If you update your Xiaomi device to HyperOS (or if you buy a device that ships with HyperOS), you can bid adieu to unlocking your bootloader and escaping MIUI. You pay for your device and own it, but you lack the autonomy to decide what software it runs.
No longer can you buy Xiaomi’s amazing hardware and use the Google Pixel’s software on it (many Xiaomi phones run the Pixel OS with better performance than real Pixels lol).
No longer can you get Android version updates after Xiaomi decides to stop it due to planned obsolescence.
And no longer can you leave the bloated mess that MIUI (or rebranded MIUI, HyperOS) is in many regions. Xiaomi’s OS uses dark patterns to get you into giving up your privacy for their monetary benefit, if the ads and bloat weren’t enough.
Whilst in HyperOS, you can _technically_ unlock your bootloader if you don’t mind giving up months of your life grinding to level 5 on the Xiaomi Community app, after which (if Xiaomi so pleases) you can apply for permission to unlock your bootloader. You’ll then potentially have permission to have it unlocked for one measly year.
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*Edit to make this clearer –
In the past, there’s been ambiguity about whether global users will face the same process, and it seems to be the case – woefully so.*
Here’s a screenshot of the Poco F5 running the official **Hyper OS Global** (EU version) with a locked bootloader for reference, courtesy of u/starry_helix:
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*Edit 2 – It somehow gets worse:
https://xiaomiui.net/say-goodbye-to-hyperos-global-bootloader-unlock-52670/*
> Users will write a description for the bootloader lock application on Xiaomi forum. In this description, they will explain in detail and logically why they want to unlock it. Then Xiaomi will put users through a quiz where you have to score over 90 points. In this quiz, information about MIUI, Xiaomi and HyperOS will be presented. If Xiaomi does not like your answer, it will not unlock your bootloader.
can you install hyper os without any of this bullshit if you are already unlocked on miui 14? Do any problems happen if you force install hyper os on an already unlocked device?
Wait…..
Xiaomi community has to be the biggest one regarding custom roms, customizations, mgisk modules, etc.
And a lot of people buy their devices to ditch MIUI (i just tried HyperOS on X12, feels a bit smoother and is pretty good atm but is almost like the same old MIU design wise).
Now, i’m a MIUI enjoyer, but this is such a ridiculous move from them (especially on the Global Market).
I’m not gonna be radical about it bcs so far I’m loving HyperOS but not letting people do whatever they want with their own device is so dumb.
This decision maybe is gonna hurt them but sadly it is still a really niche community compared to the casul client, so there is almost anything we can do…..
Gonna miss devs like Arian/Adrian for cupid on future devices….
I think you can still install HyperOS on an unlocked device. Xiaomi.EU has weekly builds of HyperOS beta available. Those builds can only be installed on unlocked bootloader. If Xiaomi may do some integrity checks to prevent HyperOS from booting on an unlocked device in the future, let’s just hope for the developers to bypass it.
so my only reason for buying Xiaomi is being taken away.
you can’t officially get the update with an unlocked bootloader. you’ll have to lock it to get the update.
however, you can install HyperOS through the miui.eu rom.
this is what you should do if you fancy HyperOS as you’ll have a feature filled, debloated, and more privacy respecting version of it.
indeed :’)
Tbh, the best advice I could give is unlock your bootloader as soon as possible.
You can still use an official hyperOS like usual with bootloader unlocked. It just doesn’t get the OTA like a locked one so treat it as MIUI EU.
Still, this move is quite stupid for both Chinese and Global. HyperOS is basically just MIUI baked with Xiaomi IOT ecosystem, probably similar to Harmony OS of Huawei, so it isn’t another new OS. It’s still Android, through and through.
If they want to combat resellers, the 3 devices limitation per year is already enough. No need to include this lv5 community bs especially for global rom.
Not related but where could I get the pixel os for my Xiaomi 12t pro
Personally I think xiaomi.eu is the better version of miui anyway.
Will be interesting to watch this all play out.
Fortunately, I have no idea how to do any of that, so I won’t notice.
This is really bad :/
Yes it is. I’ve been using it since MIUI8. It’s a shame that Xiaomi is slowly pulling its plug on community development and forcing people to stay on MIUI as if it was perfected already.
yes i installed it on my unlocked 12X ( i was on A13 MIUI 14 when i unlocked my phone, now I’m on A14 HyperOS)
just treat it like any other rom…
They are considering to revert changes for global phones so give it a minute.
XDA
I think that explains the “device is not activated” error recent users are getting when trying to unlock the bootloader
> No longer can you get Android version updates after Xiaomi decides to stop it due to planned obsolescence.
If anything, Xiaomi’s OS support seems to have improved, their number flagship used to have pathetic 2.5 year security update.
> Whilst in HyperOS, you can technically unlock your bootloader if you don’t mind giving up months of your life grinding to level 5 on the Xiaomi Community app, after which (if Xiaomi so pleases) you can apply for permission to unlock your bootloader. You’ll then potentially have permission to have it unlocked for one measly year.
That’s for the Chinese community, the actual unlock procedure is still unknown to the global scene AFAIK. Also I am not sure about the “unlocked for one year”. I don’t even know if the phone is capable of locking the BL by itself after one year.
They didn’t do anything yet, so stay tuned before you pull the plug on them
Well you get less waiting time in return.. and it’s for the best since people were getting their phones damaged due to no knowledge on basic adb commands
I don’t like high requirements but I would prefer if people know the basics of everything after unlocking the bootloader.
Most of you may not like it but it was damaging their reputation soo 🤷♀️
No, it’s not the end.
A custom ROM option still exists. If you have a China-based phone, you can get your HyperOS device unlocked for ~$20. There are people on Telegram groups from China who offer unlocking, so you don’t actually have to gain any experience on China forums in order to be able to unlock it by yourself. It seems a bit shady, for real, but it actually does work fine and the process is pretty quick. There are plenty of YouTube videos with detailed instructions.
A global versions will probably require the same method as the previous MIUI (72 hours waiting till unlock). Cheers.
Either you lock back your bootloader, or you flash it from fastboot
This is indeed a sad day.
I’ve got three phones, of which I use two, RN10 Pro running PixelOS (An.13) and Mi 10T Pro 5G running LineageOS 20 (An.13)
Also, some phones have already gotten more than Xiaomi’s offered, my RN10 should’ve had up to Android 13, but I can now update it to 14.
If that’s the case then that’s not too bad, I just bought a Xiaomi 12s ultra (China ROM) which I’m planning to put on xiaomi.eu HyperOS weekly, aslong as I can still do that it’s not too much of an issue
They be giving out points like this is the CCP/PRC’s points system.
RIP to the Xiaomi Community of Custom ROMs.
The Mi 10T Pro is my last and newest Xiaomi, I’ll get something that can unlock next time.
Next step is pulling out the memory, soldering a new chip with an unlocked bootloader.
Haha yeah.
The thing is, they made it complicated **for people in China**. That was the purpose. Now, when you get the device which is China based, you’ll also be getting the same problems, no matter if you live outside of China or not. A global versions *probably* won’t be having those issues.
Xiaomi’s the definition of “Surgery succesful, pacient dead”.
They managed to get great hardware deals, while locking the hardware to only work on their BS android spin-off.
I like my phone, it’s got the same SoC as the S20, at half the price. And while the S20 isn’t too modern by current standards, it’s still a fast phone. What I hated about this phone until I unlocked it and put Lineage on it is MIUI. It ran at like half the speed of this.
I think people outside of China will still be able to unlock the bootloader with global versions of HyperOS, we just need to wait a bit. The first batch will be available in January.
Don’t care, never used and half written garbage … and don’t recommend anyone use it.
There’s a post on the Chinese forums about it. They are planning to make it easier for global devices to unlock the bootloader compared to Chinese but I don’t think we’ll know anything concrete until Xiaomi 14 good global or whatever becomes the first hyperos main line global phone.
I have only debloated mine and it seems that would still be possible with the new os.
That’s kind of ridiculous
No wonder people are buying infinix phones.
This is china only and it’s to stop y’all buying phones meant for the china market along with stopping resellers. This rant is literally useless
Still better than Nokia
I’ve tried a lot of custom ROM’s including that pixel, none worked well for me! They’re either sluggish or so much buggy I don’t know why people praise them. I reverted back to MIUI 11 on redmi note 8 and it works the best. I love the MIUI.. I just turn off receiving recommendations and debloat a little but anyway I use an ad blocker DNS and that’s it, I have a premium OS!.
Any thoughts?
I previously unlocked my 12T to downgrade a problematic MIUI 13 OTA update.
Today I received and applied the HyperOS OTA update (I had relocked the bootloader after downgrading).
Do any of you know whether this new “policy” applies to previously authorized devices too?
I kinda understand this BS move for new phones that ship with HyperOS (keyword, understand, not approve) but heck, for existing phones already out in the market? Hell no.
Vote with our wallets and don’t buy locked devices, there are not many out there, but there are xd
I’d say it loud and clear, to me Android is worthless without the ROM community and rooting community, and I have been around here only since 2020.
Thank you for sharing this! If this is still like this I will move to another brand. The Android market is big enough for you to choose the brand that fits your needs. I moved to OnePlus once and maybe now is the time to go back there again.
Well, I am unsubscribing from this subreddit. It was nice with you all.
No reason to be here any longer. I will not buy another Xiaomi.
> Active on a Chinese forum for months? Chinese ID? The possibility to have the bootloader re-locked after a year?
Those requirements are for China. The reason they did this is because they want to discourage people from importing Chinese models. They want us to buy GLOBAL variants, which are more expensive.
We don’t know anything about BL unlocking requirements for global devices.
Why can’t we have nice things?
I would ban xiaomi and never buy a phone from it
Because we are free and we pay to own that device not just use thst device
Where are you getting 72 hours, i had to wait of a week
I needed to wait just 3 days. Dunno why, I guess because it was my third Xiaomi phone so far associated with my MI account.
Then there is no reason for me to buy Xiaomi anymore.
Have you tried MIUI from Xiaomi.eu btw? It’s literally Chinese version of MIUI (which is sometimes more feature rich than global version of MIUI) but with improvements for global users.
I haven’t but I would like to try it tbh. But I think I have to root the device right? Is there any official link? Or does it install using fastboot?
Lucky if you don’t have those problems with MIUI. I had Xiaomi 12 Lite and Poco F4, with ads turned off and bloats getting removed by ADB, and it’s still a hot mess. So much system-related bugs, slow updates, aggressive RAM consuming, etc… even most of my friends that use Xiaomi can agree that their experience with their phone is not great all, some even move to another brand and getting a better experience. There’s a reason why custom ROM community on Xiaomi is very popular. It’s great if they’re improving the user experience in HyperOS (so at least one less reason to use custom ROM), but what if they don’t? They’re keep promising that they will improving the user experience with fixing those bugs in MIUI 12.5, 13, 14, but none of them are prove right, at least in my experience. And now they’re also removing user’s freedom??? I’ve bought a whole hardware, I have full rights to modify anything init.
Maybe you can check out here [here](https://xiaomi.eu/community/), since I’ve never tried it myself either. But my irl friend tried this on his daily driver phone and claimed it’s better than global MIUI and still uses it until now.
thats the reason i jumped out of Xiaomi bullshit this year, i selled my MI 11 Ultra and got a Samsung S22 Ultra, never been happier with my phone, no more MUIU bullshit ads, obligatory forum registration, crapware that you cant unnistall, and so on, Samsung OneUI improved a lot lately and become my favorite Android “skin”, you basically can unnistall everything, clean and fast look, and tha fact that samsung is giving 4 years of Android update and 5 years of security update is a nice bonus, and the camera, oh boy, people that says Xiaomi Camera are good, never tried a Samsung Galaxy, the colors on daylight photos are absurd, and the night mode is insane, and FINALLY, i can use the NFC to make digital payments with Samsung Wallet, since Alipay doesn’t work in my country (Brazil) due to restrictions
Has nothing to do with spyware… but sure…
Even if I think miui is at least decent (runs well for me), if that’s true then they will loose a lot costumers, I hope they understand this.
?
Please elaborate. I have unfortunately used up my CCP Mind-reading credits for the year.
If $350 phone considered “cheap” nowadays then I have no words…
That’s not even a great analogy. Comparing 12 and 12 Lite is like comparing S23 and S23 FE (the cheaper version of the flagship line), no matter the price range.
Now i need to do a quiz to unlock my phone? I would expload it but i would never do a quiz to unlock MY PHONE
Well we want freedom
Even if hyperos is brilliant i want to unlock my phone! I want to custom it , root it and enjoy it not in the prison
Haha
^^^^
you paid for it. it’s yours to use how you like. not according to Xiaomi though, as they wanna squeeze every penny out of you by selling your data and showing you ads in MIUI.
You didn’t need
I need
Yep , soooo …
I banned xiaomi untill they change
I got a new samsung phone as my daily driver , I also have redmi note 8
Yep , pretty premium
This is why you don’t buy a xiaomi
Search on YouTube exactly what you wrote here and you will understand why.
I’m still using my black shark 2 pro, blue and orange. I just love it.
sulky middle hospital deranged roof groovy frighten friendly exultant grandfather
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
In this context it’s both
Not sure what kind of iPhone you have, which you claim to run miui but; seriously…
The amount of crapware on poco x5 pro, my second xiaomi phone; is horrible.
Nottomention the fact that I cannot remove, most of the crapware; the way how I have to use nova launcher to change the desktop wallpaper, because the standard app is replaced with a download store, changing font sizes is impossible, and changing ringtones; idem dito.
Honestly; it’s unintuitive to no end, and I should not have to be running the phone trough adb, just to trim the first layer of the phone bloat, and make it palatable enough to run for as long as xiaomi needs to allow you to unlock this frustrating mess.
So you’re saying that it’s the users fault for not enjoying the performance enough, as they did buy the more expensive phone?
… That’s kind of evil, yknow
I’ll be honest, I knew the price of the phone for the hardware I was getting was too good to be true. It’s covered in bloatware and shady privacy policies for simple apps like file browser and video player. The data they collect is what makes them money, not the revenue made from selling the hardware. They were obviously making losses because of the people ditching their own spyware MIUI for another OS and felt strongly enough about it to restrict the bootloader unlock.