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Why Did Samsung Just Remove Bootloader Unlocking from All Galaxy Phones Worldwide?
Samsung just made a change that affects a small group of phone lovers. The company quietly removed the ability to unlock bootloaders on Galaxy phones around the world. This change comes with One UI 8, which is based on Android 16.
What Changed with One UI 8?
Before One UI 8, Samsung phones sold outside the US could unlock their bootloaders. US phones never had this option. Now, no Samsung phone can unlock its bootloader anywhere in the world.
Here’s what happened:
- Samsung added a new code line: “androidboot.other.locked=1”
- This code tells the phone to hide the unlock option
- The unlock button disappears from Developer Options
- No one can access custom software anymore
How Deep Does This Change Go?
This isn’t just hiding a button. Samsung removed all the computer code that controls bootloader unlocking. The phone’s basic software no longer has the ability to unlock itself. This means:
- No workarounds: You can’t trick the phone into unlocking
- Complete removal: The unlock code is gone from the phone’s core system
- Permanent change: Only Samsung can add the unlock ability back
Which Phones Are Affected?
All Samsung phones with One UI 8 lose bootloader unlocking:
- New phones: Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 ship with this restriction
- Beta phones: Galaxy S25 series running One UI 8 beta
- Updated phones: Older phones that update to One UI 8 may lose unlocking
Some users report that phones with unlocked bootloaders get locked again after updating to One UI 8.
What This Means for Phone Users
Most people won’t notice this change. But it matters for users who want to:
- Install custom ROMs: Alternative operating systems like LineageOS
- Root their phones: Get full control over the phone’s software
- Use custom kernels: Make the phone run faster or last longer
- Keep old phones working: Install newer software on phones Samsung stops supporting
Is There Still Hope?
One person claims they found a way around this restriction. They say reverting to the One UI 7 bootloader restored the unlock option on their Galaxy S24[provided in original content]. But this might not work for phones that come with One UI 8 already installed.
Samsung hasn’t said anything official about this change yet. Some people hope it’s a mistake that will get fixed. Others think Samsung did this on purpose to make phones more secure.
The Bigger Picture
Samsung isn’t alone in making these changes. Other phone companies are doing similar things:
- Xiaomi: Made unlocking much harder with daily limits and long waits
- Chinese brands: Many now require complex challenges to unlock phones
- Google: Removed important files that custom ROM makers need for Android 16
This shows a trend across the Android world. Companies want more control over their phones, even after you buy them.
What Should You Do?
If you care about unlocking your phone’s bootloader:
- Don’t update: Stay on One UI 7 if your phone already has unlock ability
- Buy different brands: Google and Motorola still allow bootloader unlocking
- Check before buying: Assume new Samsung phones won’t have this option
For most users, this change won’t affect daily phone use. Samsung’s newer phones get seven years of official updates, so custom software isn’t as necessary as before.
The phone world is becoming more locked down. Companies say this improves security. But it also takes away your choice to control the device you own. This change marks another step toward phones that work more like locked systems than open computers.
Whether Samsung will reverse this decision remains to be seen. For now, the days of easily customizing Samsung phones appear to be ending.