Xiaomi recently moved from MIUI to HyperOS, which arrived with the latest company’s flagship phones. Early looks suggest there is not much difference between the new Android skin and MIUI, but Xiaomi is making big changes with the new OS.
There have been reports online that Xiaomi will not allow users to unlock the bootloader in HyperOS. The company has confirmed it will disable unlocking the bootloader outside-of-the-box on devices that come pre-installed with HyperOS, but users can still unlock it.
Of course, Xiaomi users can unlock their bootloader in MIUI after applying and waiting days for approval. It seems Xiaomi will continue that route in HyperOS, but users who wish to unlock their bootloader in HyperOS will meet higher requirements.
How phones with unlocked bootloader will receive HyperOS updates
Currently, before you can join closed beta testers in China, you will reach a certain level in the Xiaomi community forum. Xiaomi will require users to reach a certain level before granting permission to unlock the bootloader in HyperOS. According to Kacper Skrzypek, Chinese ROM users will reach “level five” before applying for bootloader unlock. Also, users can only unlock their bootloader three times a year, while Global users might not be allowed to do so, at least for now.
While in MIUI, users with an unlocked bootloader received updates, that won’t be the case in HyperOS. Xiaomi confirmed that devices with their bootloader unlocked will not receive HyperOS updates. However, they did say it’s only while the device is unlocked, meaning you can start receiving OTA updates if you lock your bootloader. Hence, if your bootloader is unlocked, you will not receive a HyperOS update even if you’re eligible unless you lock your device. The new changes apply to everyone, global and Chinese users.
“Previous operating systems, such as MIUI 14, still retain the ability to unlock, but users will no longer receive any Xiaomi HyperOS updates if they leave their devices in an unlocked state.”
Xiaomi will start rolling out HyperOS to global users in Q1 2024, though we might see the update before the end of 2023. If your device is eligible for the update, you might need to check if your bootloader is locked, and if it is, you won’t receive the update when it starts rolling out.
