Emir BardakçıRecently, Xiaomi has made an important change regarding the ability to unlock the bootloader of devices bought on Mainland China.
If you bought a Xiaomi phone in China and tried to unlock the bootloader using a global Xiaomi account, from now on you got the following error message: “The place where the account is registered does not match the place where the phone is sold.” Because of the new restriction, unlocking the bootloader is not allowed anymore, and Chinese Xiaomi devices can’t be unlocked by users who are not from China.
Why Is This Happening?
The company, until now, allowed users to unlock the bootloader of their device, irrespective of where it was bought or what region the Xiaomi account that was in use belonged to. This also further helped enthusiasts or developers who wished to import Xiaomi devices from China to use them for global purposes. But this recent policy change is imposing region-specific constraints.
The thing is that bootloader unlocking of a Xiaomi device purchased from China requires the account used to be bound to China now. That’s a real huge problem for foreigners since creating a Xiaomi account in China requires Chinese citizenship. Therefore, only Chinese citizens are allowed to unlock bootloaders of Chinese Xiaomi phones.
The Implications for Global Users
This update directly serves users who purchase Xiaomi devices from China, either from online resellers or when they visit the country. If your region-lock is set to the Chinese region, it simply implies that your bootloader can never be unlocked with a global account. Such a limitation severely affects your options in terms of customization like installing custom ROMs or even reaching some advanced features.
Things You Should Know Before Purchasing a Xiaomi Device
If you are in the market for a Xiaomi phone, it pays to ensure that the device is not a Chinese-region model. Devices meant for the global market will not have this limitation and, therefore, can still be unlocked using a global Xiaomi account. One must be very aware when buying from unofficial or third-party resellers who might ship Chinese models without making this distinction known to them.
How to Check the Region of Your Xiaomi Device
So, to keep away from restrictions, here are the steps to check if your current Xiaomi smartphone is a global model.
How to know whether your Xiaomi device is Chinese or a global version?
The new restrictions on bootloader unlocking by Xiaomi are a sharp policy turnaround for the company, and it has been a big break for several international users who import devices directly from China. As it is, since Chinese CI Xiaomi phones can now only be unlocked in boot loader mode by native-born Chinese citizens, always ensure that any Xiaomi device you bought is for global markets. Always check a device’s region to avoid any conceivable limitations to customization and control.
This is bs, I can’t even unlock my global device for months, always quota error! My last device from this joke of a company!
Headphone problem
How can I unlock Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G (Garnet)?
I bought a Xiaomi 14 pro in China like all my previous smartphones, unfortunately it is my last Xiaomi device, I was a fan of the brand, but they have gained a staunch enemy, it’s a shame the way Xiaomi acted with the people it fell in love with at the beginning and those who made the brand known.
Goodbye.
I have Redmi note 9t and 11. Months ago, bought 12, but 9t and 12 can not use uber. Note11 still ok. Don’t know when it’ll be locked.
I used Xiaomi for years and recommended them to my friends. However, this is the last Xiaomi phone I will be getting, unlocking has become too complicated and not worth it. My old Xiaomi phones were Mi Max, Mi Mix, Mi Mix 3, K20 pro, Mi 10, K70 pro which is the current one. I bought Chinese versions because they have better specs.
For Xiaomi bootloader and convert global message me fast 👍 YouTube unbrick worldwide👍
Xiaomi Was My Favourite Brand For Bootloader Unlocking And Used Custom Rom Like Xiaomi EU And Other MiUi Customised Custom Rom Or Root. If Xiaomi Stopping User To Unlock Bootloader Then We Never Buy Any Xiaomi Devices. And I Never Recommended My Friends & Family To Buy Xiaomi. Day By Day Xiaomi Will Be a Trash. Boycott Xiaomi
How to unlock Xiaomi MI 14 with HyperOS?
I was unable to unlock the bootloader without any prior notice. Perhaps it was determined that the user attempting to unlock the card was not a customer. I’ve been indebted to you for a long time, but it seems like the time has finally come to say goodbye.
I confirm, Xiaomi Bootloader Unlock is a pain, it’s my last Xiaomi phone as well.
I left using xiaomi device after 10 years of use…. I moved to oneplus, which is also a crap these days. Better get samsung, iphone or pixel. Other devices are shit
So if I live in China, can I get around this by having a Chinese friend unlock my new phone’s bootloader? Could I then flash an international ROM like Xiaomi.EU?
this is not a xiaomi problem, but it is the chinese goverment who is trying to control everything, avoiding, for example, that you use a VPN or similar softwares.
Good Bye Xiaomi
Welcome to Motorola or Nothing Phone 👋
I have sold a lot of xiaomi phones and unlocked many bootloaders, yet last was on 26th of September. Today I’ve tried with 14 pro and was unsuccessful. Goodbye Xiaomi, thank to your government for f*cking your market up!
Poco F6 Pro was my last Xiaomi Device fs.! Switched to Samsung and how hard was it to unlock the Bootloader of My S24 Ultra? Hold two buttons, connect USB, press a button and done! I have TWRP official and there are already ROMs (AOSP in the works). F Xiaomi! I had MIUI on My Motorola Milestone (Droid) back in the Days and loved it. Look at them now. I am nostalgicly sad…
Never buying xiaomi again. My mistake was buying phone+tablet a month/weeks ago and it was global miui with cn bootloader/hardware and I had the habit of buying CN phone/tab since it had better specs. It used to be a smooth process to unlock that I do all the time with official Mi Unlock tool even with CN bootloader/imei/hardware now all CN xiaomi devices cannot unlock outside mainland and I think they will go after Global region next in favor of cutting off legacy and promoting new HyperOS devices and deprecating miui and possibly its cloud entirely. And no I won’t even bother going to the forums and earning points or days of fake engagement whatever system in place for a new account is just waste of time or having to pay some dev to whitelist my account. I’m a simple man, even if it hurts to do it’s just faster to avoid Xiaomi entirely off my life and move on and I’m selling my current flagship CN phone I recently purchased. Having enjoyed Xiaomi before, the Mi and several flagship phones I think that it was a great experience but now it’s time to go. No way to verify if even a Global region would unlock since the region matching must match and my country may not match any since we don’t even have Xiaomi foundry here so how will regions even match? I guess this is my last time talking about Xiaomi everywhere maybe I’ll warn others too but it’s the final time, no more Xiaomi from here on out and forward. Deleting all bookmarks and software for Xiaomi and cloud data, I’m not really mad just disappointed that the expectations no longer align with the current Xiaomi that has shaped my developer life.
Definitely my last xiaomi device
Same for me, I already a fan of xiaomi however this will be the last xiaomi device
WIll NEVER EVER Buy a Xiaomi phone again…
I have the same problem with unlocking bootloader. I think my next phone will be vivo or apple. These are not favorable conditions for the consumer.
I tossed my turbo 3 in the trash after a stamped on it!! What a bs, ill never buy Xiaomi ever again!!!
Goodbye Xiaomi
This move suck! Im considerind selling and going Samsung
This will be the last phone I buy from Xiaomi, Redminote 13pro 5g, ram 12gb/rom 256gb! I will use oppo phone next time! I’m from Vietnam!