In case you missed it, Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 14 series in China last month. With this launch, the brand introduced HyperOS. It’s the new Android skin for Xiaomi smartphones. Recently, we also learned that the new UX skin will soon be debuting globally.
Among the first global devices to receive the update are:
- Xiaomi 13 and 13T series
- Xiaomi 12T series
- Xiaomi 11T
- Xiaomi Pad 6
But Xiaomi has confirmed that global devices with an unlocked bootloader won’t receive the HyperOS update. And what’s more interesting is that the brand is restricting Xiaomi 14 users to unlock the bootloader.
Why Is Xiaomi Against Unlocking the Bootloader?
Xiaomi has made some statements about why it is not allowing users to unlock bootloaders, especially for devices with HyperOS. Xiaomi says that it’s “to protect device’s security, avoid data leakage, and provide users with a more secure and stable user experience.”
Xiaomi has also said that it will allow unlocking the bootloader on a device with HyperOS under one condition. The user would need to apply for special permission through Xiaomi’s community forum.
Now, this isn’t something new with Xiaomi devices. MIUI devices, which are all the current Xiaomi phones with HyperOS, had bootloader unlock disabled. Users would need to apply for special permission to get their phones unlocked. This process has many other restrictions too. For example, the users would need to wait for a set amount of time after applying.
But for MIUI devices, you can apply for the bootloader unlock permission through your Xiaomi account. As for HyperOS devices, Xiaomi’s statements make it clear that you must go through extra steps.
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HyperOS Restriction in China Is Even More Strict
If you think that getting permission through the community forum, Xiaomi has even stricter requirements in China. Chinese users of HyperOS devices will need to reach “level five” on the community forum to get their bootloader unlocked. The users also have to face a time-sensitive restriction.
That means the users in China might need to appeal many times to keep the bootloader unlocked on their devices. Also, there’s a limit on how many HyperOS devices one user can unlock. The limit is three devices per year.
But won’t Xiaomi pass these restrictions to the global users? The answer is no. The brand has confirmed that the aforementioned restrictions are only applicable in China. And the brand has said it will be making an announcement on its company’s forum on global HyperOS devices. This post will offer more details.
This restrictive approach for HyperOS differs from other smartphone brands. For instance, OnePlus and Google Pixel allow users to unlock their bootloader through the phone’s settings. There’s no application system, nor do the users need to wait a certain amount of time to unlock their phone’s bootloader.
What About the Eligible MIUI 14 Devices with Unlocked Bootloader?
As mentioned earlier, Xiaomi is also against offering the update to already unlocked devices. Xiaomi says, “Users will no longer receive any Xiaomi HyperOS updates if they leave their devices in an unlocked state.” But Xiaomi did say that users can receive the update when they lock the bootloader again.
This rule applies to all Xiaomi devices outside China. So, if you have an eligible device with unlocked bootloader, you should lock it again. Otherwise, you won’t receive the HyperOS update.
For those wondering, you can lock the bootloader through the Mi Flash Pro app. The process takes about 5 minutes, and the tool has an easy-to-use UI. But do note that locking the bootloader will delete the phone’s data. So, make sure that you back up the important files.
