragon 860/865 smartphones).
Industry Landscape and Outlook
Industry analysts speculate that Xiaomi may end global bootloader unlocking entirely by late 2025, which would further restrict options for custom ROM users and developers. Recent changes have tightened unlock permissions to only one device per user per year, significantly reducing opportunities for modification.
For users interested in maximizing their Xiaomi device’s functionality without engaging in unsupported modifications, the MemeOS Enhancer app provides access to advanced features and system updates—no bootloader unlock required.
