Bootloader unlocking comes to an end with Xiaomi HyperOS 2.0

Update: Xiaomi has updated the text of the app and announced that it will reopen in 2025.

Where Xiaomi is concerned, the big shift will happen when HyperOS 2.0 launches in October 2024. And of all user-facing changes, one of the most serious will be the new policy against unlocking bootloaders. Earlier, when HyperOS 1.0 launched, Xiaomi introduced a system where users could unlock their phone’s bootloader after taking a small quiz. However, with this update, that capability will be very much gone, hinting at a serious change in how Xiaomi devices would work in the future.

Final Bootloader Unlock Quiz September 9, 2024

The last date on which users can unlock the bootloader under this regime will fall on September 9, 2024, at 11:59 PM. After that, Xiaomi will not allow any more new requests to unlock the bootloader, a full month in front of the official release of HyperOS 2.0. That seems to seal, once and for all, whatever flexibility Xiaomi device users might have confronted with regard to device customization or root access.

What does this mean for Xiaomi users?

The bootloader lock will affect those users who actually like having absolute control over their devices. Users who root their phones quite often or flash custom ROMs will no longer be able to do such things, at least in the Chinese market. For the time being, there is no word if such changes will hit the global markets too; however, based on the general trend, this may go down the same way.

Why is Xiaomi locking the bootloader?

But it’s not Xiaomi alone that is making the move. The largest smartphone makers are gradually clamping down on security by disabling bootloader unlocking. That is highly driven by the desire to keep better control over the ecosystems of their devices for security and less unauthorized modification. While these steps might improve security and performance, it simultaneously restricts the freedom that many have valued.

Future of Unlocking Bootloader in 2025 and Beyond

Up until now, Xiaomi has not provided any information on how unlocking the bootloader would take place in 2025 and afterwards. On the other hand, the move to block the unlocking in HyperOS 2.0 does indicate that it could be permanent. While this is not certain with regard to what the future holds, for those users who rely on customizations by unlocking, perhaps alternative solutions should be sought or different devices altogether.

Will This Affect Global Markets?

Although such a change has been confirmed officialy for China so far, the question would then be whether Xiaomi will extend this policy to a global market. Considering the trend of other major manufacturers trending in the same direction, it is also possible that the global version of HyperOS 2.0 will come with a locked bootloader too. No official announcements have appeared for the global market as yet, though.

The coming days of HyperOS 2.0 signal the end of an era for those Xiaomi users who like tinkering with their devices. The rest of the users have little time left to unlock their bootloaders before the option disappears on the stroke of September 9, 2024. Follow updates on the latest news about HyperOS 2.0 and how it will influence the unlocking of the bootloaders to make informed decisions about your Xiaomi device.

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