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Have you bought a mobile and want to know if the bootloader is unlocked? Or have you done the unlocking process on your Xiaomi and want to know if it has worked?
There are many ways to know if the bootloader of our Android mobile is unlocked. Some more complicated than others. But if you have a Xiaomi mobile you are in luck, because there is a simple way to find out. It only takes a few steps and is a beginner-friendly process.
What is the bootloader?
Before going to practice, a little review of the theory. Do you know what the bootloader is and what does having it unlocked add to your mobile?
Simply put, the bootloader, or as we say in Spanish, the boot loader, is the software that starts every time you turn on the mobile to activate the installed operating system. Or if you use button combinations to enter, for example in Recovery, then it will tell the device to go to that section of memory. That is, it works as if it were a doorman that guides the device where it has to go.
Locked means that you cannot modify the device at the system level. And of course, you can only run the operating system installed by the manufacturer. So if you want to experiment with ROMs, try advanced system features, or just go back to an older version of MIUI, you have to unlock it.
Why are Xiaomi and other manufacturers blocking the bootloader? Mainly for user safety, since it prevents the device from being altered or other ROMs being installed.
You will have seen in the forums that users who buy Xiaomi phones from unauthorized sellers at lower prices mention that they have the bootloader unlocked. Or those who buy on Aliexpress know that it is normal to find, for example, a Chinese version Xiaomi with a global ROM and unlocked bootloader.
How to know if your Xiaomi is unlocked?
You can check if the bootloader of your Xiaomi is unlocked in different ways, but if you are looking for a simple way follow these steps.
First, it is necessary that we activate the mobile developer options. It is simple.
- Go to Settings >> About the phone and click on MIU Version several times until the message “Now the options for developers are activated” appears, as you see in the image:
Once the developer mode is activated, follow these steps from the same Settings section:
- Go to Additional Settings and scroll down to Developer Options. And now look for the option "Status of my Unlock", select it and you will be able to check the status of your mobile.
If your mobile is locked you will see the same message as the image. And if you have paid attention to the images, you will also have noticed that one of the above options "OEM Unlock - Allow bootloader unlock" is disabled.
So if your concern is if they sold you a mobile with the bootloader unlocked, you can check it this way. And if what you want is to make sure of the state of the mobile to unlock it, don't worry, we also have the next step covered.
Just take a look at our previous article with the steps to unlock the mobile device using the tools provided by Xiaomi to perform the process safely.
