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Can You Still Unlock Android in 2025? The Ultimate Guide to the Devastating Changes
Major changes are here for how you can use your Android phone. If you enjoy customizing your device’s software, you need to know about these new rules. Xiaomi has made a big decision that affects many of its older phones. The company no longer provides official help for unlocking the bootloader on these devices.
Think of the bootloader as a locked door to your phone’s deepest software. Unlocking it gives you the key. This key lets you install different versions of the Android operating system, known as custom ROMs. For a long time, this freedom was a big reason why tech enthusiasts loved phones from companies like Xiaomi. Now, that is changing.
Xiaomi’s New Unlocking Rules
Xiaomi has turned off its old servers that were used to unlock older models. This change became official around August 5, 2025. It means if you own one of these legacy devices, you can no longer get official help to unlock it. The company has also warned that trying to force an unlock without official support could permanently break your phone, with no way to fix it.
This policy follows an earlier change from the beginning of 2025, when Xiaomi started limiting users to unlocking only one device per year. These steps show a clear trend toward more control.
Devices Affected by This Change
This new policy impacts a wide range of popular older Xiaomi devices. If your device never received an update to Xiaomi’s HyperOS, it is likely on this list. The affected models include:
- The original Mi Mix series
- Phones with Snapdragon 600 series processors or older
- The entire Mi Max series
- Tablets from the fourth generation and earlier
- Redmi Note devices before the Note 6
- The Redmi 6 series and all earlier Redmi models
Why This Is Happening Now
This isn’t a random decision by one company. It is part of a much larger industry shift, pushed by new regulations in Europe. A rule called the European Union’s Radio Equipment Directive (RED) has new cybersecurity requirements that took effect on August 1, 2025.
This directive demands that electronics manufacturers protect devices from security threats by blocking unauthorized software. To comply, companies must use systems like “Secure Boot,” which checks if the phone’s software is authentic and approved. While the rule doesn’t use the word “bootloader,” its requirements make it very difficult for companies to allow unlocking while still meeting the law.
Other Companies Are Doing the Same
This trend extends beyond Xiaomi, showing a significant shift across the entire Android market.
Samsung
The electronics giant is also removing the ability to unlock the bootloader in its new One UI 8 software. This restriction was once limited to phones sold in the United States, but it is now expanding to global models. Samsung’s move is widely seen as a direct response to the EU’s RED directive.
Huawei
We saw a similar pattern years ago when Huawei stopped providing official bootloader unlock codes. This forced users who wanted to customize their phones to use risky, third-party services that the company could not approve or monitor.
What This Means for You
For years, the Android community valued the ability to install custom ROMs. These alternative operating systems could offer better performance, longer battery life, or a cleaner design without pre-installed apps. Xiaomi, in particular, built a strong reputation with tech fans by offering powerful, affordable phones that were easy to customize.
This era of freedom appears to be ending. The new rules and company policies are making Android devices more like iPhones, where the manufacturer has complete control over the software. This shift improves security against malware but takes away the flexibility that made Android so popular with enthusiasts. For many, this is a frustrating development that changes the nature of owning an Android phone.